The Story of Ceri

The Story of Ceri

                  The Universe works in mysterious ways…for wo/man and animal alike, and the joining thereof.

                  I understand that not everyone is as avid an animal lover as I am, but I know plenty of people who are. And I’m glad I’m this way, because it’s always been an honor to share my home with the dogs I grew up with, and the cats I’ve had since adulthood. I have always had a strong connection to the animals in my life. So, those of you who are like me will really get this story, and I hope the rest of you can resonate with it on some level.

                  About a month ago, I started taking notice of a cat that was frequenting my yard. I honestly think she’s been around on and off since I’ve lived here the past couple of years, but she wasn’t on my radar. All of a sudden – she was! She was friendly and affectionate, and I thought she must live somewhere close by, but then, something deeper inside told me that wasn’t the case. I gave her some food outside, and she acted like she hadn’t eaten in a long time. I started keeping an eye on her. She became a fixture in the yard. I didn’t feel that she had a home, and when I consulted an animal communicator (thank you, Adrienne), that was confirmed. I did try to find someone to claim her, including putting an announcement on the radio, but no one came forward, and I somehow knew no one would. I began thinking about how to find her a home, because after all, I have 3 cats, and that’s my limit!

 “HA”, said the Universe.

I started coming home and being greeted by her – out of the front bushes, or off the porch. I was feeding her, yes I was! I did all the typical of me kinds of things – I made beds and soft places for her all over the front yard. She had a box under the eaves of the house with a towel in it for comfort. There was a beach towel on the ground among the bushes. In the cat pen I have on the porch for one of my “girls”, Tessa, who does enjoy the great outdoors, I built a cozy haven for colder days and rainy days, with a big blanket inside it, and beach towels on top to keep cold and wind out. And, oh yes, I put a cat toy in there for her to cuddle up to for good measure.

More conversation with the animal communicator, who said, “Congratulations on your new kitty! She’s adopted you. She says she sat on your lap in Egypt. And oh, she’d like a goddess name – in fact, she’d like to be called Ceridwyn; Ceri for short (which she answered to right away, I might add – and the name, which is Celtic, means “beautiful poetry.” I LOVE that!).” Oye. I was not in the market for a new cat. In fact, it was the furthest thing from my mind. What would people think if I brought in another cat? What would my current cats think? Shoot – what do I think? But this has clearly not been about me.

I put out feelers for a home for her on the one hand, while actually contemplating how I could make it work, on the other. I thought my cats would disown me…and ok, feeding another one? “Um,  Universe, if this is to be, then the money needs to be there to feed her and get her checked out physically”, as there was no way I was going to risk my current felines’ health and well-being…. Enter PAL (Prevent A Litter). I called them – because I thought she might be pregnant on top of everything else. But luckily, the clipped left ear says she’s been spayed!  I borrowed a friend’s top-load c at carrier, and managed to get her there, and checked out. She was good to go: feline-lukemia free, wormed, they said they could tell by her teeth that she is either 4 or 5 yrs. old, and a free rabies shot – and then I knew I could bring her inside, which is what she “said” she wanted (and certainly tried many an evening to follow me in). More conversation with the animal communicator said my cats understood, but weren’t thrilled. They said they’d do it for me. (Guilt!) They had been sitting and looking at her through the glass door for weeks, so how different would it be to have her in the house?

Again, the Universe said, “HA!”

Last Sunday, on a cold and rainy, yucky afternoon, I decided we were going to try it. She’d been outside 24 hrs. after being wormed (which the vet had said to give her that time still outside), and had run off after the vet visit, because I’m sure she felt she could no longer trust me. I had decided that if, after the vet visit, she ran off and didn’t come back, I had done the right thing, and had the satisfaction of knowing she was well and armed with the rabies vaccine. She had been in and out of the yard since, and up in the woods more than in the past month. I knew she was trying to make a decision, like I was.  Because of the bad weather, she was nearby. When I came back from my Sunday service, I started the preparations – she was going in the bathroom upstairs where she could chill and not be surrounded by the other cats. I remained open to this working or not – went outside, lured her to me with some cat chow, and snatched her up and whisked her inside. When I picked her up, she struggled – when we walked through that door and she realized what was happening, she relaxed. She was inside.

This hasn’t been an easy week, but it’s getting easier. There’s been a whole lot of hissing going on around here, and I have felt terrible that I’ve disrupted everyone’s lives. Within two nights, she was out of the bathroom, and I just decided that they would all have to work it out. The unlikely hero of the story is Mystic, my alpha cat, my “just leave me alone” cat. She has been a constant, calming force in all this, and has been with Ceri a lot, just being in her presence and staying centered about it all. Tessa is coming around – they got nose to nose yesterday evening. Kali, my little goddess of fire and spit, has vacillated between staying under the chair in my bedroom, and trying to be big and bad. She has swiped at Ceri, and consequently, Ceri is spending most of her time in the upstairs bedroom – with the company of Mystic, a good bit of the time. In the 5 days since she’s been inside, she’s shown no desire to go out, and has really only looked outside a few times, and then turned away. Luckily, she is using the litter box (that was a big concern, but does say to me that she’s been inside before)!  She is happy and purring. She has toys and food and (eventual) sisters and shelter. She doesn’t have to forage or hide or be out in the elements. I do believe she’s home. She belongs, or this wouldn’t have happened the way it has. We aren’t out of the woods yet, as a family adjusting, but we’re doing better than expected this quickly.

Love shows up in many different ways and forms. I have manifested – even tho I didn’t do it consciously – the lap cat I don’t have (none of mine are real cuddlers that way), another calico (which I had said if I got another cat EVER, it would be another calico), and an affectionate, lovely being who is supposed to be with us. Who knows what she has come to teach us – and vice versa!

And the Universe is taking that “HA”, and changing it to an “Ahhhhhhhhhh”!