Ask Your Pet

Dear Cathy,

I think that you’re correct to be concerned about this behavior. When I spoke to Crispin, it was clear that he does not understand that the cow is not alive. Crispin is suffering from a great deal of anxiety, and he finds carrying the cow and talking to it to be soothing. However, he is very frustrated that the cow does not respond and does not play with him. He feels that the cow is "stupid". He placed the cow on the teddy bear because he thought that this might prompt the cow to play. He was very annoyed when the cow did nothing, and that’s why he was wailing at the cow on that occasion.

I communicated with Crispin’s Higher Self, and was told that his problem is two-fold. First, he is very anxious because of noise in your home, and because he is picking up on your own anxiety. Second, I was told that Crispin has decreased kidney function, and that this is causing a medication that he’s taking to adversely impact his mental state. Normally, a cat would realize that a toy is not alive, but Crispin’s perception is slightly altered, and is leading to his confusion.

I reassured Crispin that everything is okay, but I didn’t tell him that the cow is not alive, as I was afraid that this news would be too distressing for him in his current state. I highly recommend taking Crispin to the veterinarian to have his kidney function checked and discuss his medication/s. Like elderly people, elderly animals sometimes need to have their doses of medication lowered. It’s my strong feeling that once the veterinarian adjusts his medication, Crispin’s behavior will be much more normal. (Do not try to adjust his dosage on your own!) I also feel that a flower essence formula called Bach’s Rescue Remedy would be very helpful for Crispin’s anxiety. You can find Rescue Remedy at many pet supply and health food stores.

While I understand that this situation may be very upsetting, please try not to despair. Now that you understand what is going on and know the necessary steps to take, I truly believe that you’ll be able to effectively help Crispin. If the "cow talking" persists after you’ve taken these steps, please write to me and I’ll explain to Crispin that the cow is not alive.