Back in December, we brought a new addition into our home—a feisty, purring rescue kitty named Calla. At one point in her life, she was injured and part of her back foot needed to be removed. But that doesn’t stop her from living her best life in every way.
I’ve never introduced a new cat to a resident cat before, so I copiously studied the recommendations and followed them to the letter…all the while worrying if kitty Faro would feel less than, replaced, or unloved—basically the opposite of the messages animals always relay to me in a reading.
Since Calla and Faro first started interacting a few weeks ago, it’s been a roller coaster. Each has seemed sweet one moment, aggressive and territorial the next. Every time I connected in with them, they’d both give me the word “natural”. Like, their behavior is natural, it’s how they’d operate out in nature, and how they work things out. But I so didn’t want it to go that way. I preferred skipping the smacking each other part, the one claiming dibs on the bedroom part, and go straight to the cuddling-best-friends part.
For a while I was totally stressed out and breaking up the scuffles every chance I got. I knew this was far from the energy that would support their relationship, but I couldn’t let go of the concern and worry.
Finally one day I decided to watch videos of cats “play fighting.” I researched and studied the body language. So…then I realized that Calla and Faro had been playing, not fighting, about 95% of the time. (Also, light bulb: what looks scary is not always scary.) My energy immediately shifted and I stopped breaking up the scuffles. When I did, I saw that the tussles lasted only a few seconds and that the territorial stuff eased up a bit.
By watching Calla and Faro, I witness natural expressions of their true selves, after which they’re ok and want to interact some more. Feelings are expressed and pass through them, and little by little, there’s more gentle sniffing of each other and lying on the bed together.
I’ve avoided conflict all my life and kept to the background a lot. But once I started going with my nature—working with Reiki, talking to animals, and all that woo-woo stuff—life started flowing easier, and I felt more authentic. I have a ways to go, clearly, as do Calla and Faro (not cuddling yet). I know I can tend to hold onto past hurt and fears, but Calla shows me every day the grace of moving past difficult circumstances.
It’s still a roller coaster over here, but I’m grateful I have the two best teachers in the world to show that letting your feelings out, enjoying the ride, and embracing (not resisting) the natural flow is so where it’s at.
It’s all about the magic. 🙌