#REVERB14 (Day 8): Sustaining feline connections

THERE'S A CAT ON MY HEAD! What a connection! (art by Hallelujah Truth)

#REVERB14 (Day 8) prompt is:

How have you created and/or sustained connections in your life this year?

Hallelujah for connections--for creating and sustaining them! 2014 has brought me the good fortune of deepening existing friendships and making new ones rich with possibility. I am so grateful!

DEEP FELINE CONNECTIONS. (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

Today, I would like to write about sustaining the relationships I have with the feline members of my household (the Ichno-Art Cat Palace) and what I have discovered as my kittens blossom into substantial 3-year-olds with minds of their own!

SAPELO, OUR WILD CHILD. (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

Sapelo came into our household almost three years ago. She was raised in a cattery, and no one had wanted to purchase a purebred Tonkinsese with a "kink" in her tail (the kink was seen as a defect). For Valentine's, my Chiboogamoo and I rescued her from her six-month caged existence and brought her home to join our other rescue, Tao, who is a Siamese mix. 

Almost feral, Sapelo has often proven challenging to nurture and love. She does not like to be held. Part of her daily routine is skirting around the furniture and up the stairs to evade us. But there are always parts of the day when she decides she wants attention and to be loved. Then she will sit on me or wail a plaintive cry until she directs us to what it is she wants us to do. 

In 2014, I finally "got" Sapelo! Instead of being disappointed by her evasive behaviors, I now listen more closely to what she is communicating. As I stretch my understanding of what she is offering me, I love her for what she is and what she gives as her sweet precious cat self. 

For example, she loves to roll over on her back and have her tummy scratched. At night, she sleeps on top of me or snuggles under the covers. During the evenings at play time, she is like an Olympic gymnast when she leaps after her cat toy--a feather on a string and stick. Clearly, Sapelo loves being in her body and adores physical challenges. My cat daughter is an athlete! 

As my attitude has shifted, I believe Sapelo's behavior has changed. It's as if she knows how deeply committed I am to serving her as she is now. I have found I need to soften my voice and touch to communicate with her. Sapelo is a gentle soul.

Then there is Tao! My boy! His exuberance dominates our household. We exist to serve and play with him. At three, he has become such a big boy, and right now, he is slightly aggressive towards me. Almost daily, he leaps on my shoulders and meow in my ear when he wants a service from me. Some times, he is a little too insistent and becomes loud and demanding. My boy needs to have a few manners and exhibit some patience.

However, at heart Tao has a sweet personality and a great sense of humor which makes me completely and utterly devoted to him. Yet I won't mind when he mellows with age.

SPECIAL FELINE CONNECTION WITH MY BOY. (Selfie by Hallelujah Truth)

Who would have known that my husband and I would forge such strong connections to our feline companions, our cat children? 2014 has brought our Ichno-Art Cat Palace some changes as our cats mature from kittens into larger more complicated felines. I look forward to what our kitties will bring us in 2015!

That's Coffee with Hallelujah! SOUL BLOG with me! What connections do you have with felines or canines or other animals in your lives?

INFORMATION ABOUT #REVERB14: Hallelujah for opportunities to reverberate, to REVERB with Kat McNally, whose mission is to remind you that you are never alone! Situated in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Kat has been hosting this December blogathon since 2011, and she does a heart-warming and inspiring job! Join #REVERB14 here for 21 days of continuous blog writing, posting, and commenting to prepare you for 2015!