My Cat, My Mentor

This is April, a divine soul having a feline experience.  You can just see it in her composure that she thinks she owns the place and that all of us humans are really her servants.  I'm really amazed by how much time and energy I spend on this animal.  I'm making sure every need is taken care of in any moment.  If she meows, I respond quickly with love or food.  If she rolls over onto her back, my boyfriend and I preen over her.  If she is sleeping peacefully, we talk about how adorable she is.  If she has irregular bathroom habits and we find her specimens outside her litter box, we have severe stress.  My boyfriend is allergic to cats on top of everything so we are hyper vigilant in keeping her coat brushed and cleaned with distilled water daily.  And we don't want her nails to catch on the furniture so she gets a manicure once a week.  We now have her on a special diet with 2 different kinds of wet food, digestive enzymes and only meat because fish has too many metals in it.  This kitty definitely has us wrapped around her little paw.  When she cuddles with us on the couch, purring and "making biscuits" on our chests, our hearts just melt.  In that moment, all the effort and energy devoted to our feline friend is worth it.   And let's be honest, if I'm on the path of inner healing and growth, having a pet is a great asset because she can bring up lots of good material for me to work with.  She's a mirror to me in so many ways as well.  My boyfriend always says that April and I are very similar.  She wants attention but only when she's ready for it.  She's demanding.  She's spoiled.  She likes to be talked about all the time.  She doesn't like to be touched the wrong way or she bites.  There may be some truth to those statements but I see similarities between us in other ways. I relate to her desire for independence and her need to have space and to be close.  I love that when I feel my emotions are getting the best of me and the world is caving in around me, she is the most consistent being around.  And she's always there to  remind me that things really aren't that bad.  All she has to do is crawl up on my lap and share her unadulterated loving essence.  And I love that every time I sit to meditate, she nests in my lap and does her own meditation. That's her nature: confident, calm, and authentic.  She's a Zen master indeed.  I could learn a thing or two from her!