The Therapist's Cat [Paperback]

The author is able to draw on her own personal and professional experiences to bring this intriguing tale to us: a skilful blend of insights into the life of the psychotherapist Pete and his clients, with the wisdom that the very special cat Moo brings into his life. Moo can read Pete's thoughts and speak his language and we would all do well to heed the crucial message Moo brings to the world through Pete about the ills we have brought upon ourselves through our loss of soul and the continuing ill-treatment of our animals.
I loved this story. It is an easy read at one level with a delightful boy meets girl theme and a happy ending yet there is a demanding and essential lesson for today woven through its pages. I found it hard to put down and recommend it.

Love this book, love the stroyline, the characters, the message it brings. A really wonderful and beautiful read. Hard to put down!

THE THERAPIST'S CAT
By Stephanie Sorrell

When I first began reading this book, I wondered if it was going to be `my cup of tea'; something I would enjoy or put down after a chapter or two. I'm happy to say that I did really enjoy this book because it has a very interesting story line and an even more interesting sub-story line.

The blurb on the back cover told me this:

"Psychotherapist, Pete Shepherd's life is changed dramatically when his new girlfriend, Emmie, presents him with a kitten called Moo. Not particularly fond of cats he is about to take Moo into an animal rescue centre when he discovers that she can both speak his language and read his thoughts. Moo has a mission: to educate Pete about the very dire state of the animal kingdom due to humanity's mistreatment and mishandling of animals."

Michelle Lovric, author of `Cats and their slaves' says this of The Therapist's Cat: "A warm and clever tale of a man who fuses psychotherapy with ailurophilia and comes out wiser as a result."
Having read the blurb and the endorsements, I have to admit to feeling a little anxious as I opened the book to the first chapter. I wasn't sure that I would like a book about a psychotherapist but I was in for a real treat. This is a poignant, charming and amusing fiction story that raises very moral questions about our interaction with animals and how this may impact on us at a later date.
Pete Shepherd is a man who, like most of us, has his good days and his not so good days. He forms quite close bonds with his patients but when one of them decides not to continue with therapy, just as Pete feels they're on the cusp of discovery, he is thrown in to a deep depression.
The one good thing to see him through his doubts and fears is his cat Moo, who, he discovers, can not only speak his language but read his thoughts as well. What follows is an exciting journey as Moo is on a specialist mission where she travels through the Portal at certain times in between educating Pete on animal evolution which is strange and disturbing. Apparently, a race of animal beings, known as the Nasym, have forced their way into the human evolutionary chain in order to escape the cruelty but even they have secrets to hide. "The violence that humans have inflicted on the animal kingdom will return to them through the Nasym. Or rather, is returning through the human children coming into incarnation ..." (The Gospel of Moo)
Time is running out; mistreatment, neglect, abuse, and mishandling of animals is rampant and there aren't enough people wise enough to help. Can Moo single-pawedly bring about Man's enlightenment? Read the book to find out - it's a gripping read, one that I can thoroughly recommend.

Peppered throughout the book are Mooisms; these are very succinct sayings of Moo (like the Tao) from The Gospel of Moo and she believes that God has fur. "Each life form sees God in their own image. You humans see God as a Super Human ... whereas we cats see God as a Super Cat. But I know for sure that God has Fur."

I particularly liked: "When in doubt, follow the Fur ..."

And another: "You see it's not a matter of you owning us, feeding and protecting us. In many ways, it's the other way around." (The Gospel of Moo)

This has particular resonance with me: "Your greatest problem as a human being is that you are deluded by all the distractions you create for yourself in order to block the Purr out." I think that is very relevant to how society is in general today.

"The Purr is an energetic force which underlies all life! (The Gospel of Moo)

One thing I must share that happened to me while I was reading it was that my cat Ollie was particularly attentive. He would sit and gaze at me with his beautiful green eyes and it felt as if he could see right into my soul. Having read of Moo's capabilities and knowing that we can communicate telepathically with animals if we tried, I did wonder if Ollie and Sam are on the same mission as Moo. Perhaps they are trying to educate me to help stem the tide of abuse towards all animals that is so horrendously prevalent today.

Read the book and decide if any of your cats look at you in a certain mesmerising way - as if they are trying to reach the depths of your soul!