Blog #3--Amazing Animal Behavior

When writing a book, an author tries to add every relevant thought without forgetting anything. Mistakes happen. For instance, I tried to share anecdotes and concepts once each, but there are still a couple repetitious thoughts that made it to publication despite multiple efforts at editing. And there are a few things I wish I had added but didn't. There is one I must share now since it is so amazing. On page 347 of my book "It's a Secret, so Pass It On: a Toolbox For Life," I share the story of our cat Sheba and her seemingly conscious decision to stop eating in preparation for her death. It seemed obvious to both my wife Mary Jane and me that Sheba committed suicide. I forgot to add an extremely important detail. A couple days after Sheba passed, Mary Jane found a large pile of dry cat food hidden behind a couple pillows on a couch in a room we rarely use. Mary Jane had assumed Sheba was eating because she had to keep refilling Sheba's food bowl. But Sheba was taking the food, one mouthful at a time, and hiding it. We found half a sack of dry food behind the pillows. In our minds, Sheba knew exactly what she was doing. Whether she was considering our feelings, preventing us from stopping her terminal fasting or misbehaving for some unknown reason like senility, we may never know for sure. But Sheba's efforts were all part of a plan that led to her death. I mentioned in the book the fact Sheba ate the head off a mouse she caught two days before she died, so she could still eat and digest food if she desired. But also around that time, Sheba demonstrated she still had quick instincts for survival. She was outside on her chain with her back to the yard and weakened from a month without food. A hawk took that opportunity to swoop down and try to grab her. Without seeing the hawk, Sheba turned around just in time to hiss menacingly at it. I'd never seen a bird try to fly backwards as fast as that hawk. From predator to prey in a split second; a dying cat still had what it took to survive. Humans presume superiority over all of Nature, but I demonstrate in my book how erroneous that belief really is. It is that misperception that prevents us from seeing the truth of Nature and its innumerable connections with us. When we see other life forms as our equals, we begin to notice a vast complexity that cannot help but remind us of ourselves. Most of Sheba's communications with us were nonverbal. We could tell what she was thinking; she would prove it every time we gave her what she needed or talked honestly with her about it. None of that would have been possible without seeing her as our equal. That way, the similarities between the species become obvious, and understanding and mutual respect result. And the insights one can gain through understanding, acceptance and equality are limitless. If you like this blog, please share it with your friends. If you have a comment or question, you are welcome to write me at dreamtime@insight-books.com. I can use both your comments and my responses in a future blog if both parties desire it.

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