What does it mean when cats and dogs don’t like each other?
As an Animal Communicator, I’ve worked with thousands of people and their animals. My goal in every reading and in every class I teach is always to accurately and lovingly pass on the information the pet (or pets) wants their human to have. However, when cats and dogs don’t like each other, everyone feels it.
Recently, I did a reading for a woman named Laura. Her cat and dog were not getting along. In fact, according to Laura, the cat continually attacked the dog and the situation was upsetting the entire family. Laura said she didn’t understand why her cat was so mean and she was even considering finding a new home for her cat.
Big Insight Through Connection
I then began my Animal Communication reading with Laura, and her cat, Shelly, and dog, Lola.
When I psychically connected with Shelly (the cat) she told me she was, “pissed.” (Yes, that’s the word the cat used!) Through psychic words, visuals, and feelings, Shelly showed me that she wasn’t getting any attention because her sister, the dog, Lola was hogging it all. She showed me pictures of Lola cuddling on the sofa, Lola rubbing legs in the kitchen, Lola smooching Laura at bedtime…
What Shelly the cat was sharing with me was quite different from what Laura (the human) had said the problem was. This is one of the challenging things about doing Animal Communication readings. As normal human beings, we forget that our beloved pets may have their own point of view. It can be quite jarring when what the human and the animal are talking about don’t match!
Delving Into the Root Cause
So, while I believed what Shelly was telling me about being ignored by her human, I knew there must be more to the story than that. After all, someone who takes the time and spends the money to come see me for a private session is probably not someone who is going to neglect one of their animals.
After I relayed Shelly’s message to Laura, I ask Laura, “Is there a reason you may be giving Lola more attention than Shelly?”
“No! Of course not! But I have to treat Lola differently because she’s a rescue and we think she was abused before we got her.”
Shelly’s reaction to Lola and to Laura finally made sense!
Animals and Humans Handle the Past Differently
Here’s the thing about animals (all animals, not just cats and dogs don’t like each other). In their natural environment, they live in the present moment. Given the chance, they don’t hang on to their past. They learn from their past and use that information to live better in the present. This is how they survive in the wild – have an experience, get it, use it.
One of the most common questions I’m asked in a reading is, “What was his past like? Who was he with?” etc. The funny thing here? The animals say again and again, “Hey. Why do you want to talk about that? Let’s address her anxiety instead. Or perhaps we can talk about why I’m not getting enough walks!”
Animals live beautifully in the present moment.
People, on the other hand, hang on to the past. Haven’t you met someone who can recall all the wrongs of their past boyfriend? Or someone who remembers their bad test scores in high school? We, human’s tend to have a challenge learning from and then letting go of their past.
Our Pets Aren’t Mini-Humans and Don’t Want to Be
Because we hang on to our past, we expect that animals do as well. It’s why so many people introduce their pet by talking about their history. “This is my dog Larry. We rescued him from Alabama where he was being abused. They found him….” Etc. So we start labeling our pets based on how we perceive their past.
In fact, we humans often feel it’s the nicest thing we could possibly to, to give an animal special treatment because of what they’ve been through in the past. And those feelings can be overwhelming when cats and dogs don’t like each other.
Animals don’t want to be treated differently (babied etc.) because of what they’ve been through. They crave normalcy! They want to live their lives now!
Animals live in the NOW and they want you to, too
In the reading with Shelly, Lola, and Laura, once I explained to Laura what was going on, she had an aha moment. She’s been babying Lola because she thought that was what Lola needed most but realized it wasn’t even what Lola wanted.
“This is making so much sense Danielle! I always wondered why when I kept trying to coddle Lola she was always squirming away!” She realized that not only was Shelly reacting to the imbalance, but Lola was as well.
Living in the Present
When Laura let go of Lola’s past, she found herself more able to be with both animals, in the way that they were asking. She learned that Shelly wanted more cuddling, while Lola, now that she had a choice, was more playful. As a result, Shelly stopped attacking Lola and the two are often found sleeping together in Lola’s dog bed.
It’s amazing what insight from animals can do! When your cats and dogs don’t like each other, there’s usually a much deeper meaning than you think!
