animal Instincts

I would like to discuss instinct. All animals have it, including humans. When we choose to incarnate, our bodies come with certain innate behavior patterns according to our species. For example dogs feel a desire to dig in the dirt. Cats "bury" their food by swiping their paw on the ground even though they are not actually burying it. Horses are technically "prey" animals and are very sensitive to their surroundings, even when there are no predators nearby. This also includes how we humans react to things, like perceived threats or real danger. Consider how our heart rate goes up when we narrowly avoid being in a car accident. We are ok, but it takes our body a moment to calm down and realize it. This is a reaction we have no control over.

Instinct is something we have to take into consideration when asking our companion animals to perform certain behaviors. When I communicate with them (& their "higher self", & their guides) and their message comes across in words or images and it can "feel" like they are also "human" since the telepathic connection is translating the energetic message through my brain. They are aware of everything going on and the situation their humans are asking about. However this does not mean they can always immediately (or ever) change their behavior and when they are willing to try it often requires compromise and willingness on the part of the human to make certain changes.

For example many dogs have a strong desire to protect us and they feel a need to bark when someone approaches their yard. If your fence is solid and they can't see through it, this may cause anxiety because it is an "unseen possible danger" they hear going by. There are now small "portholes" that can be installed in fences that are like tiny windows so your dog can see who goes by and this is reassuring. Cats are very territorial and there are several steps that need to be taken to introduce a new cat to the household. Few cats will respond well to a newcomer simply "showing up." This would be like when we come home if we found a stranger sitting on our couch and eating our dinner. Imagine how our bodies would react to this-fear/danger, confusion, anger? Probably all of these.

So if our cat companions indicate that they would be willing to accept a new cat into the household during a communication (with yourself or with a professional animal intuitive) we still have to take into account the fact that they are in cat bodies and be patient with them as they allow their bodies to adapt to the new situation. There is a lot written about animal behavior and great guidelines for many of these situation.

I believe the ideal course of action is to combine direct communication with your animal companion with education about the particular behaviors and needs that are instinctive to their species. Sometimes they will mention these instincts during sessions with me, for example puppies explaining that their bodies are not quite ready to "hold it" & wait until they are let out to go to the bathroom. This takes time for them to build up to. Of course if your adult animal companion has this issue it is important to have them checked out by a vet first to make sure there isn't a medical issue.

An interesting point I recently heard on an interview with one of the authors of "The Trainable Cat," Sarah Ellis, is that instinctually dogs tend to associate safety with their person while a cat's sense of safety is strongly tied in to their home/territory. This is why it is harder for many cats to travel to the vet (or anywhere) than it is for dogs. One suggestion the book offers is always having their travel crate out, so that they use it as a cat bed and that way it smells like home (and safety) and when they do have to travel somewhere it will offer more comfort. This also explains why the dog in the photo above, which I took at a holiday parade event, appears comfortable in his dad's arms despite the chaotic situation around them.

With every single situation, the absolute most important thing to remember is to be loving and patient and to only use positive reinforcement. It is so helpful to connect with them and find out why it is happening. Some behavioral techniques out there mention "scaring" your animal when they are doing something you don't want them to do, with for example a loud noise, or spraying them with water. This will make them afraid of you. Please never do anything to intentionally frighten them -this is not the way to try to stop a behavior.

Even though we are their parents (or best friends, caretakers, guardians) and they are our equals in every way, they have different instincts than human kids so it is helpful to understand this and try to see situations from their unique individual and species perspectives. We can love them as our family members while acknowledging & honoring their species-specific instincts.