This Too Shall Pass

Good Morning Everyone,

Recently Woody the Cat has been suffering a bout of agoraphobia. Seriously! This is the same Woody the Cat about whom I have written previously. Mr. Neighborhood Ambassador, hunter extraordinaire.

It's been a wee bit disconcerting. For about a month he's always here. Except for potty breaks, I hadn't witnessed him out and about, roaming, stalking, playing at all. This was couple with his being my second shadow, always doing his infinity movement at my legs, under foot, curled up tightly ON TOP of me.

"Woody," I would say, "what's going on little buddy?" He actually spoke back to me with pathetic little squeaks or tiny sounds of explanation, known only to him. And he was sneezing, little tiny 'ah choo's'. A cold? A burr up his nose? A case of poison ivy? Yet, he wasn't sick, just in an extreme state of quietude and introversion.

This went on for about a month, until Sunday night last around midnight. I scooped him up and said, "Buddy, you and I are going for a walk."

It was a really beautiful night, starts out - especially where there were no street lights. I set him down on the side walk and coaxed, "Come on, Woodyman, let's just stroll about for awhile." I'd walk on ahead and look back to see his little shadowy figure sitting stock still on the sidewalk. I could almost hear him weighing up his options: run back for the cat door or follow me.

When we lived in the mountain in San Diego with mountain lions, coyotes, owls, rattlesnakes, and bobcats, Woody the Cat and I would frequently go for night strolls, especially during the full moon. He loved these walks! He would shoot up one tree, leap to another and down again presenting himself back along side of me. "Did you see that!" And of course, I did. I would cheer and clap my hands for him.

Now we were in the cityscape, and here was my fearless cat, scared to move.

"Come on, little guy, you can do this. See? Nothing scary out here."

Just then, a neighbor comes out her front door with dog on leash. I looked down to see Woody in a crouch. A good sign, I thought, he's not running but in the I'm ready for anything stance.
There he is! He's back.

We walked on for awhile just enjoying the summer night together like old times. When we got back to my unit, I reacquainted him with the cat door.

That night he brought me a present: not exactly sure what it was.

I've often thought our domestic pets are like live-in angels. They take on some of emotional burdens and process them for us, so loyal and loving are they. Perhaps he was dealing with some of my stuff, of which I was no aware.

At any rate, it is love that gets any of us from Point A to Point B. Woody the Cat has loved me through all the patches of my own human journey, and it was time to return the favor.

It's been about a week now since our midnight jaunt, and Woody is definitely back. I watched him from my upstairs balcony last night stalking something in the treeline - being himSelf once again. Whatever it was, it has passed.

Thanks for reading!

Kath

The Independent Life of Woody The Cat

Hello Everyone,

Sometimes I'm casting about for a topic, and then I realize I'm staring one right in the face. Our pets.

Some of the most amazing and illuminating moments of our lives are brought about by virtue of our pets. You see, often times where we cannot open our hearts to other humanoids, we can open our hearts to animals.

We won't debate here whether or not pets have "souls". I'll just state for the record that they definitely do. Although probably not in the sense that we think about it; but the Native Americans knew and still do, that the animal kingdom is part of God and that they serve us, well - if we are but listening and paying attention.

Which brings me to Woody the Cat, my pet. Woody has been with me since he was weened. His birthday is July 4, 2005. At the time Woody came to live with me, I was just moving into my newly built home in Descanso, Ca. The property was bordered on the rear by the Cleveland National Forrest and overlooked the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. In short, he came to live in a place where few cats live beyond their first year. Amongst the "dangers" are mountain lions, coyotes, rattle snakes, bobcats and owls to name a few.

However, at every stage of his growing up, he had to be a cat. He would whine to go outside, to stay outside and be FREE!

Of course this set up a giant war within my human mind. What if? How can I? I have to protect him!

Alas, all my mental explantions to Woody the Cat about how I wanted him to be safe made nary a dent on his natural self - a cat. Clearly, it was I that would have to grow in consciousness in order to be able to give him the life he deserved. I had to learn to "let go" and know that he was in Well Being, with his own internal guidance, and above all - that his life was his own, not mine.

Woody and I have had many adventures. Well, it's more accurate to say that I've had many adventures because of his being Woody the Cat.

There was, of course, not one, but three encounters with rattle snakes. He likes to play with them. The time he got himself treed in my neighbors encampment with 13 Jack Russell terriers. And most recently, here in Ohio where he has become quite the ambassador of Good Will, greeting all the neighbors in their comings and goings. One night he got himself locked up in someone's garage.

At every Woody adventure, even when he's "overdue" to be home, his presence in my life serves to remind me to Trust. All is well. And his life is remarkably, his own.

The truth is, because I love him so much, I want him to have his own life. To do that, I have to grow in unconditional Love.

God bless our pets, who teach us such a concept.

Thanks for reading!

Kath