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.