the divine feline:
cat lovers don’t need it explained.
there is something in us, deep in our hearts, that reveres, cherishes, and delights in cats!
some of us have felt it all our lives – a strong need to serve, rescue, help or support cats. some feel a simple, profound, deep joy in connecting and communing. we love cat in every form, from our domestic companions to feral colonies to masters of jungle and grassland.
we are cat nerds. cat geeks. cat moms. ailurophiles. guardians.
bring on the elegant and sinuous grace of stalking, or the lightning-fast, primal joy of the pounce. welcome the gamboling goofball, with tummy up and toebeans waving. gratitude to how the heart glows in quiet moments with that warm, restful ball of fur curled trustingly in our laps. there is no better moment.
yes to the mystery, the personality, the wisdom, the sometimes-exasperation, the heartbreak, the adoration, the belonging, the full-tilt devotion to CAT.
if you’ve been touched by the sacred paw of cat, you get it. welcome
I rescued my first cat when I was five. I found him on the street, in bad shape. we’d learn that he had FIV, and it was my job at that tender age to mend his gaping wounds, and help him come back to full health. that was the very first healing journey I ever held space for, and it shaped the entire rest of my life.
I’ve been called to help animals and people heal ever since.
fast forward several decades later, and I’ve been blessed by many feline familiars as teachers and best friends. you’ll have your litany of beloveds – mine are george, kate, gwenyvhar, greyfoot, mufasa, atari, spot, grey kitty, dakota, rocky, bandit, maximus catimus, vaughan, wilmer, old tom, and qwill.
there’s a lot to loving cats. there’s how powerfully they change and shape us, the amazing stories we have of each of the ones we’ve been blessed to know. their quirks, foibles, and uniqueness. the trauma, cruelty, and hurt they endure. how strong and generous they are, as they help us in our healing and navigate their own. there’s losing them and walking in the hinterlands of the desolate heart, and meeting them and a whole world opening up in homecoming and hope.
if you’re a cat person, you’ll get it.
since my first rescue, I’ve re-learned as an adult what most adults forget – how to talk with spirit guides and helpers, wonder, and the mystery. we’ve got lots of names for relating to the divine, and we could also say ‘remembering how to speak the language of creation,’ where everything is alive, has sentience, and wants to communicate.
the good news for cat lovers is that we can connect directly with the magnificent cat goddess bast, the larger sentience and wisdom of cats, the felines we live with or help, as well as our beloveds who have crossed over the rainbow bridge…all by working in union with our spirit guides and helpers.
I invite you to engage the journey (below) with beloved bast, one of the ancient pantheon of egyptian goddesses and gods. she has been worshiped for 5,000+ years here planetside, by countless tens of thousands of worshipers, devotees, and celebrants. she is glorious…and a very, very good friend to make in the unseen worlds if you are touched by the love of cat.
to meet with her, you might journey with a rhythmic beat, write this guided meditation in your own words and record it so your voice guides you, sit in meditation and invite visionary experience, or let this template guide you in writing, dancing, dreaming, or singing….
closing your eyes, begin in a quiet place in the shifting sands of ancient egypt. let details become vivid and sweet around you, noticing luxurious sights, sounds, colors, and smells. whether you think you’re ‘imagining it’ or not, allow yourself to trust your inner wisdom, and welcome what comes.
experience the golden sands, searing heat, cerulean skies, and softest whisper of a breeze. ahead of you, one of bast’s many glorious temples, flanked by sparkling rivers and lined by trees, with breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes and cities. there is a sense of mystery in the air…
you feel called to enter the temple, bringing a modest offering with you. you might bring a memory of one of your feline companions, a bowl of sacred water or perfume, or a gift of your love and respect. as you advance, notice the fine workmanship that created thousands of images of cats on the stone temple walls. cats leaping, cats lounging, cats hunting, cats being cherished in their many life stages, sizes, and forms…
approach the inner sanctum of the temple with reverence. make your offering – this is not transactional, it is a gratitude for all that bast is, for the beauty and power of her children. she will meet you there, perhaps in her full feline form, or perhaps as a beautiful woman with the head of a cat. gold jewelry will adorn her magnificent body, and a sense of immense power fills the air…
commune with her.
share memories and stories of her children, and feel the essence and joy of cat. if you have questions, ask. if you’re a cat guardian and have a question about your beloved one, ask. if you yearn to connect with your beloved cats no longer in form, ask. if you’d like to receive a healing, a message, a token or talisman, or her blessing, ask.
then, receive.
when you feel ready, offer a gratitude to bast. she is here for you when you feel unsafe or uncertain, when you need her ferocity or protection, or when you need her gentle comfort and love to balm a hurting or weary heart.
these are grand gifts, and we are so very lucky to walk with bast’s beloved children, love them, and honor her.
when you feel ready, return to waking awareness in the way that’s comfortable for you. journal, reflect, and take this into the dreamtime with you. let it settle.
this article is about the deep, profound joy cats bring and teach us. if you need a helping paw learning how to connect with bast directly, or your feline friends in the spirit world, please email me and let me know. I’d really, actually, truly like to hear from you.
if you’d like to email and share one of your cat stories with me, I’d love that so much – there is a special heart-bond between those of us who share the love of cat.
all of the feline blessings and graces to you,
anna
ps – here are a few catly orgs run by good humans to check out:
- kennel quilts (maximus catimus came home from the shelter with one of these – after immense trauma, his cat quilt was his favorite object, and comforted him until the end of his life with us. I make and donate these as a result)
- garlic city kitty rescue (our current feline companion, qwill, came from this wondrous place. julie is an actual angel – it’s worth a few hours of driving to support her work)
- cat town (finds homes for ‘unadoptable’ cats in the traditional shelter model)
- petfinder (finds home for shelter cats, and most rescues and shelters post here)
- alley cat allies (TNR, SNR, policy reform, education, advocacy, outreach)
- senior cat action network (networks with 501c3 to resource senior kitty care)
- best friends (I can’t say enough good things. kindness. compassion. dignity.)
pps: I kid you not. as I’ve been typing this, qwill came and is currently napping soundly on my chest. here’s a pic, real-time. cats KNOW. 🙂
