My experience with an animal communicator

[fhicat]

I'm a skeptic by nature, but I'm always intrigued by the other side of the coin and wanted to see if I could be convinced otherwise.

I got a special coupon in my email about this AC near my area offering 20% off for first-time clients, so I decided to try it out.

My overall impression is still that I'm unsure of what to think. In our session, there was nothing she said about things that only my cat and I could have known about. I deliberately did not provide much information and always answered her questions with very short, concise answers. Before the call, all she knew about us are his name, age, picture, how long I've had him, my name, my location and that I live with a roommate. I also fudged some of the details in this story for privacy.

First off, she asked if he was my roommate or my partner. I said roommate, and then I accidentally volunteered that we are both in college (more on this later).

We started with a couple of warm-up questions, then she "called" my cat over. She said that he was "unsure" about meeting her.

It's surprising, because many times animals are happy to see someone they can communicate with. I see him jumping onto the top of the cat tree and looking at me from there. I'm going to try to get him to come nearer.

My cat is a little skittish, but so are many cats. It's not uncommon to hear that a cat is anxious about meeting someone new.

I do see he was pretty agile climbing to the top, so I know he's not limping, or paralyzed, or have some physical hardship.

My cat is 5 years old, so no surprises there.

Eventually, kitty came down and agreed to talk. She started off by describing his personality as he "talked" to her. She described him as childlike and baby-like. 

He's saying this to me in a very elaborate, dramatic way, "I'm a baby! I'm a baby! Where is Daddy? Where is Mommy? Baby! Baby!" 

Cats see their human owners as a parental figure; especially noticeable in too-early weaned kittens who suckle and knead long into their adulthood. Again, this doesn't tell me much. I'm sure there are lots of cats who act like little babies in front of their humans. Like this:

View media item 265372
For some reason I don't see my kitty as having that personality, though. Is it possible? Sure. But I would describe him as more of a cautious, easily spooked kitty who likes the occasional attention.

She then went on to describe his attitude and his first question to me:

He wants to know why sometimes he doesn't see you. Why you are missing for a stretch of time, and he's anxious because he would turn around and not see you.

At this point everything she described were signs of separation anxiety. I asked why would my kitty ask if I am gone always, because I am home a lot. Most of my work is done from home. She says there's a disconnect between what my kitty thinks and what is really happening.

I then said to her: "What you're describing sounds like separation anxiety."  I wanted to know more because if kitty does have separation anxiety, he hides it VERY well. He isn't clingy, likes his alone time, no litterbox issues outside of the couple of times he constipated. Nothing about him says he doesn't like being alone.

Unfortunately, she thought I was confirming that he has SA. The whole session was now based on the premise that he has SA.

She then went on to describe my kitty's childhood as a kitten. It was a very grim, heartbreaking picture that she painted. She said he lost his mother at about 4-5 weeks old, and then either abandoned, abused, or in a hoarding situation before he was rescued. Unfortunately, neither me nor the shelter knows much about his past, so I couldn't verify if there was any truth to that at all. 

After the story, she asked kitty for more questions for me. 

He wants to know if you're moving soon. He says he gets the vibe that you're thinking about moving.

I'm a college student. We aren't known for permanent residencies. 

 Anyone could easily infer that I'd be moving around a lot and they're more likely than not to be correct.

He wants to know if the new place will be dirty.

Apparently because dirty places remind him of his horrible past. But what cat likes dirty places? Cats are so fastidious, they'll obviously want a clean area to live in.

Will he have to get into the carrier, or can he walk to the new place?

He hates the carrier. Again, really not surprising there.

Kitty is getting the hang of telepathy. He's all smiling now. His next question:

He's trying to figure out what you do. He says you spend a lot of time... he's showing me numbers, lines, maybe symbols? Does that mean anything?

Vague enough. Lots of things are related to numbers, lines and symbols. I work in computer security, so maaaaaybe?

Okay, I think I get what he's saying. He's trying to show me a picture of a keyboard. Or a laptop.

College student, computer security. Not very big of a leap there. He does like to sit on my keyboard though. But what cat lets you do your work in peace?

His final question:

He wants to know if your parents are far away.

Very far away, yes. But once again, I'm a college student. I live with my roommate. Chances are, yes, my parents will be far away. Even "far" is subjective. My "far" is really the other end of the world, but an hour's drive away can also be considered far. 

So unfortunately I didn't feel like I learnt anything new about my kitty -- except maybe that he has SA, but I highly doubt it. Everything he "asked" is not unique to him at all -- they could have been applied to any cat. To play devil's advocate, a very perceptive person would be able to infer all that things just by the few words I spoke/confirmed/answered.

I'm not saying ACs don't exist. I just think if I really wanted an answer to that, I would have to hire several ACs and see if there is a common theme amongst all their questions as they talk to my cat. Then again, maybe my kitty is just a really boring guy who asks boring questions. Or maybe it wasn't my cat she was talking to at all.

Despite that, I'm still interested to know the answers to some really obscure questions about my cat, and hopefully sometime in the future I can find an AC who can do just that.

 

[red top rescue]

I know two animal communicators, both very good.  One is so sensitive that she no longer does "lost cat" communications because she feels the fear and pain personally and it is not good for her health.  The other one finds lost cats all over the world, but he's a guy, a different kind of sensitivity.  His name is Tim Link.  You can check him out at http://www.wagging-tales.com/

The first one is Gayle Nastasi and here is a link to her latest update.

http://ht.ly/KSZZR

her web site is http"//www.gazehound.com

 

[bengalcatman]

A cat's cognitive ability is very different from a humans. I would not suspect that much of their thought parallels our own in a recognizable manner. Quantitative concepts, like "numbers, lines, maybe symbols?" would not register at all in a cat's mind. Further, there is little evidence to suggest that cats retain accurate recall of events in the same way as humans, so the idea of a cat knowing that it lost its mother at a certain age is suspect. A great deal of research exists on the mental abilities of cats. Unfortunately most of it makes for some rather dry reading, but wading through it will offer a glimpse into an amazing mind which is very unlike our own.

This is not to say I don't believe we can communicate with cats. Our Bengal (Makena) has many very distinct calls and behaviors which are easy to understand. However, what Makena can understand of my language and what I can understand of his - are limited by the manner in which we perceive the worlds around us. Makena sure understands "Hey Makena, dinnertime!" and I sure understand the peculiar hollow sounding meow he makes when he wants to go outside to poo. But there is no way he is going to want to know what I do for a living because that is beyond his realm of understanding and there is no way I am going to understand the implications or the data he accumulates from sniffing a tree that another animal has marked because that is beyond my realm of understanding.

 

[desikat]

reading "the tribe of tiger" by elizabeth marshall thomas gave me a lot of insight into the cat's mind.  it's a really good read.

as for figuring out what is going on in the mind of an individual cat at a particular time - unfathomable. 

i believe there are more things in this universe than we could possibly dream up - or even understand if presented with them.  having said that, i will agree that there are amazing moments of same-thought or same-feeling.  maybe even the occasional slipped thread in the web of time.  but i don't feel any of those (seeming/apparent) telepathic, empathetic, or clairvoyant episodes are reliable enough for me to expect any important information or reliable information.

would i love to communicate with a cat - or any non-human?  YEAH!  you bet i would.  how absolutely fascinating that would be.  if other humans can present us with astonishing thoughts, imagine our astonishment at  the thoughts of another type of creature...

alas.  i don't see it happening...

 

[purrsnwhiskers]

We had a veterinarian a long time ago, when I was a little girl. I think he was the closest thing to an animal communicated I would truly believe it. The man was brilliant; he could calm any animal. I volunteered there during the summers as a kid, mostly just feeding the adoptable cats they rescued there. I would see him talk to the animals when they were coming out of anesthesia, in pain, or even before they were going to be euthanised. They all looked him in the eye, and seemed to understand. They'd move their heads the way people do when they're holding a conversation. He was truly gifted with animals.

But he never tried to market it, and he kept it low key. 

I'd like to believe in people who can communicate with our animals and help us gain insight into their lives ... But I'm not sure I can. I also don't know if the people who did have this gift would charge money for "readings".

Edited to fix some typos. 

 

[ellag]

if they are charging money to talk to your cat they are probably scammers.

 

[red top rescue]

I hae a friend who is an animal communicator.  She doesn't charge anything up front.  She says if what she did has helped in the situation, the people can decide how much it was worth and donate.  She has helped find many lost animals but she no longer does that because she says she feels their feelings too much.

 

[rickr]

I would like to take a moment to share my very positive experience with an animal communicator.  Like the OP, I was skeptical.  Were it not for an extreme situation, I doubt I would have ever contacted an animal communicator.  

Here's the background.  I raised my black cat, Lucy, from infancy; she was abandoned by her mother.  For the first two years she showered me with affection.  She would perch on my shoulder while I worked or walked around the house.  Jump up in my lap.  Sleep under the covers.  And then suddenly one day, she refused to be petted.  At play time, she would hide in a corner and watch, but not participate.  My vet could not find anything wrong her.  I was frantic and desperate.  I assumed that my tabby Archie, who is a bit jealous, was hurting her.   Over time the situation worsened as she continued to withdraw.  I barely saw her except at meal times.  It was clear that she was unhappy.  

After nearly a year, a friend finally suggested contacting an animal communicator that she used successfully.  I figured why not.  Worst case, I would get an amusing story out if.  I'm so glad that I did.  The communicator was incredibly insightful about so many things regarding Lucy and Archie.  Most importantly, she told me that Lucy was experiencing severe pain in her rear hip or possibly her spine and suggested that I take Lucy to an animal chiropractor.  

My Vet recommended a physical therapist that specializes in small animals. The PT found significant problems with Lucy's spine.  It took many, many sessions to help heal the vertebra.  With each session though Lucy's behavior improved.  That was almost two years ago.  Lucy still requires occasional treatments, but her demeanor and attitude have improved dramatically.  She still doesn't like to be picked up, but she enjoys petting and play time.  She is much, much happier.  I thank the animal communicator for this improvement. 

 

[kittens mom]

For some reason I don't see my kitty as having that personality, though. Is it possible? Sure. But I would describe him as more of a cautious, easily spooked kitty who likes the occasional attention.

She then went on to describe his attitude and his first question to me:

At this point everything she described were signs of separation anxiety. I asked why would my kitty ask if I am gone always, because I am home a lot. Most of my work is done from home. She says there's a disconnect between what my kitty thinks and what is really happening.

I then said to her: "What you're describing sounds like separation anxiety."  I wanted to know more because if kitty does have separation anxiety, he hides it VERY well. He isn't clingy, likes his alone time, no litterbox issues outside of the couple of times he constipated. Nothing about him says he doesn't like being alone.

Unfortunately, she thought I was confirming that he has SA. The whole session was now based on the premise that he has SA.

She then went on to describe my kitty's childhood as a kitten. It was a very grim, heartbreaking picture that she painted. She said he lost his mother at about 4-5 weeks old, and then either abandoned, abused, or in a hoarding situation before he was rescued. Unfortunately, neither me nor the shelter knows much about his past, so I couldn't verify if there was any truth to that at all. 

After the story, she asked kitty for more questions for me. 

I'm a college student. We aren't known for permanent residencies. 

 Anyone could easily infer that I'd be moving around a lot and they're more likely than not to be correct.

Apparently because dirty places remind him of his horrible past. But what cat likes dirty places? Cats are so fastidious, they'll obviously want a clean area to live in.

He hates the carrier. Again, really not surprising there.

Kitty is getting the hang of telepathy. He's all smiling now. His next question:

Vague enough. Lots of things are related to numbers, lines and symbols. I work in computer security, so maaaaaybe?

College student, computer security. Not very big of a leap there. He does like to sit on my keyboard though. But what cat lets you do your work in peace?

His final question:

Very far away, yes. But once again, I'm a college student. I live with my roommate. Chances are, yes, my parents will be far away. Even "far" is subjective. My "far" is really the other end of the world, but an hour's drive away can also be considered far. 

So unfortunately I didn't feel like I learnt anything new about my kitty -- except maybe that he has SA, but I highly doubt it. Everything he "asked" is not unique to him at all -- they could have been applied to any cat. To play devil's advocate, a very perceptive person would be able to infer all that things just by the few words I spoke/confirmed/answered.

I'm not saying ACs don't exist. I just think if I really wanted an answer to that, I would have to hire several ACs and see if there is a common theme amongst all their questions as they talk to my cat. Then again, maybe my kitty is just a really boring guy who asks boring questions. Or maybe it wasn't my cat she was talking to at all.

Despite that, I'm still interested to know the answers to some really obscure questions about my cat, and hopefully sometime in the future I can find an AC who can do just that.

We all know our pets best and they speak to us on an ongoing basis if we take the time to listen. I went through this after I lost my horse. First I was pumped for information and then it was regurgitated in a way to emotionally engage me at the moment. If you were to have actual behavior issues that you can't correct there are professionals that can come in and evaluate you, your home and your cat to help improve everyone's living situation. Can I rub your cats tummy ?

 

[lonelocust]

My ex-girlfriend was extremely convinced by any sort of mumbo-jumbo that anyone claimed. She was not amused by my skepticism and claimed that I was close-minded and she was SURE that psychic animal communication was really real. Since in fact I am open to evidence, I contacted several claimed animal communicators that she was certain were legitimate, on a mailing list she was on. With different accounts I provided pictures and details for:

2 of our actual, living cats (1 with correct details, 1 with incorrect details)

1 picture of a dead former cat of mine (correct but out of date details)

2 pictures of random cats which I found on the internet (completely made up details)

Surprising me not at all, none of the amazing psychics found anything amiss with the lies, gave very similar reactions to the true and false stories, and didn't contradict any of the things I said about my cats. It didn't surprise me, but it did piss off my then-girlfriend and make her insist it was my bad vibes or something that made it not work. I guess I sent out the spirits of fake cats into the minds of Real Actual Cat Psychics.

Cold reading, the Barnum/Forrer Effect, and all the other tricks people use (whether they believe themselves that they are for real or are knowing charlatans) are well-understood, and there is lots of information available. If you're just doing it for fun, then fine, but for those of you who are believers, PLEASE don't take this unsupported game-playing over any real veterinary advice or just paying attention to your cat. I know not everyone wants to actually do a little mini-experiment like I describe above, and apparently a lot of people don't like the results if you do, but at the very least please just take it for a fun time and if something is wrong, ask a veterinarian. Our cats depend on us, and they don't have the option to be skeptical if we won't.

 

[plan]

To quote David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks:

"The paranormal is always, always a hoax."

I did not know anything like "animal communicators" existed. Wow. Seems like these are cold readers, like Theresa Caputo and John Edward.

Reading the OP's account was fascinating. It's straight from the "psychic medium" MO -- throw out vague statements, which are even more vague on further examination, but seem personal because human empathy is like an emotional form of apophenia or pareidolia. We are hardwired to relate to things and find meaning in things even when none exists. There's nothing wrong with that, but unfortunately there are some people who take advantage of human good will and empathy.

I don't see real harm in this unless they're giving people false hope for lost animals, or they're charging people serious money for their services.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

 
To quote David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks:

"The paranormal is always, always a hoax."

I did not know anything like "animal communicators" existed. Wow. Seems like these are cold readers, like Theresa Caputo and John Edward.

Reading the OP's account was fascinating. It's straight from the "psychic medium" MO -- throw out vague statements, which are even more vague on further examination, but seem personal because human empathy is like an emotional form of apophenia or pareidolia. We are hardwired to relate to things and find meaning in things even when none exists. There's nothing wrong with that, but unfortunately there are some people who take advantage of human good will and empathy.

I don't see real harm in this unless they're giving people false hope for lost animals, or they're charging people serious money for their services.

Beware of anyone who uses words like "always" and "never."    I know that there are truly gifted psychics out there.  I am certain that they are incredibly rare, and I'm willing to bet that most of them do not advertise, or make any money from their ability.  My "defining moment" was when a woman walked up to me, announced that she was a medium, and told me that my mother said to look in the green shoe box, under the pink paper, in the small envelope and I'd find her class ring.  And I did, and I did.  That was specific enough for me.  And given that I'd forgotten the dratted green shoe box even existed, it was no cold reading.  There were no leading questions, no "just answer yes or no," no nothing but she spewed out the information without even knowing my name.   But...as I said, rare.  Very rare. 

 

[plan]

The burden of proof is always on the people who make the claim. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, as the saying goes. There has never been any proof of any supernatural phenomenon, and there has never been a "psychic" capable of demonstrating their abilities. The vast majority of them will do anything to avoid controlled tests. Additionally, with the ubiquity of cameras in our modern world, and trillions of hours of recorded footage recorded by CCTVs, television cameras, cell phone cameras, etc., there has never been a documented recording of supernatural phenomenon.

For decades, the James Randi Educational Foundation has offered a $1 million prize to any psychic, medium, dowser, etc, who can prove their abilities. Not a single one has passed the test, and the vast majority of "celebrity" "psychics (Sylvia Browne, Theresa Caputo, John Edward, Chip Coffey) will not allow themselves to be tested, because they know being disproved in a controlled setting will destroy their lucrative careers:

http://skepdic.com/randi.html

For those who don't know, James Randi is the real deal. He's the guy who proved Uri Gellar and James Hydrick were fakes, debunking both on national TV. He's also the guy who exposed Rev. Peter Popoff, proving the good reverend was using an earpiece and information read to him by his wife over a radio channel to make it look like he was receiving "divine" messages about the lives of people sitting in his congregation.

JREF maintains a public list of alleged psychics and mediums who have failed the test:

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=43

Here's James Randi debunking a typical medium who uses the cold/hot reading techniques:


Here's James Randi debunking a "crystal healer":


Randi debunking a "forensic psychic" who says she can help police solve crimes:


Randi debunking a "dowser":


The famous Randi debunking of Uri Gellar:


The famous Randi debunking of James Hydrick:

https://youtu.be/QlfMsZwr8rc

Keep in mind that Randi still does this stuff, but it's been decades and established "psychics" and "mediums" will not go anywhere near this guy anymore because of the damage to their careers and income from being debunked.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I stand by what I said.  Beware of those who say "never" and "always."  And I stand by my own experience with a woman who came up to me out of nowhere, in a place I had not planned on being, and gave me concise, detailed information which I, myself, did not know, but which proved to be correct.  I also agree that 99+% of what you see is absolutely cold reading,  etc.  Again, very rare, and, if it were I, I'd avoid publicity like the plague.  There's no way I'd want certain people in positions of power to know if I did have such a talent.  Quickest way I know to quietly disappear.
 

 

[plan]

Well, like I said, if someone isn't ripping people off, I don't necessarily have a problem with it. I still don't believe it, but you're right that there's a big distinction between people who seek publicity and try to make lucrative careers out of it.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Oh how lovely.  We've reached a point of comfortable "agree-to-disagreement.  And we can agree to agree that those who take advantage of desperate and unhappy people to thickly line their own pockets should have their fannies soundly thrashed, regardess whether they do or do not possess any possible psy talents.

BTW...I feel the same way about televangelists who lived in multi-million dollar homes while begging money from widows. 

 

[plan]

 
Oh how lovely.  We've reached a point of comfortable "agree-to-disagreement.  And we can agree to agree that those who take advantage of desperate and unhappy people to thickly line their own pockets should have their fannies soundly thrashed, regardess whether they do or do not possess any possible psy talents.

BTW...I feel the same way about televangelists who lived in multi-million dollar homes while begging money from widows.

I don't believe any of it. Not televangelists, not psychics, not mediums, and especially not those ghost hunter clowns who've made careers of shooting lofi video with night vision gear and shouting, "Did you hear that?!?!
I once saw a Catholic priest on that awful show Paranormal State, playing third fiddle to the host and that con artist Chip Coffey. I support everyone's religious freedom, but that priest should be excommunicated. If it was up to me, I'd also strip tax exempt status from megachurches and evangelists, and anyone else raking in cash above a certain threshold, and force them to file transparent financial statements annually, just like nonprofits, so people can see just how many Bentleys, private jets, vacation homes and steak dinners their tithing is buying.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Did you see that Creflo Dollar has told his followers that God wants him to have a 65 MILLION dollar jet plane?  And they are sending him money for it hand over fist.  What can you do when people who are struggling to get by on fixed incomes insist on sending money for an obvious luxury item, and one so very over the top? 

As for Paranormal State, those guys have been discredited so many time it's funny.  They do a lot of very creative editing.  Several of the people who have asked them for assistance (poor dears) have complained about the extreme editing of their interviews which twisted what they were saying entirely).   I think there are paranormal research groups out there who are sincere.  Whether or not they are misguided, I'll leave open, as we won't agree on it (a very famous scientist once said about the paranormal, "On any other subject, 1/10 the evidence would have convinced me.  On this one, ten times the evidence will not."), and that's fine.  Takes more than once spice to make the stew tasty, no?  I'll respect your disbelief, if you respect mine (and given that I don't believe any old thing that comes down the pike).

 

[plan]

 

Oh how lovely.  We've reached a point of comfortable "agree-to-disagreement.  And we can agree to agree that those who take advantage of desperate and unhappy people to thickly line their own pockets should have their fannies soundly thrashed, regardess whether they do or do not possess any possible psy talents.





BTW...I feel the same way about televangelists who lived in multi-million dollar homes while begging money from widows.

I don't believe any of it. Not televangelists, not psychics, not mediums, and especially not those ghost hunter clowns who've made careers of shooting lofi video with night vision gear and shouting, "Did you hear that


I literally just saw something yesterday about two other prominent preachers defending the fact that they have private jets. These guys are Pat Robertson style white televangelists, but I can't remember their names. And yeah, Creflo is a con artist extraordinaire.

There's a Catholic priest I know who runs a large international organization that rakes in around $12 million annually. Peanuts compared to some of these other guys, I know, but still a LOT of money. He got tossed from the archdiocese of NY for basically flouting the cardinal's authority, then was run out of another archdiocese for serious questions about how he spends donations. The Guidestar Form 990 for his nonprofit listed "Europe" for one expenditure worth a few hundred thousand, and this priest and his staff travel the world in first class, staying at 5-star hotels, treating themselves to extravagant dinners. And priests are supposed to take vows of poverty.

Likewise, the Archdiocese of NY just spent $180 mil on renovations to St Patrick's. cathedral in midtown. They are closing parochial schools, merging parishes, and yet they're spending that money on renovations to a cathedral.

I was brought up in a devout Catholic family, so I'm much harder on the church because even if I don't believe a lot of what they say, I know there are good people who donate hard earned money to the church, and it kills me to see the financial mismanagement and corruption.

And then of course there was that cover story in the NYC tabloids about two weeks ago about a Bronx priest who allegedly steals weekly donations, has a mansion, and the mansion's deed is cosigned by the priest and his gay lover, a known escort. And this priest is STILL in his parish while the archdiocese says it's investigating! I'm sorry, but when a story like that is on the cover of the New York Post and NY Daily News, they have to do something.

That stuff drives me crazy. Like mediums, church con artists take advantage of people who think they'll get graces from God or other benefits from giving hard earned money. Meanwhile, again, there are good people in the church who get taken advantage of.

 

[margd]

 

Oh how lovely.  We've reached a point of comfortable "agree-to-disagreement.  And we can agree to agree that those who take advantage of desperate and unhappy people to thickly line their own pockets should have their fannies soundly thrashed, regardess whether they do or do not possess any possible psy talents.





BTW...I feel the same way about televangelists who lived in multi-million dollar homes while begging money from widows.

I literally just saw something yesterday about two other prominent preachers defending the fact that they have private jets. These guys are Pat Robertson style white televangelists, but I can't remember their names. And yeah, Creflo is a con artit's extraordinaire.

I wonder if these are the two grifters I just read about. Apparently the reason they needed private jets was because otherwise they might have to fly with a plane full of "demons." In their case, "demons" was not an euphemism for rude inconsiderate fellow passengers. They meant it literally.