Many years ago, an amazing cat came into my life.
From the moment I met him, he took a place in my heart. I was actually at this lady’s home checking out another of her cats, which was for sale. But that cat didn’t show any connection to me. I’d previously had a beloved black cat when I lived in Indonesia, so I asked her, “Do you have any black cats?”
It turned out she did.
No one had wanted this particular cat, so she’d raised him herself, and he’d become her adoring companion. He was an adolescent by this stage, and one of the most centred and chilled cats I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting.
“Cairo” came home with me, and remains one of the most special beings I’ve ever known.
When I first met “Cairo”, I was struck with a spiritual vision. I saw myself in ancient Egypt, and he was my temple cat. He stood the height of a lynx, easily reaching my waistline with his magnificent head. His coat was dappled with beautiful fawn colours, and he wore a collar fitted with crystals and gemstones.
He’d been completely devoted to me, as he was to be in this lifetime too.
At that time when Cairo came into my life, I was working as a practitioner doing spiritual and healing work on people. Cairo would often jump onto the massage table, and sit on the person exactly where their pain or discomfort was. He knew where they hurt, and brought his own special wisdom and healing energy to that area, to complement the work I was doing on them.
We made the most perfect partnership.
I even remember one day very vividly. I’d popped him onto the balcony whilst I was leading a powerful women’s circle indoors. One of the women tapped into some deep childhood pain, and was standing in the centre of the circle of women, sobbing.
Cairo stretched himself full height, with his paws on the glass, and he screamed at me to let him in. And as soon as I did that, he headed straight over to this woman to comfort her, and give her one of his very special cuddles.
He had this ability to sense and feel what was going on in other people, including their emotions.
Cairo lived to 16 years of age before he finally left his body.
He was one of my best friends, and I fretted for him so much. It’s difficult to describe the powerful bond that existed between us, if you’ve never experienced such a bond with an animal before.
Then one day, I had a very strong impulse to check online for cats of the same breed as Cairo. He was part oriental, and jet black. And sure enough, there was a pair of part-oriental black kittens who had just been listed that afternoon. This breed of cats is not a common breed, and they are snapped up extremely fast. I’d been trying for some time to find a pair of part-oriental kittens, but always seemed to miss out.
But not this time!!! I followed my inner guidance when I chose to look online, and these two male cats and their elder sister are now my feline tribe and my joy-filled, crazy family.
And one of them is Cairo, back in a new body. He’s now called Nobu, and although he doesn’t share all the same traits as Cairo, there are a lot of similarities. This is natural – when we adopt a new body and form, we bring some traits forwards and leave others behind us.
Nobu is a deeply affectionate cat who adores me. He follows me around with stars in his eyes every morning, until I pause and we have some dedicated cuddle time. He loves his cuddles with me. And I find myself sometimes accidentally calling him Cairo when I’m not thinking.
So that’s the background to my relationship with this special and other-worldly cat…and it sets the scene for and something very special that happened 10 years ago.
One of life's strange mysteries...
At that time, Noel and I were living in a beautiful old home in Maryborough, Victoria. It was 4am in the morning, and I had all of our suitcases lined up at the front door. We were about to go on an Alaskan Cruise, invited by Young Living (the company whose oils I love and distribute).
To say I was excited was an understatement. I’d never been to Alaska before, and it was on my bucket list.
But as I opened the door to sneak the suitcases out, dear Napoleon (Nobu’s timid brother) got a fright and bolted out of the door.
My cats are indoor cats with a lavish cat run, so as to protect the birds and wildlife, yet still allow them to hang outside and enjoy sunshine and breeze and the elements.
Apart from when he was a tiny kitten, Napoleon had never been outside of this house, and we lived on a main road where large trucks would drive past.
Eventually, after much coaxing, he came up to me. I grabbed him in an incredibly firm hold, but as Noel opened the front door for me and Napoleon looked up and saw this big figure in front of him in the dark, he tore out of my arms in terror.
I was in such a dilemma. I knew I couldn’t leave the country without knowing he was safe…and if we took the time to coax him back inside again, we’d miss our international flight for sure. I was required to be on this trip, but Noel wasn’t. So Noel very generously offered to stay and look for Napoleon, so that I could go.
What happened next is etched in my mind.
We lived on a double large house block – 1500 square metres to be exact. And Noel had been searching for Napoleon through our many garden beds, and wasn’t even sure if Napoleon was still in our property, or if he’d jumped the fence and was in a neighbour’s yard or on the road.
As he searched in the dark of pre-dawn, an incredible sound floated through the air and captured his attention.
The sound was coming from the back of our property. He walked towards the sound, wondering what it was coming from. It didn’t sound like anything he’d ever heard before.
When he finally located the source of this most amazing singing, it gave him an incredible surprise.
Nobu was sitting outside on the elevated plank of his cat run. And he was the one singing!!!
It was the most surreal, beautiful sound that Noel had ever heard in his life. Nobu’s voice was like that of an Angel, singing the most exquisite lullaby. It didn’t remotely resemble a cat’s meow, or any sound that a cat would normally make.
And what’s even more special is that Nobu’s voice acted like the pied piper, and drew a mesmerised Napoleon to it. There was Napoleon, sitting under the plank and staring up at his brother. Nobu’s singing had calmed and soothed his brother, so that Noel could reach Napoleon and bring him inside.
Sadly he’d lost too much time and wasn’t able to join the flight or the cruise. But Napoleon was safe, and I had some much-needed alone time on that cruise. A beloved uncle of mine had just passed over, so it gave me time to reflect and grieve.
I love the way that our life is orchestrated for the higher good of us all. So many times, those things that appear to be the toughest situations end up unfolding in a way that shows us the silver lining on those dark clouds. This was one of those times.
I’ve never heard Nobu sing like that again. He talks to me, purrs at me, screeches at the top of his voice….but he’s never used his beautiful Angelic voice around me.
That was reserved for his brother, to bring a loved one home to safety.
We live in a world of limitless possibilities and potential. In the face of danger, adversity or sheer need, we are able to draw on parts of ourselves that we never realised were there, and bring forth our very own cascade of miracles.
