My One-Eyed Three-Legged Therapist ~ Book Review
Kathy, a lifelong cat lover, often thought she would become a veterinarian but couldn't face the possibility of being unable to save an animals life, so she pursued a different path in the rescue sector. Now she is using her skills gained from running several non-profit organisations to advocate for animals by sharing how they have helped her put her own life into perspective and face life's everyday challenges. Having lived a troubled youth of heartache, poverty and rejection, Kathy struggled to navigate her way through life's challenges with the self esteem and self assurance she should of held for herself.
Having had the bravery to walk away from an abusive marriage in later life, Kathy's self worth was at rock bottom yet again. With her personal and professional life seemingly in tatters, and the daily struggle to face life's day to day stressful challenges, Kathy desperately needed a ray of light to show her a way out of the hole she had sadly found herself. That's when a small, cheeky, tuna loving bundle of fluff walked into her life one day. Considered a 'special needs' cat, Clio needed help and needed saving from a potentially cruel fate. According to the ASPCA, 3.2 million cats end up in shelter across the Unite States annually, with a tragic 860,000 sadly being euthanised. Kathy knew she needed to rescue cats like Clio, but the book leaves you questioning who really saved who.
With Kathy at such a low point in her life, Clio unintentionally, yet unapologetically, presented to Kathy a fearless, self assured attitude almost immediately. Having been separated from her mother too young, Clio didn't appear to hold any grudges or dwell on the cruel hand she had been dealt. Not having had the chance to learn and develop the exceptional hunting skills many other kittens do, Clio never let her disadvantages slow her down or, most importantly, cause her to stop trying. Incidents such as relentlessly pursuing a fly for hours, refusing to give up, and getting stuck in a snack sized box due to having the belief she could fit into any box, became reasons to smile again and served as an inspiration to never give up. Kathy's destroyed faith in humanity and a higher being, and feelings of being unworthy and helpless, began to dissipate the more she watched Clio and how she approached life. Clio's survival instinct following two cancer journeys and other health issues acted as a reminder that we can be brave and face the challenges thrown at us with the grace, intelligence, confidence, and with a little light hearted comedy, that cats do. Even when Clio was recovering from a major operation, she ignored her own pain to comfort Kathy. Clio was the one who had been through it, yet here she was comforting Kathy instead, proving how selfless, loyal and loving cats really are, even though they get labelled aloof by those who misunderstand them.
No one faces life alone with a cat, and Kathy felt less angry and upset with every purr she felt close to her, with the low-pitched finely tuned motor bringing a sense of calm. The loyal companionship from cats helped Kathy learn to love and trust again, and helped her rebuild family relationships too. This book beautifully navigates the complexities of emotions, relationships and life, and communicates the vulnerabilities we can all feel and relate to, and the dependence on a light guiding us through, which tends to shine in animal form, as many will relate to as well! Kathy's memoir triggers an insightful exploration of traumatic events and the power of the human-cat bond that helps us through the dark times. She invites understanding of others, regardless of the unfairness, judgement and abuse imposed on her by them. Again feeding into the powerful argument that animals can teach us new ways of living and thinking differently with understanding, appreciation and acceptance without excuses. Science has proved many times over what us pet owners already know, that interacting with animals decreases levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lowers blood pressure, as well as reduced feelings of loneliness, increased feelings of social support, and boosts to our mood. Clio and Kathy's journey is a testament to the way our bond with animals helps close that void of trauma and, however painful, teach us better ways of working through things. So long as we have a cat in our lives, we will always have the best teacher guiding us.
So, if you can relate to life struggles, the unconditional love an animal gives, or simply want to be inspired by what cat and human can achieve when they become a team, this will be a great read for you. If you can't initially relate, we invite people to give this book a read anyway and learn all about the immense amount of emotional support, companionship, and practical benefits that bringing an animal into your life achieves. We say we are saving them, but many pet owners will enlighten you on the truth of who really saved who, and this book perfectly highlights the answer.
One final word, we highly recommend a visit to Kathy's website where Kathy posts monthly blogs on subjects like the human-animal bond, the health benefits that they provide, and care solutions such as cat care and care for domestic abuse survivors.
Additional book information;
Title: My One-Eyed, Three Legged Therapist.
Subtitle: How My Cat Clio Saved Me
Author: Kathy M. Finley
Published by: Purdue University Press, 504 W State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907 [765-494-20381]
Paperback, ISBN: 9781612498737, $19.99
148 pages
