Animal Communicator, Cindy Smith

Our Animals at Work

Just as we do, our animals have a sense of purpose. Their job can be a serious job as a guide dog or a lighter job like being the family greeter. Some animals come into their person's life at a critical time and have a higher purpose in the relationship. They may serve as friend, confidant, or advisor.

Jobs can be big or small in our eyes, but all of our sweet animals take their jobs seriously. In a recent conversation with two of my clients, one of their kitties said that he “needed a job.” We bounced around a few suggestions but none of them struck him as interesting. He said, “I need a special job!” A few months later when I spoke with the family again, they reported,” He has a special job now! “ It seems that one of the individuals had developed a seizure disorder, and this little guy had become her warning animal. When he sensed a seizure approaching, he acted very differently and got her attention in time to prevent a fall. This is a job that trained animals do for their people, but this cat trained himself and created his own “special job”.

There are competitive animals that give their best effort every time they enter competition. Therapy animals provide healing and comfort to people they visit. It's clear that these animals are ”on a mission” when they enter that setting. I hear many stories of the kitty or dog who stayed by their person's side for weeks as the individual healed from an illness or injury. There's a lot of kitty reiki going on out there! Cats as well as dogs “watch the perimeter of your home” to keep you “safe”.

A friend of mine recently lost her two elderly dogs. She told me that she walked in to the quiet house one day and announced loudly to the two cats who were no where to be seen, “ Somebody needs to greet me when I come home!” The next day her cat, Casey, was at the door to greet her and has since adopted that job as her own.

So take a little time to observe the animals in your family and notice what jobs they are doing for you. The job could be keeping you company while you work on the computer or watch TV. They could join you on hikes and enrich the experience for you. Make a point to compliment them regularly on the specific job you notice them performing.

Speaking of the Holidays… Holiday Reminders
If you are having a party, take into consideration your animal's temperament. Do they want to join the party, even for a short time? If so, set them up for success by directing them in the behavior you want and not the behavior you don't want. For instance, tell your dogs, “We are having company for dinner tonight. When they arrive, why don't you run get a toy to greet them with?” (That would be instead of telling them, “No barking!”) Or you might suggest to your shy kitty that once everyone is settled, she could come and watch the party from an out-of-the-way spot. Another animal might prefer a quiet corner of the house to ride out the noise of the party. Be especially cautious if you have “inside only” cats. There's nothing worse than a guest inadvertently letting one of these kitties out.

Are you having company come to visit? Be aware of displacing your animals by putting someone in the “Guest room” that might ordinarily serve as a quiet room for a shy cat. Give that kitty another option while the people are there. Basically, it's all about treating your animals like valued members of the family and not letting them get lost in the shuffle when the holidays are upon us.