By Madeline Strong Diehl
If you own a cat, then you have long ago figured out that your cat actually owns you.
But dogs aren’t like that, oh no. It’s clear from day one that your dog belongs to you and wants to please you in every way. They will do everything they can to anticipate your needs and make you feel happy and content. For example, dogs don’t really want to go for a walk with you. But they can tell that you want to go for a walk. So, they’ll bring you their leash and act happy when you take it in your hands, no matter how they might be feeling.
If you’ve owned both kinds of animals, cats and dogs, then you know what I mean. It’s possible to make your dog mad at you, but it won’t last for very long. The worst thing a dog will do is guilt-trip you. But if your cat gets mad, she will be really, really pissed for a very, very long time. Then, she is likely to stop looking at you altogether for a while. You will be persona non gratis for days, or possibly weeks, before you come back into the good graces of your cat.
The most immediate way to lose the friendship of your cat is to go on a trip—especially a long trip. If you are planning to make a trip anytime soon, do not—and I’ll repeat—do not—say anything about this trip in front of your cat. Do not get your suitcases out, and do not start packing them until maybe the day before you leave. Otherwise, there’s a distinct possibility that your cat will run away. In my case, my cat Naomi was sitting on my writing desk, just as she does every day, and I made the mistake of mentioning in a Zoom appointment with my therapist that I was going to Switzerland for a year because of my husband’s work. I had been making a careful effort not to mention this for months, but I slipped up. After this, Naomi began to lie on my keyboard every time I tried to work, interfering with my writing, and leaving email messages such as:
we got seats on the planr tihhy nrcy yo yhr nsyhtoom I will just vsll you ot msy r er. sn have a eslkzz/]
It became almost impossible to meet my deadlines for my work because of Naomi’s insistence on collaborating with me in everything I did, and she brought with her a passive aggressive attitude no matter what my husband and I tried to do. Where was the soft, pliant, loving cat we had known for ten years? The cat who sat on our laps and jumped up on the top of our banister for treats?
If I ever did write something that was somewhat credible, Naomi would sneak into my office at night, turn on our computer, lie across the keyboard, and use Duo Lingo to translate it into Italian, Spanish, Romanche, Armenian, and Feline.
I decided to bring in the heavy calvary and hire an expert: Sushma Hallock, a local animal intuitive.
The nice thing about having a session with a psychic is that it doesn’t have to take place in person. However, Sushma explained to me that she prefers to see an animal before channeling it. When it came time for Sushma to meet Naomi, Naomi was nowhere to be found. Finally, I looked under the plant stand and found her hiding—which she has almost never done. I grabbed Naomi and held her up for the Zoom screen, and she immediately escaped.
“This is very strange,” I said to Sushma. “Normally Naomi lies on my keyboard when I am working on the computer.”
“This is a very raw, emotional thing for Naomi to do,” Sushma said. “She’s letting me in on the most vulnerable feelings of the two of you, and you are very important to each other. I usually begin by singing. Please put your hand on your heart and close your eyes.”
Then Sushma said in an otherworldly voice, “This is not the first time that Naomi has been in your life. She is a soul friend from the past. You have always been friends from the past. She loves you. She knows that you are a friend from long ago. She can read you very quickly. She knows things so deeply about you. When you are happy daydreaming, she likes to come near you.”
Then Sushma spoke in another voice, Naomi’s voice: “I know you are worried about how I will feel when you go away for one year, but I know this is a part of your journey; it’s rich with thoughts, ideas, experiences. I will go with you. I will always be with you. Just think about me and I will be there. My heart belongs to you; you are my best friend. I know sometimes you will be sad. There is no separation as soul friends: just close your eyes and call my name. I will be there with you.
Then Sushma asked me if I wanted to ask Naomi a question, and I did.
“Naomi, you’ll be spending the year at Lisa’s house,” I said. “What would you like Lisa to know?”
Naomi responded (as channeled by Sushma): “I want peace and quiet and please leave something that I can wrap myself with your smell. Please, something from you is what I will need. I do want to hear your voice. Mother, will you call me? Yes. We will call. You will see me. I will see you. I will love you. I will tell you about my day. I love you! You are mine to keep forever and ever. When you see blue birds that will be my message to you that I am all right.
Me: That’s an amazing idea! We can call each other on What’sApp.
[And here Sushma’s eyes rolled back into her head.] It’s time for me. To go back.
But first Sushma said to me: Thank you for taking care of our Arch angel, Naomi. We love you.
Me: I love you for taking care of all of the animals.
Sushma: Naomi is a very special soul being. Thank you, Naomi. Thank you, all angel guides. Take a deep breath in. Put your hand on your heart. Let it all go.
And then Sushma opened her eyes and looked like a perfectly normal person.
Ever since I had this reading with Sushma, I no longer feel afraid for Naomi. I know that I will be having adventures in France, and Naomi will be with me. I will be thinking of her, and when I see a bird, I will know that she is thinking of me. And Naomi will be staying in a house with three roommates, and all of them love cats, so it’s a win-win. I have always known that Naomi is strong and resilient. And like Sushma suggested, we can always tell each other about our adventures on WhatsApp.
