Temple Cat

I have a Siamese cat and to be sure she has a personality. If she is in good mood she will let out a cursory meow when I greet her in the morning. She seems to know cat lovers instinctively snuggling close to them when they visit or 'chats' with them when they engage her in conversation. This however is at her own call meaning she has to be the one to make the first move. When you pick her up by force she will struggle fiercely to break free.

Increasingly she seems also to understand a bit of what I am saying. For instance before I close the door when leaving home, I will ask her "Miao (that's her name), In or Out?". If she wants to laze in the garden she will come scampering through the door before I close it. Otherwise she will ignore me and expresses her wish to remain indoor by either resting on all fours or starting to preen herself. Sometimes instead of talking aloud to myself  I can go to my cat give her a gentle head to head hug and start talking while she listens staring at me with her intense blue eyes.

You may think I am too obsessed and going cranky about my pet, but I think she is not only human in some ways but also a bit spiritual. Every morning when others have left for work  and I am alone at home I will light an incense at the altar and say a quiet prayer. There is no fixed timing however as it depends on how much reading or other tasks I do for the morning. Quite frequently when I start to light the incense Miao Miao will walk in from the back garden and sit beside me making sure she spreads her tail neatly across my feet as if reminding me to remember her in my prayer. I am often puzzled how she knows when I am about to start. Perhaps animals have heightened sensitivity to energy fields and Miao probably picks up my energy for quiet prayer; although I am not sure whether she really wants to be included or just simply likes that quiet moment. (Freud's dog was famously known for snuggling close to his clients suffering from depression offering comfort).

However carrying on my craziness, I learnt from internet that Siamese cats were surrounded by history and legends as follow:

"It is believed the Siamese cat were owned by the  Royal Family of Siam, and used to guard the ancient temples. Only royalty or noblemen were allowed to own them, and their cats served as spirit guardians.
When someone important died, a cat from their household was chosen to receive and house their soul. This lucky cat spent the rest of its life in luxury, pampered and cared for by temple priests. The dead person’s family paid for the cat’s upkeep, as they believed this would bring their loved one good luck in the afterlife."

Hmmm... perhaps the spiritual energy is carried forward life after life in the Siamese cats. Regardless Miao Miao reminds me of another level of consciousness and that this physical world may not be as it seems.