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Welcome Crazy Cat People
When our cats become ill or suffer from a health problem it can be a very worrying time and as well as the conventional veterinary treatment you may have heard of complementary treatments such as Reiki for cats.
You may be Reiki attuned already and want to find out how Reiki can help your cats health or maybe you have heard that reiki has worked for a friends cat and are curious to find out more.
Cats tend to respond really well to reiki energy and are very sensitive to reiki. It can benefit cats with physical, mental and emotional issues and help reduce stress so that their bodies own natural healing system can start to kick in. However, it is not a magic cure or an alternative to veterinary care.
In the rest of this post, we go on to learn more about what reiki is, what it can do for your cats, what hand positions to use during the healing session and where you can find a reiki practitioner who may be able to share this powerful relaxing energy with your little fur babies.
Read on to find out more, let’s begin.
What is Reiki?
The system of Reiki is an ancient Japanese form of healing energy. Reiki translated in English literally means, ”Rei – spirit and ”Ki” which means energy.
Universal life force energy!
Reiki is found in every living thing on this planet, it flows through our physical, mental and emotional bodies and it also flows through our cats too and every living thing we see around us. The Chinese often call it ”Chi” and in India, it is often referred to as ”Prana”.
We have energy centres called chakras within our spirit body, there are seven main chakras and the reiki flows through these centres and around energy lines called meridians within our bodies. Through times of stress, trauma and physical illness these energy centres can become blocked which can lead to physical, mental and emotional symptoms.
The ability to use Reiki is passed down from student to teacher in a ritual called an attunement which then allows the student to be a channel, so they can channel Reiki to another person, an animal or even a plant.
The practitioner will lay their hands on the body of the person or animal who is receiving the treatment and the energy flows through the practitioner to where it is needed within the patient.
Okay, Okay! If you are a sceptic or have never had reiki before I get that this may sound a little ”Out there” that’s perfectly normal.
Before I became attuned to reiki I didn’t really believe in the energy of reiki or how it would come to change my life in so many ways. My first treatment was from a friend called Sam and I didn’t know what to expect but when her hands touched the different parts of my body I couldn’t believe how warm her hands were, I actually had to open my eyes and look at what was going on.
Intense heat flowed through her hands and into my body and it felt like vibrations running through me.
It wasn’t long before I broke down crying and sobbed my heart out, it felt so good to cry. I had held so much inside for so long and had never really let it all out before. Part of me was in shock because of how much I felt this energy running through my body.
I really had underestimated this healing modality!
I became inspired and drawn to learn more and I did my reiki level 1 in 2009 where I learned to give reiki to myself and others around me and then I did my level 2 a year later where I learned ancient symbols that allow me to use the reiki energy in different ways such as using it at a distance and using reiki to help deal with emotional distress.
There is also a level 3 course that allows you to then attune other people to the sacred energy of reiki and to also teach reiki, I have yet to take that course but I believe I will when the time is right for me.
All I can say is that reiki helped me in so many ways to let go of trapped emotion and to wash away stagnant energies that were weighing me down and playing a big part in the anxiety and depression that plagued my life in so many ways back then.
Animals especially cats can sense reiki and changes in energy. When I got back from my first attunement to reiki, the cats and the dogs that I lived with all came over to me and they were fascinated with me. They could sense the change within my energy field and they looked at me very differently and would not leave me alone.
It was so odd!
I use reiki on my cats and have used it on friends dogs with some great results. It can help with so many ailments of which we will explore below. All I would say is that if this is your first time reading about reiki then please keep an open mind, I wouldn’t expect you to blindly believe in reiki but give it a try for you and/or your pet and see what you think before making a judgement.
Reiki is like radio waves and electricity, we can’t always see these fields of energy yet we don’t doubt their existence.
”Intense heat flowed through her hands and into my body and it felt like vibrations running through me”
What does reiki do for animals?
I have stated this once already above but feel I must really re-iterate that reiki is never an alternative to conventional veterinary care it is always necessary to see a qualified vet if your cat is ill in any way to rule out any serious health conditions.
However, reiki can really help to assist in the healing process and may benefit your cat with any physical, mental or emotional issues that they are experiencing.
Reiki has been known in animals to relieve pain and inflammation, to aid recovery after surgery, to help with trauma and to help the animal become more comfortable after past abuse and has been used to provide much-needed peace and relaxation for cats that are at the end of their time on this earth.
Reiki helps to balance out the mental, emotional and physical bodies of the person or animal being treated and remove energy blockages.
When we are in a state of balance we are then in a position where the body can start to heal itself.
Reiki also helps to relieve stress and anxiety and in a more relaxed state, the natural healing ability of your cat’s body will start to kick in by activation of the immune system increasing the overall health and wellbeing of your pet.
The way I see it is that reiki can only ever do good for your cat and can help to build up the bond with the owner if you are the one channelling the Reiki energy. Cats are so intuitive and know what they need, unlike humans they haven’t built up any conditioning to not believe in that which cannot be seen.
If you are looking for more ways to build a bond with your cat and build trust you may want to also check out my other blog post ”13 ways to build up trust with your cat”.
Reiki hand positions for cats?
In traditional Usui Reiki, there are 12 hand positions we use when we are treating a human, we cover head positions and then we cover the main chakra points within the energy field.
When you or the Reiki practitioner treat your cat this will be different because animals may not stay still throughout the treatment and their bodies are nowhere near as big as a human.
When Reiki is being given to an animal it is always important to go with a gentle approach and let the animal take the lead, the animal may not mind contact but at the same time, they may want to keep a healthy distance and the reiki will flow either way as it doesn’t require constant contact due to working with the natural energy fields that surround all living things.
Be aware of the body language shown by the cat as they may give a clear message that they do not want reiki at this time and this should always be respected. They may say ”No” at first and then come back after a few minutes so please always give them the time and space they need.
Never hold the cat down for Reiki as the last thing you want to do is build up a negative association between reiki and your hands as the cat may then never trust you.
It is a good idea to hold out the hands and start to channel the reiki and the cat will naturally be curious and come over to do a scent investigation. A lot of practitioners then find that the animal may begin to relax and then show you where they want the treatment.
Once the cat is comfortable the practitioner may then be able to place their hands on various points of the cat’s body and let the Reiki work its magic. Hands get very warm when Reiki is being channelled and cats having a body temperature of between 38.1°C and 39.2°C may be attracted to the heat.
The treatment may last anywhere from 15 minutes up to an hour but again it’s important to let the cat take the lead.
My Little boy Lenny was poorly recently with a stomach bug and I was going to take him to the vets if he wasn’t better within 24 hours but I gave him reiki for over an hour and he thanked me for it at the end with a little nose kiss and the next day he was fully back to normal.
Was it the Reiki? I don’t know but he made a pretty quick recovery and he had a very good sleep that night!
Who do I recommend for animal Reiki?
My family friend who I have known for a very long time since I was a little boy is a lady called Carol. I introduced her to Reiki a long time ago and since then she has gone on to become a level 3 reiki master and trained in various other forms of reiki. She has helped lots of animals so far throughout her journey. She is a strong channel for this loving energy and she also has a natural love of animals, being a pet owner herself she has a lot of time and love for all animals. She offers in-person treatments for people in her local area but is also fully trained to give distance sessions of reiki, you may want to check out her Facebook page to find out more.
What to expect during a cat reiki session?
During a reiki session, your cat will choose to take Reiki for as long as they need it.
They instinctively know when they have had enough and will let you know. They should receive Reiki treatment in their own environment where they feel secure and familiar.
Cats are very territorial and taking them somewhere new may cause too much stress and they could become easily distracted by new smells, sounds and people.
When the animal does begin to accept the Reiki you may notice that they become more relaxed, they may start to purr and shows signs of content and this can be so nice to see especially if you have been dealing with a stressed-out cat for quite some time.
The Reiki practitioner will spend an hour or so at your home or if doing the treatment distantly will advise you of the time that they will begin the session.
Just allow your pet to enjoy the treatment and watch as they often thank the practitioner afterwards will a little nose kiss and affection.
How often are reiki sessions needed for my cat?
When we treat people we generally say that they need a minimum of 3 treatments.
The choice is yours when it comes to your cat, you may notice a difference after just one session but you may wish to give treatments regularly with weekly, monthly or fortnightly sessions especially if your cat shows benefit and responds well to Reiki.
Key takeaways: Do Cats like Reiki?
- Cats sense energy easily and will often be attracted to the Reiki energy
- Reiki should never be used as an alternative to veterinary care but used to complement it
- Never hold down a cat and force reiki on them
- Allow the cat to take the lead in the reiki session
- Give regular treatments for best results
- Reiki may help to relax your cat, relieve pain, provide post-op comfort and help stimulate your cat’s natural ability to help themselves heal.
- Take a look at Carols facebook page
As always take care of yourself and your little fur babies!
Mark (The Crazy Cat Man)
