Becoming better neighbors

Becoming better neighbors

This is the story of a friendly cat named Pickles who caused a rift between neighbors then learned to change his behavior and help them mend fences.  The situation had been escalating for some time when his person contacted me for a session: “Last summer our cat Pickles began going up on our neighbour’s porch…

Good Advice
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Good Advice

Sometimes a simple question leads to a big answer. Recently a group of kids asked for a bit of my help with a project they were working on. Just before our scheduled meeting I was at the barn with my horse and casually asked if any of the horses had advice for the kids to help them with their project, which involved improving life for zoo animals and others kept in captivity. Three horses immediately showed interest. Their advice, dispensed freely with love, in the spirit of a nurturing mentor, is so universal that I wanted to share it with you.

Pet Quirks: “Why do our cats drink bath water?”
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Pet Quirks: “Why do our cats drink bath water?”

“After anyone takes a bath in our house, when the water has drained from the tub our two cats can’t wait to jump in and drink the water that’s left. They don’t seem to be attracted to the soap – we tried 5 different soaps and shampoos and they still do it. They drink from their water bowl so it’s not lack of clean water. We don’t mind that they do this, but we wonder why.” Their two young cats explain.

Methods matter

Trying to force pets may lead to temporary compliance but ultimately resentment. Long lasting positive changes occur when we treat them with the respect they deserve, try to understand their point of view, explain our own, and ask for cooperation.