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THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF PETS
by: Tracy Porter
Copyright 1999
Cleo sauntered into her home pausing momentarily to see if anyone was about after a rather arduous day visiting neighbours and chasing small creatures that happened to catch her eye. Although a more monogamous species of animal might consider Cleo’s affinity with other humans who did not live with her a bit promiscuous, Cleo didn’t see it that way at all as she visualized herself bringing light and happiness into many lives who, for whatever reason, do not have the pleasure of a pet of their own.
Mrs Baxter, a lonely divorcee who lives a couple of houses down the street waited eagerly for Cleo’s morning visit. When Cleo arrived and meowed ‘Good morning’ in what Mrs Baxter considered to be one of the loveliest of pitches a cat could possess, she was treated with a bowl of evaporated milk that she politely consumed. After Cleo’s mid-morning snack she rested upon a rug not far from a coal furnace which provides heat to the kitchen and living room of Mrs Baxter’s small bungalow. Although Cleo considered Mrs Baxter’s hospitality to be pleasant, by late morning she began to feel the stirrings of guilt as she may in some way be unfaithful to her masters by forming too close an alliance with a neighbor, and therefore bade farewell to her friend until the next morning.
At 1:00 Cleo sat at the back door of her home, awaiting the daily lunchtime rendezvous of her master, Iain. Upon his approach she rolled on her back as a submissive greeting and meowed, ‘Hello’, hoping he would not smell the evaporated milk which she has so recently delighted in. Work can become quite stressful at times and Iain is grateful to be able to come home during his lunch break and visit his cats. As Iain picked Cleo up, he became a bit suspicious as he sensed the coal from Mrs Baxter’s furnace that had left a lingering odor on Cleo’s coat. Iain jokingly chastised Cleo for becoming too familiar with the neighbours, but in his heart he knew there is nothing he could do to stop his feline friend from making the acquaintance of others in the area. As he preoccupied himself with Cleo’s companionship, she calculatedly glanced over her shoulder in a most nonchalant manner to be met by a pair of jealous, green eyes.
Tigger too had been awaiting the lunchtime arrival of her master and she was not at all amused to find that her sister had met him first. In a huff, Tigger turned around and went into the living room because she was not interested in the least in sharing her master with anyone, let alone her sister.
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While the above interplay between feline and human, and later feline and feline, can be quite entertaining to casual observers, it carries with it many hidden messages one should be able to detect if he opens himself up to his intuitive thinking processes. Many who enjoy the company of animals have observed that people tend to attract animals who possess character attributes much like themselves, so it should therefore come as no surprise to find that Cleo and Tigger are in many ways similar in personality and temperament to the people they live with.
Cleo was the smallest kitten in her litter and was severely neglected before she was adopted by Iain and Tamara. Those first early days of her life left her with a sense of defiance and independence which in all probability kept her alive when a less determined kitten would have easily withered into the sickness she had caught, cat flu. It should therefore come as no coincidence to learn that Cleo’s mistress had been neglected throughout much of her childhood and must have unconsciously felt empathy with this tiny, sickly kitten huddled in a corner of the garden because she was too weak to feed with the rest of her siblings.
Tigger came from the same litter that Cleo was born into but because she was larger and was not affected by cat flu as badly as her sister, she grew up to be a lively tabby cat who can become quite possessive of others. Her master, Iain, selected her from the other kittens and was very pleased with his choice. Quite often as Tigger rests on his chest he will whisper into her ear, ‘Tiggy, do you know I chose you?’ Iain is quite similar in temperament to Tigger because he can also become quite possessive of others and is often afflicted with that green-eyed monster known as jealousy.
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Students of philosophy are familiar with the theory that a part is a reflection of the whole, so it should be a relatively simple matter to deduce that the animals who choose to be with humans will to some degree display similar personality traits. Therefore, if it is accepted that a pet tends to respond in a fashion akin to his master, one therefore only needs to observe the animal to gain greater understanding into what motivates his human companion. For example, if a dog needs much more love and attention than what is considered to be normal for his breed, then it is very likely that his master may crave an excessive amount of attention as well. Alternatively, if a cat is reluctant to go out of the house for fear of attack from other animals, this could be indicative of some reclusive tendencies of his master.
We can learn a lot by observing the animals which come into our lives because although they may not communicate in the same manner that we speak to other humans, they can impress upon us subliminal messages which we can interpret if we open ourselves up to their telepathic signals. One method that almost anyone should be able to adapt to his particular reasoning processes is the simple act of observing. For example, if one observes that a cat spends a lot of time away from the home then this may reflect that his owner may be spending more time out of the house than is necessary, and as a consequence events could be occurring in the house without his knowledge or approval. Additionally, if a home where female cats reside has suddenly become a convenient resting-place for the local tomcat, then this may be a message to secure the household because intruders could be nearby.
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While animals can survive quite well, and even flourish, without human intervention, it is questionable whether humans would be able to have the same quality of life without these unique souls who have so much to teach us. With this in mind, it is no small wonder that so many men and women give love and adoration to these creatures.
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The above article was inspired by my two cats, Cleo and Tigger, who I loved very much.
