Practice Presence with Your Cats

With many cats there is a peacefulness about the way they choose to connect or be in a room. The first activity is to go where they hang out, not to necessarily touch them, but to be present with them. If they like to watch the birds in your yard or on a patio, taking the opportunity to sit nearby and sharing your observations with them allows you to be a part of what he or she enjoys doing or brings them joy.

If you have feline friends that are more reserved, offering presence in a room may be the first step to walking a path to a deeper, more open relationship with them. Allowing them to make the moves, provides them with the opportunity to choose in what way or to what extent they will connect with you. 

Meeting them where they are without expectations to what he or she will decide is right for them in the moment. For it is not about us, it is about who they are at that time. In some yoga practices, we are instructed to leave the ego at the door meaning the person we were or what we were able to do yesterday isn’t necessarily who or where we are today, so offering ourselves the grace to be who we are without expectation is key to a meditation, yoga, or movement practice just as it is when fostering a new type of relationship with your feline friend. Taking the steps to be present with them isn’t staring at them, it is letting them take the lead.

Shoestring Play

For the new friend or the elusive one this provides a feeling of safety for them to begin engagement while choosing the level of closeness. Many have an insecurity about getting too close to us at the start. Shoestring play provides them with a spacial gap between the two of you giving them the opportunity to get curious and play. This game only brings the shoelaces out when it is playtime for their safety.

This also works really well with ferals as they are naturally more apprehensive about what we want as is their life on the streets experience. It can be as simple as not knowing how to play and not understanding why one would choose to play with an inanimate object.  Give them time to nurture their inner curiosity once again.

Meditation

With other felines, settling down to do a meditation practice with your feline is a win. This comes naturally to them and if you are like me often the struggle is real to stay in that space. Sitting down and inviting your cat(s) to meditate with you or asking for their assistance to help you remain present can be a great bonding experience too as you are utilizing their natural skillset.

Please note that the timing is everything, so asking if they are open to helping you is key and setting the stage as to when you are hoping to do it allows them to prepare as well.  Many cats will ‘ground’ themselves in a variety of ways before connecting in this manner. It can be a reminder of the importance for us to do it as well in preparation along with getting a sip of water.