Cats teach us the Power of Presence

by Caroline Vaught | Nov 8, 2019

‘Be present… be here now”.

When was the last time someone spoke these words to you?

Maybe you can recall seeing them on the cover of a magazine, or you read them in the description of a recent self improvement book.

It sounds nice… that reminder that all you can experience in reality is this current moment. Your brain registers value in the idea and immediately sets off on a path to figure out the mechanics of “being present” as if it were a puzzle to solve or a light to somehow switch on.

But have you experienced being present? I’m talking about that moment when all of your awareness is in what is happening right this second.

If you spend time with cats you’ll notice this is a skill at which they excel.

A kitten fascinated by a toy is not thinking about what it was like to play with that toy yesterday. Nor does the kitten worry the toy might disappear tomorrow if they don’t stow it away for safe keeping.

Cats are incredibly talented at simply being. Whether they are snoozing, eating, playing, exploring, or looking at the window at the birds… they are always in the current moment. When you spend a great deal of time around cats it becomes almost impossible not to notice this. 

For me, this lesson was imprinted on my heart during the process of Rugby’s passing last year. If you follow this blog you’ve read my words about him before. The process of a loved one preparing to cross over, the intuitive awareness of the hourglass sand slipping through your fingers. Recalling a million memories while simultaneously feeling the electric awareness of each passing nanosecond, as though time itself uncoiled into something words cannot do justice.

A year has now passed without Rugby while his 18 year old brother Guinness has grown a little slower, a little wobblier, a little sleepier.

We have a small enclosed courtyard at our home, where we safely supervise our cats when they want to see the sky and smell the air. Rugby had a favorite spot there, and it’s where I buried a portion of his ashes. Yesterday morning after breakfast Guinness told me he wanted to go out to the courtyard, and so we went. He walked straight to Rugby’s spot, laid down and let out a small sigh.

It isn’t his time yet, but I can feel the tiredness in his spirit. He loves Andrew and I and he has done so much for us. My small self wants to grasp at holding onto him forever, but my heart quietly reminds me that I already have forever… only in a different form with the continued passing of time.

And so the lesson of being present makes itself known once more… presence in being thankful he is still here right now, in this moment of this day.

I hope each of you is gifted with this lesson at some point in your life… and I invite you to fully open your heart to feeling it when it appears.

With Love and Light,

Caroline 

Found a Cat?…Here’s What To Do

by Caroline Vaught | Nov 1, 2019

We frequently receive emails and Facebook messages from individuals who have found a cat they believe is homeless or in need of help, asking if we could take it in.

As much as I would love to take in every cat in need of help, there are certain variables that we have to remain mindful of – most specifically the requirements of our rescue partner LYFF and the agreement we have in place with them.

So I thought it might be useful to share the same advice we’ve given others here in this blog post, should you happen across a cat in need and aren’t sure of the best course of action. 

Coming Across A Cat

Many people choose to let their cats outside to roam which makes it possible that a “found cat” is really just a neighbor’s pet out hunting for mice. Personally speaking, I don’t condone house cats being allowed outdoors. A cat which is born and raised indoors doesn’t have the same awareness of external predators as a wild animal does. Coyotes, owls, red-tail hawks, dogs, cars… all can inflict significantly injure or kill any cat. Our own cats are our kids, so I do everything I can to make sure they remain happy and comfortable – inside the safety of my house.

If you come across a cat you haven’t seen before and you find yourself wondering if you should do something, take a moment to listen to your intuition. Does the cat readily approach you as though it’s hungry? Does it seem to find comfort in your presence yet show uncertainty towards its surroundings? Cats that know their environment tend to act like it. Those who are lost, have been dumped by their owner, or left behind after a move will often hide. But if they’ve been raised with humans providing food then they know humans to be a food source, and when a stable food source is no longer available it’s been my experience that cats in need have an uncanny knack of knowing which human will help them.

Microchips

If the cat will let you approach it, pet it, pick it up, etc. then your best bet is to take it to your local Humane Society (or local veterinarian) to determine if the cat has a microchip. The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine conducted a recent study of microchip effectiveness as part of their Indoor Pet Initiative, and they found the following in a study of 53 shelters who recorded information on animals entering a shelter with a microchip:

• 63.5% of owners of stray cats (with microchips) were found
• 61% of the owners actually wanted their cats back
• The median return to owner rates for shelters were 21.4 times higher for cats with a microchip than all stray cats (38.5% vs. 1.8%)
• The main reasons that an owner wasn’t found included incorrect or disconnected phone numbers (35.4%), owners failure to return phone calls or respond to letters (24.3%), unregistered microchips (9.8%) or microchips registered in a database that differed from the manufacturer (17.2%)

All this goes to show if the cat is microchipped then there is a good chance a shelter can help them get back home more effectively than you can by yourself. And if they can’t locate the owner, reputable and well-funded shelters are equipped to give the cat a chance at finding a new home via their adoption and foster programs. If you volunteer for a local rescue group, they may be able to work with the shelter to keep the found cat on a “watch list” in the case that it’s owner is not found and too much time passes without it being adopted directly from the shelter.

Take Caution

You can also use social media and neighborhood networks to post “Found Cat” notifications. When advertising a found cat, its best not to provide all the details. For example, you might want to only post a photo of the cats face (rather than some other distinguishing feature) because by leaving out some details you can better test people who claim the cat is theirs, thereby making sure the cat goes back to its rightful owner instead of cat-napping strangers.

Take Action Yourself

And finally if all else fails and you can’t add the fur kiddo to your permanent family member roster, you can put it up for adoption yourself. You might be surprised to find trusted friends or family members willing and wanting to add a cat to the family. Just remember to follow a few smart practices if you decide to orchestrate an adoption:

1. Don’t advertise a “free” cat. You run the risk of attracting someone that might have bad intentions. $50 (or more if you covered vet care for the cat such as spay/neutering, vaccinations, etc.) is a common starting place.
   
2. Draft up a written adoption agreement similar to what is common for shelter and rescue adoptions. Here’s a good example for reference.

Got any tips of your own? Share them in the comments section!

With Love and Light,

Caroline 

Bastet and cats in ancient Egypt

by Caroline Vaught | Oct 24, 2019

In last week’s post about cat themed Halloween costumes, I included one costume representing the ancient Egyptian deity Bastet.

If you aren’t familiar with ancient Egyptians (spoiler alert – they loved cats) read on for a cliff notes version of a time when cats were truly idolized.

My Early Interest

I’ve been fascinated with ancient Egypt since I was a small child. I had a cigar box full of small stones carved into replica scarab beetles (see footnote) that I would collect from visits to art museums and knick-knack stores. And I would draw King Tut and the pyramids in art class alongside – of course – cats!

It wasn’t until my late 30’s that I finally made it to Paris to visit the Department of Egyptian Antiquities at the Louvre – which is probably the best way to view Egyptian artifacts if you can’t make it to Egypt proper. And within the department are many feline themed artifacts, including mummified cats as well as carved or painted depictions of Bastet.

So let’s get into what – and who – Bastet represented for the Egyptian people.

History of Bastet

Since I’m no historian, what follows is a well written summary courtesy of Joshua J. Mark, a freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York.

“Bastet was (and for some still is) the Egyptian goddess of the home, domesticity, women’s secrets, cats, fertility, and childbirth. She protected the home from evil spirits and disease, especially diseases associated with women and children. As with many Egyptian deities, she also played a role in the afterlife as a guide and helper to the dead although this was not one of her primary duties. She was the daughter of the sun god Ra and is associated with the concept of the Eye of Ra (the all-seeing eye) and the Distant Goddess (a female deity who leaves Ra and returns to bring transformation).

Bastet was extremely popular throughout Egypt with both men and women from the 2nd Dynasty (c. 2890 – c. 2670 BCE) onward with her cult centered at the city of Bubastis from at least the 5th century BCE. She was first represented as a woman with the head of a lioness and closely associated with the goddess Sekhmet but, as that deity’s iconography depicted her as increasingly aggressive, Bastet’s images softened over time to present more of a daily companion and helper than her earlier forms as savage avenger.

Although she was greatly venerated, she was equally feared as two of her titles demonstrate: The Lady of Dread and The Lady of Slaughter. She is associated with both Mau, the divine cat who is an aspect of Ra, and with Mafdet, goddess of justice and the first feline deity in Egyptian history. Both Bastet and Sekhment took their early forms as feline defenders of the innocent, avengers of the wronged, from Mafdet. This association was carried on in depictions of Bastet’s son Maahes, protector of the innocent, who is shown as a lion-headed man carrying a long knife or as a lion.

Her cult center at Bubastis in Lower Egypt became one of the richest and most luxuriant cities in Egypt as people from all over the country traveled there to pay their respects to the goddess and have the bodies of their dead cats interred in the city. Her iconography borrowed from the earlier goddess Mafdet and also from Hathor, a goddess associated with Sekhmet who was also closely linked to Bastet. The appearance of the sistrum in Bastet’s hand in some statues is a clear link to Hathor who is traditionally seen carrying the instrument. Hathor is another goddess who underwent a dramatic change from bloodthirsty destroyer to gentle friend of humanity as she was originally the lioness deity Sekhmet whom Ra sent to earth to destroy humans for their sins. In Bastet’s case, although she became more mild, she was no less dangerous to those who broke the law or abused others.

The popularity of Bastet grew from her role as protector of women and the household. As noted, she was as popular among men as women in that every man had a mother, sister, girlfriend, wife, or daughter who benefited from the care Bastet provided. Further, women in Egypt were held in high regard and had almost equal rights which almost guaranteed a goddess who protected women and presided over women’s secrets an especially high standing. Cats were also greatly prized in Egypt as they kept homes free of vermin (and so controlled diseases), protected the crops from unwanted animals, and provided their owners with fairly maintenance-free company. One of the most important aspects of Bastet’s festival was the delivery of mummified cats to her temple. When the temple was excavated in 1887 and 1889 CE over 300,000 mummified cats were found.”

Want to read more of Joshua’s work? Check it out here.

About Joshua J. Mark

A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. Mark has lived in Greece and Germany and traveled through Egypt. He has taught history, writing, literature, and philosophy at the college level.