I am not an expert.............

That’s quite a statement isn’t it?  Because I get loads of people coming to me for advice, guidance and information in regard to any number of animal health and behaviour issues.

It began at the point that I started pet sitting.  My first client had an expectation that I would know something about cat behaviour, and why not?  Thankfully, I had done much reading on the subject (and others), so was able to help her.

But in the last seven or so years, most of my knowledge has come from experience.  There’s really no substitute for it.  You can read and read and read, follow courses, take exams, become qualified on paper, but it’s nothing without good solid, practical experience to go with it.  Of course, it’s essential that this experience is conscious experience.  By that I mean, that everything that happens is considered, thought about, perhaps read up on, discussed with others, and compared to other experiences. 

I’m so lucky, I have had some wonderful animals as teachers along the way, they’ve taught me things that quite surprised me many times!  And I am constantly in touch with others in a wide variety of animal-related endeavours, activities and businesses.  We talk to each other, explore, ask questions, share experiences, and listen. 

And I read books, animal related publications, on line information, articles and research, and I take it all in, think about it, what resonates with me, what fits with my experiences.  And perhaps next time I visit a particular cat, I’ll also bear in mind what I’ve been reading about, to test it out. 

So I know a lot about my subject.  But it’s just seven years’ worth.  The learning continues and continues and continues.

There will always be things I don’t know, things I’ve never come across before.  I think that’s fantastic, because that gives me new things to learn about, to add to my repertoire of “expertise”. 

But it’s in inverted commas, because I’m reluctant to call myself an expert.  There will always be others with more knowledge or experience than I have, or different at least.  We will interpret in different ways.  There is never any one right or correct method of viewpoint or opinion.  It can always be changed, the more that is learnt and experienced. 

I am not a fan of paper qualifications.  Never have been.  I’ve come across too many people with amazing qualifications who actually seem to know, or have experienced, very little. 

An example………….   Every now and again I consider whether I ought to gain a pet behaviour qualification (cats in particular).  I am sure that I would learn much to add to what I already know, and that’s the only reason I might do it.  It’s a good reason to do it.  But, since I began taking care of animals all those years ago, I’ve come to realise that I often don’t agree with what I read from many qualified behaviourists.  Some of it yes, but not all, or they miss the point. 

My working with energy, including intuitive communication, can be a curse as well as a blessing.  I learn so much from animals through this work, so much that I often find myself disagreeing with much of what many pet behaviourists say.  And this is the problem.  Perhaps I’m second guessing, but I can foresee so many disagreements in the way my assignments might be marked.  I don’t know, perhaps I should give it a go. 

But I have a friend, another pet sitter, doesn’t work with energy (that she knows about anyway) or communicate intuitively, but has nearly as much experience in working with animals in their normal day to day lives as I do.  And yet, she’s pretty much abandoned the Feline Studies course she was taking, as she found she was constantly in disagreement with what she was being taught.  That’s put me off.  I probably shouldn't let it do that though!!

What I’d really like to do is to share and combine all this knowledge, find a very open minded cat behaviourist who’d also like to expand their knowledge too, work together, and perhaps we could create something wonderful.  I have been looking, still looking…………..

I’ve already written of my experiences and concerns about information vets provide to animal guardians about feeding and obesity.  They are looked up to as experts, it’s surely essential that they have open minds, and are prepared to learn as much as possible, especially from those with specialist knowledge and experience.  And keep their knowledge topped up, consciously and proactively.  I would not call myself an expert in feeding cats, and yet I’m pretty sure that I’m more expert than most vets are. 

The word “expert” seems to come from an ego place, and we’re now at the point in the human race where we leave this behind.  Let’s all admit we don’t know it all, and let’s love the fact that we don’t, that there’s so much more to learn, that it never stops, and that we can all help each other in gaining knowledge.  Only that way do we all become experts in the truest sense. 

How do you protect your cats and dogs from parasites?

Ever since I can’t remember when, I’ve always had an innate sense of not liking to take chemical manufactured drugs to help me to heal.  The odd paracetamol, yes, but very little else.  I have a deep inner knowledge that this planet contains all we need to help us to heal in a very safe and natural way, and in ways that maintain the oh so important balance of all life here.  It all comes packaged perfectly, a plant is likely to contain all the constituent parts needed. 

Yet there’s little money in that, and drugs companies are forever on the lookout to create new drugs, manufactured for us, that may mimic what nature is doing, but using only the active ingredient.  This is unbalanced.  And more than that, many are quite dangerous, often not fully tested until actually out in the market place.  I know people on drugs for many reasons, where they need to take a cocktail in order to counteract side effects caused by another, and another, and another……………  And slowly poisoning themselves.

Which is why it’s bizarre really that for so many years that’s exactly what I was doing to my own cats.  These beautiful beings who are my family, who I love so much, and deserved far better from me.   Especially when I actually did know better!!

I guess though it’s because I trusted vets to know what they were talking about.  And why not?  We ought to be able to.  We all do that, I’m sure you do too. 

Yet, I realise now that I did know that what I was doing was wrong, perhaps at a more unconscious level.  Bella hated her spot on every month.  She’d flinch from the smell as soon as the top was opened and run away.  We had to be very quick to shut the kitchen door when it was time, but she always knew what was happening.

The smell was vile.  That ought to have given me a clue.  It smelt toxic.  Bella had to squeeze her eyes shut to stop the fumes making her cry.  And sometimes she’d be sick afterwards. 

There wasn’t any particular defining moment when I thought I had to stop, and yet one day there was just this realisation, that I guess had been building. 

From that moment I decided that neither Bella nor Dylan were going to have to suffer it ever again.  There had to be safer and more natural ways to combat the risk of parasite infestation.  So I started researching.

And, as an animal healer, one who uses natural methods and energy to heal, very successfully, I began to have concerns about all the other cats I knew, and all those I don’t too. 

I’m lucky.  In my field, I have many many knowledgeable and experienced contacts, friends and colleagues.  So I talked to them for ideas, and then did lots of reading to back up what they were telling me about.

I alighted on Diatomaceous Earth a couple of years ago now.  From what I’d been reading, it seemed pretty perfect.  It was easy to use, cats would tolerate it, it caused them no harm whatsoever, and killed all parasites.  It can be used to treat infestations, and as a preventative.  And it’s very natural. 

I’ve used it very successfully for the last 2-3 years, and have suggested its use to others who’ve asked me about safer methods of parasite prevention – they too had huge concerns over using man made toxic chemicals.  And have been using it successfully too.

But my quest and research has continued, as I am on a mission to help animal guardians to care for their furry families in the kindest ways possible – and different methods are preferred by different people and animals. 

If I have a concern about Diatomaceous Earth at all, it’s that it is mined from the ground, it’s being dug out of our planet, and this is something that does bother me.  Clearly the scale is nowhere as large as with oil extraction for example, but for me that’s not the point.  And there’s something else too.  I’m a friend to all beings on this planet.  Just because they’re tiny and causing problems to my cats doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be cared about too.  So any treatment that kills other beings doesn’t sit quite right with me. 

Put in perspective though, I still feel using Diatomaceous Earth is a million times better than using toxic chemicals on my cats.  Chemicals that are designed to go into the bloodstream, so that the parasites then die from ingesting the blood of the host.  Monthly we’re willingly putting toxic chemicals into our beloved animals????

And then, very recently I came across another product, one that’s been successfully used in other parts of the world for the last few years, but is new to the UK.  I was contacted by a friend who’d learnt about it, and was so impressed after all her research, decided to bring it to the UK. 

It’s called Pet Protector and is a little disc that goes on the collar (a quick release safe collar for cats always please!!), and sends out energy waves that repel parasites.  There is a hugely informative website providing plenty of useful information on its raison d’etre, how it was developed, how it works, and many success stories. 

Having read up about it, and talked in detail to my friend, I decided that this was another product that I was very happy to support.  So much so that I’ve become a representative for this product.  Clearly there are earning opportunities for me here (and why not?), but my main motivator to becoming involved is the product itself, and wanting to help animal guardians do the best they can for their loved ones. 

If you’re as concerned as I was about putting toxic chemicals into my animals every month, then I’d encourage you to have a good think about making some changes.  Do your research, you might uncover things I haven’t, and I love it if you’d share anything with me. 

I’m very happy to talk to you about both Diatomaceous Earth and the Pet Protector, and here are some website links to help you:

Some general information on Diatomaceous Earth from Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

This one is from the shop of the Canine Health Concern (CHC is Catherine O’Driscoll, an expert on both pet vaccinations and parasite control (scroll down the page for information on how to use Diatomaceous Earth):  http://chcstore.weebly.com/diatomaceous-earth.html

And this is my Pet Protector page:  http://www.petprotector.org/?ID=37571

Incidentally, Pet Protector are looking for more representatives to spread the word, so if you’d like to get involved too, you’ll see a form to fill in.  And again, talk to me, I can help you there too. 

I am now feeling much happier that I am doing better for my own animals, and my mission to spread the word, so that others can learn for themselves and make informed decisions.  Please do as much research as you can, I’m not a vet, and not qualified nor empowered to diagnose or prescribe.  But I can talk about what I’ve discovered, and what feels good to me, and I’d encourage you to do the same. 

 

Animal Cruelty Pictures

 

No, don’t worry, I’m not about to post any here.  Something I’d never, ever do. 

But I’m going to write about it because it’s become a nasty phenomenon on the internet these days, and many people are as disturbed by it as I am.

Very sadly there’s a lot of animal cruelty in the world.  From unspeakable things done to animals in various countries (including this one!), to the sanctioned and licensed use of animals in experimentation. 

I do appreciate that some who care about animals want to open people’s eyes to this barbarity.  And that for the most part most mean well, and think they’re doing the right thing. 

I’ve “unfriended” a few friends on Facebook, as I really don’t want to be faced with something that will haunt me in my dreams.  And for others, it’s getting close. 

As well as being very disturbing and upsetting to look at, I’m also of the opinion that it does no good anyway;   I’d even go so far as to say it’s counter-productive to the cause. 

On a personal level first……  I’m an animal healer.  I work with animals in all their aspects, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.  And mostly they are all linked anyway.  I have been a volunteer at animal sanctuaries for a number of years, and have seen the results of awful cruelty.  Which I’ve helped to heal. 

In order to heal, my vibrations have to be clear and clean, sparkling even.  I always take time to ensure that the energy running through me is as pure and clear as it can possibly be, vibrating at the highest possible level, because only that way can I be of the best benefit for the being I’m trying to help.  But when faced with a distressing picture of an animal in a desperate situation, I can’t possibly send the best possible healing to them.  I will always happily send healing to animals in need, I don’t have to look at a picture to know about it.  And if that picture then sends my energies spiralling downwards, how will that help? 

On Facebook, thankfully, there are a number of people coming out and saying “this isn’t right, I don’t want to be seeing that, this doesn’t help”.  I and others of this opinion are sometimes accused by the posters of those pictures of putting our heads in the sand, pretending it doesn’t happen.  It can get quite nasty.  And it’s not true.  Not true in the slightest.  All those I know who also object are those who love animals, many of whom, like me, help rescue animals. 

I’ve heard it said more than once that those who post these pictures have a need to share their hurt and suffering with everyone else, that there almost becomes a psychological need to have others feel their pain so much too.  It could be true, it does seem like it sometimes.  But that’s not an area of expertise that I have, so no point in commenting. 

But to those who think that pushing this in our faces constantly will have the effect of waking people up to this, many of us are already awake, and are doing what we can, in our own particular and special ways to mend and heal those affected, and to stop these practices.  And to those not awake, my feeling is that the more of these pictures they see, the more they become desensitised to them.  It’s already been proven with pornography, and really, this is pornography of the worst type. 

And will someone then tell me why we know that it’s not right to be posting such pictures of humans, yet it’s ok to paste the walls of Facebook and Twitter with them?

This blog post is something that’s probably been a long time coming, I’ve felt the need to write something on the subject before now.  But it was this post on Facebook this morning, by a friend that convinced me.  Very well said, I think!!

“To those who fight for animal right, and wish to make people aware of the evil goings on concerning their treatment.  I know you mean well, but I must stress that by posting links and pictures of these atrocities does not help the situation, as people are already aware.  But what you are doing is actually disturbing those who are deeply affected by such pictures.  I do not wish to see dogs or cats being skinned alive, nor do I wish to see mammals being ripped to shreds.  This does not mean I do not care, this means I find these postings disturbing, I do not wish to have them replaying repeatedly inside my head or the heads of my family and friends.  This is harmful to us as humans, as our being upset about these issues does not fix the situation.  Rather than doing such posting, why not find petitions yourselves where you are able to sign, and join some animal rights groups where you can share your pains and views with like minded people, who don’t mind viewing such evil.  Thank you and Namaste.”