Sometimes, but not always, offering Reiki to animals opens a connection with the animal that allows communication with the animal. I have had several instances in which I was able to know about concerns an animal has or "hear" the animal speak to me in my head. This information was a major part of the healing. I would like to share some of these instances with you.

Cokey, the Cat that Dropped out of a Tree

Cokey had been a wonderful loving kitty, but was experiencing such severe emotional issues that he was actually on Prozac, so his human Mom Marie asked if I could help him.

Cokey had a bad experience at the vet’s recently. Cokey had become so aggressive with Lily, her other cat, that she divided her house into two apartments to keep them apart. Cokey has the living room, kitchen and another room that is sort of a den. Lily has the two bedrooms and the bath. She has a baby gate between the hall and the living room so they can see each other but Cokey cannot attack Lily. Cokey is about twice as big as Lily and Lily is a very quiet cat.

I sat in a chair in the living room where I could see into the hall in case Lily joined us and Marie sat on the couch across fro me. I offered Reiki to Cokey and to Lily as well if she wanted it. I explained to Cokey and Lily that I was going to offer them some  healing and made it clear that they could accept as much or as little as they wished and assured them that they were in charge of the session.

Cokey wandered around at first, went into the kitchen, got up on the sofa with Marie, checked out my shoes, and generally did not seem to know what to do with himself. I knew the energy was flowing because I could feel it in my hands After a while Cokey came and got up in my lap and put his face right in my face and gave me a kiss. Marie was in tears when he did that – she told me later that he had never done that with anyone, even with her. At the end of the session he was on a table beside me, just lying quietly. Again she was amazed, she said he never was that quiet.

Her house is on the market and she is getting ready to move.  What I picked up during the session was that Cokey was afraid he was going to be left behind. Afterwards, I suggested to her that she reassure him that he is moving to FL with her. She said that she had briefly considered getting rid of one of the cats rather than move both of them, but had decided that she could not part with either of them. We figured Cokey must have picked up on that.

 Cokey was named Coconut because he dropped out of a tree. He was found in a tree by a vet’s office where someone evidently dumped him. So he has been abandoned once, and thought he was about to be abandoned again. I’m guessing – and this is just my guess – that the people who dumped him did so because of a move, so when he saw packing boxes and knew that she was going to move, he was concerned.

 She spent time telling him how wonderful the apartment in FL will be. She already has it picked out, and he will have a wonderful sunny window. So she talked to him about how wonderful it will be.

I worked with Cokey three more times during the next week. He usually settled down for a nap and soaked up the Reiki energy. On the last session, he was busy playing with a mouse when I started, but he abandoned that and curled up to enjoy the Reiki session. He preferred hands off healing on all sessions.

Marie later reported:

Cokey is PHENOMENAL!!! He has been so loving and sweet to me. This AM, before I went to the Y, he got up in my lap and began to purr. He stayed there for about 3 minutes and then he got distracted by the bird at the feeder for about 5 minutes. Then, he came back and got on my lap and purred again for about 2 minutes. He is quite calm.

Marie took my next Reiki classes so she can continue the Reiki treatments with Cokey and Lily. She is weaning him off of the Prozac because he is a much happier cat now.

Bella, the Big Black Cat who resented being called "Baby Kitty"

Marie referred me to a friend of hers whose cat was also having some emotional issues. The cat is a huge 20 pound female cat with beautiful long black hair. His person had rescued her as a baby kitty because the mother cat rejected her. She was bottle fed as a baby - never had a mother cat in life. She was so tiny when she was rescued that she was called Baby Kitty, and the name stuck.

I worked with this cat remotely because she lives in Florida so I have never met her in person. Fortunately Reiki works just as well remotely as it does in person. I sat here in my living room, connected with this cat, and offered her Reiki. I introduced myself and assured the cat that she was in charge of the session - she could have as much or as little Reiki as she wanted. I immediately felt the energy flow and knew that she was accepting my offer.

 I very clearly heard her say "I am not a baby! Just because I was not allowed to have babies does not mean I'm still a baby!!!!" And this was spoken with attitude - she obviously felt very strongly about being called Baby Kitty. I asked her if she would prefer to be called "Kitty" and she said "well, that would be better" but clearly she was not happy with that name either. This was telepathic communication of course - distance is no limit to Reiki.

After the session I told her person what she had said and after some consideration she was re-named Bella and she is much happier with her new name. I have since learned that animals are often unhappy with their names, and changing what they are called can be very healing for the animal.

Bella made a trip to the vet soon after her Reiki treatments to receive a lion cut. Her person reported that the experience went much easier than before.

When I asked for permission to use her story on my website, this is what her person replied:

I would love for you to share her story! I just told Marie the other day what a difference I see with her now. She is more loving and even allows me to brush her; of course her hair is short and she no longer has anything that pulls. I put steps up to my bed and she now comes into the bed some nights and sleeps close to me. I couldn't be happier and I know she is happier too.

I have asked for a picture of Bella with her lion cut - when I get one I'll add it to this page so be sure and check back soon.

Star - the Shelter Cat that asked to Get Out of This Cage!

I volunteer at Humane Educational Society (HES) in Chattanooga as a "cat cuddler." It is my job to love the cats. This makes it easier on the cats who are living in a cage waiting for someone to adopt them and give them a forever home. It also makes them more adoptable because they are used to being handled.

One day I was offering Reiki to a whole wall full of cages of cats - 9 cages and at least 9 cats. I stood before the row of cages, introduced myself, and explained as I always do that they may have as much or as little of the healing as they want at that time. When the energy was pouring out to these cats, I asked if any of them wanted to say anything to me. I was talking to them mentally.

A large cat I had never met before said very clearly "Get me out of this cage!" He spoke in a sort of husky voice. Later when I heard him Meow his cry sounded the same way - sort of hoarse and husky. After the Reiki treatment, of course I took him out of the cage and hugged him, but explained that I would have to return him to his cage.

A couple of days later I was there again and told two of the staff members about healing this cat. Fortunately they had both taken my Reiki for Animal Lovers course and understood that animals can communicate. I asked if Star could be moved to the Castle Room - a beautiful room in which the cats are allowed to live together without cages. They agreed that we should reward him because he talked to me.

At my request - and the request of the cat - he was moved to the Castle Room the next day. I went in several times to be sure he was adapting to this OK and getting on well with the other cats - a requirement to remain in the free roaming room. He was, and every time I went into the room he came right to me talking in his hoarse cat voice. I felt he was saying thank you for getting him out of his cage and I was thanking him for talking to me.

He was adopted in less than a week. I was delighted that he had found his forever home so quickly and must admit I was a bit sad not to see this awesome cat again.

Animal Communication and Reiki

Reiki does not always lead to animal communication. Of course I can always talk to the animals - and I do - but I cannot always hear them. But it is exciting when I do - and often what they tell me is an important part of the treatment. It is not always appropriate to share the information with their human parents, but when sharing can lead to changes in the animal's life that are beneficial to them as with these cats, of course I share the information.

I am very grateful to Cokey, Bella and Star for talking to me and I look forward to having conversations with many more animals in the future. I have recently studied Animal Communication with Val Heart and now offer Animal Communication as well as Animal Reiki. Both can be very healing for animals.

Margaret Dexter

Last modified: 10/15/2013