34 feline wellness J ackie’s voice was full of laughter on the phone. What a change from the worried tone I’d heard only three weeks ago! “Oscar is doing great! His fear seems to be gone. He’s not scared of people so much now, or even of the vacuum cleaner,” she reported with a chuckle. Oscar is a rescued cat who came from a background of many challenges and abuse. Even after two years of loving care from Jackie, he was still too fearful to walk into the middle of a room and instead slunk around hugging the walls. He hid from visitors and was terrified when Jackie vacuumed. What made the difference for Oscar? It wasn’t magic, but the wonders of nature in the form of flower essences. 38 healing essences Bach Flower Remedies are a collection of 38 energy essences made from the wildflowers of plants and trees (and one from pure, healing waters). They were created by Dr. Edward Bach, a highly regarded English medical doc- tor, surgeon and researcher who lived from 1886 to 1936. Dr. Bach believed negative emotions and mental states are the root of all illness and imbalance. He spent a lifetime searching for a gentle, safe and non-toxic way to balance emotions and bring harmony to our being on all levels – physical, mental and spiritual. Dr. Bach eventually treated all his patients exclusively with his flower remedies, and recorded positive results. Although developed for people, flower remedies work well for animals and Dr. Bach used them with his own animal friends. Dr. Bach wanted his system to be simple enough that anyone could use it with confidence. The 38 remedies are easy to select and administer, and their effectiveness has been documented for over 70 years. They are well known globally, especially Rescue Remedy, which is one of the best selling natural stress relievers in the world. Significant changes When kitten Flash joined our family, seven-year-old Aleysha had difficulty accepting her. Whenever little Flash approached and invited her to play, Aleysha ran away. After some trial and error, I gave Aleysha Willow, the remedy for resentment. Later the same day, Flash and Aleysha were playing tag and chasing each other joyfully up and They’re gentle, non-toxic and effective. Flower essences are a simple but powerful way to enhance your cat’s well being. Flowers for felines by Sue Becker Title image: ©Debbik | Dreamstime.com Dr. Bach believed negative emotions and mental states are the root of all illness and imbalance. FWM_V2I4_FINAL.indd 34 10/28/09 3:21:29 PM