I talked to a cat yesterday who was having a hard time walking. She didn’t tell me that. Instead she said she was in a little pain but she was handling it okay. She didn’t want any more treatments. She just wanted to be left alone.

It turned out she had hurt her back a few weeks ago—she thinks from jumping and twisting. Her vet was using acupuncture on her, but the last treatment had been painful and she didn’t think it was doing any good anyway.

Her human could see that the cat was unhappy, and asked her if she would like to be put to sleep because her quality of life was so bad.

The cat was shocked at the suggestion.

She agreed that she was unhappy and her life was very limited, but she couldn’t see that as a reason to end it.

This cat could be a great spiritual teacher. She said to her human that just because she’s unhappy and in pain doesn’t mean she wants to end her life. She is okay being miserable.

Of course, it’s tough on the human to have a cat who hides under the bed or in a cupboard and won’t be petted.

The cat agreed to get another acupuncture treatment and a shot of anti-inflammatories that might help her walk. She would like to walk, but if she can’t, that’s okay. And it hurts her to be touched—similar to fibromyalgia pain—I think all her nerves are hypersensitive from the back injury.

But she said she loves her human, and is not ready to leave her yet. And if that means she will have a pain and immobility, she’s good with it.

The human will talk to the vet about increasing the pain killers and anti-inflammatories to help ease the cat’s discomfort. And the cat will continue to stoically endure because that’s what she wants to do.

The cat was not afraid of death. She just wasn’t ready to do it.

As human companions, we take on a huge responsibility when we invite an animal to live with us. Part of that responsibility runs to end of life decisions. Each animal has their own vision of how they want to go—their own fears or intentions that run along with it.

Having a discussion with your animal friend about end of life questions is a way that everyone can get on the same page.

I find that the more I listen, the more I learn.

When my husband and I moved into our last apartment, a colony of ants moved in too. The only place we saw them was running across the head of our bed. They weren’t going from anywhere or to anywhere that I could tell; they just ran along the top of the bed in a single line, between the mattress and the boxspring, close to the wall.

I won’t apply poisons because I’m chemically sensitive. (Plus chemical warfare on any scale just seems wrong.) So after a few days of watching them run (and sleeping way down in the bed!) I asked the ants what they were doing.

They explained to me that there was a negative energy line running from our fuse box (on the wall next to the bed) across the top of the bed. If we continued to sleep on it we’d suffer health consequences. However ants like negative energy lines so they ran back and forth on it.

I used an old dowsing trick to convert negative energies by putting a coil of copper wire on the line of energy. The ends of the wire stick out in opposite directions along the line. This shifted the energy line so it was no longer harmful. The ants went away and never came back. I guess they found another negative energy line to run on.

Recently I noticed a line of ants running along the top of the desk in my Pasadena office. Not anywhere else in the room, just along the top, back and forth. I am ant-savvy now, so I looked around, and noticed (for the first time!) a power inlet box on a line with the top of my desk. So I thanked the ants for pointing out the negative energy line, and made another copper energy disperser which I placed on the power box. The ants once again left and have not returned.

Later I was doing a house clearing for a client and I felt a negative energy line coming out of her wall. (There were no ants pointing it out.) Her power box was on the other side of that wall. Now she has a copper coil of wire transforming the energy.

It’s amazing what we can learn, if we’re only willing to pay attention.

To make a copper wire energy-transforming coil, buy a coil of small-gauge copper wire at the hardware store. Loosen each end so it sticks out about three inches. Bend the ends so they are opposite each other, sticking out away from the ring of wire. Keep the rest of the wire in the circular shape. Put the wire circle on the energy line with the ends on the line. This only seems to work with man-made electrical energy lines, but feel free to experiment. Ants don’t only run along negative energy lines, but if you see some in a straight line, it’s worth discussing it with them.

Prepare your animal companions for the fireworks.

Some animals just don’t like loud noises. Who can blame them? I live in an urban multicultural neighborhood that loves fireworks, so the nightly shows start in late May. My least favorite are the ones that make a big bang like a cannon. Those make me jump when I’m not expecting it (and sometimes even when I am).

So I sympathize with the animals who shake and hide under the bed, and want to pass on a few tips to help your animal companions get through the Fourth of July (and New Year’s) with as little discomfort as possible.

You already know what your dog or cat or bird or bunny needs in order to feel safe. Think back to what you did when you first brought them home—what made them feel safe in a strange environment? Some animals prefer an enclosed space like under the bed or in the closet. Others need to be able to see out the window to make sure nothing bad is coming. Maybe yours prefer to be by your side and follow your lead.

If you will be leaving your animals alone at home on the Fourth, and if you think that fireworks will be audible (remember animals hear better than you do), make sure that you take their comfort into consideration before you go. Would they prefer to go with you? Or stay in a place at home where they will feel safe while the rockets shoot overhead? If this will be their first fireworks experience in your home, stay home with them to see how they react and how you can best help them. Trust the messages from your pet about what is the best way to take care of them.

If they stay home (whether you are there or not), prepare their environment so they feel safe. You might put them in a carrier or cage. Or make the floor of the closet cozy. Or make sure that they can see out the window. Or put a dark curtain over the cage.

If your animal companion stresses out at loud noises, Bach Flower Remedies can help. These are liquid homeopathic remedies available at most health food stores and online. Vervain is a Bach Flower Remedy that is really good for high strung animals, and for those who have a hard time relaxing. Red Chestnut is great for when they are really scared, and also for dogs who fear for your safety. Mimulus is for when they can’t stop shaking.

If your dogs bark at the fireworks as a way to protect their territory from the bad bangs, use the Bach Remedy of Vine. To dose your pet, put one or two drops in their water or food. These are nonharmful vibrational remedies, so all your pets can take them. (If fireworks stress you out, you can take a couple of drops in water too.) If you’re with your pet during the fireworks, you can also apply a few drops externally to the top of their heads and stroke it down their back. This works directly with the nervous system.

You might also try a herbal supplement called Calmazon which is available from the Amazon Herb Co. (www.amazonherb.net) Dose your pet as directed.

Some human companions resort to medication for their animals. This can leave your pet feeling a little drugged, but might be better than the extreme anxiety caused by the fireworks. Talk to your animal friend and your vet about this.

If you know your animal companions are nervous of fireworks, make every effort to be home with them. Let them know you are all safe. Talk to them. Pet them. Make sure you are calm and centered yourself. They will take the lead from you, and if you’re jumpy and upset they will know something’s wrong.

There are a lot of reasons for animals to be afraid of fireworks. Don’t get caught up in wanting your pet to be different. Your job as their human companion is to help them get through the experience with as little stress as possible.

I talked recently to a German Shepherd called Tommy. He was a big healthy dog, but he seemed to be scared of his own shadow, so his owner called me to see what was going on.

When I tuned into Tommy, he felt like a very small puppy. I looked further and noticed that his base chakra was malformed, and he wasn’t bringing in enough energy through it. The base chakra is our foundation. It helps us feel strong and energetic, and helps us cope with physical reality: finances, food, shelter are among the areas governed by base chakra energy.

I suggested Tommy see a chiropractor to readjust his tail and lower spine because the misalignment (probably from birth) was constricting the energy flow in his base chakra. After a few treatments, he was able to maintain the proper alignment to help the base chakra start to work properly. As this happened, he became more aware of himself and the world around him. When I next tuned into him, he felt like a large dog. His work continues as he learns to grow into his body, but he is enthusiastic about it, and feels much better about being alive.

We can all learn from Tommy’s experience. If you are having challenges in any aspect of your base chakra, get energy work, wear red socks and underwear, or do gentle half-squats to get the energy moving. Taking time to organize your finances, clean your home, and eat nourishing food can help as well.