My cat booboo

[cornucopia63]

Hello everyone, I need an objective reading about my cat Booboo. I'm getting her spayed at an animal shelter for free March 27 and I want to know if she'll survive the surgery. I had to cancel 2 appointments because she was in heat. She also had a uterus infection in the past I put her on antibiotics and she is now clear for surgery. I'm scared to get her spayed because I think she'll not make it. I don't want to lose her.

I asked is it safe to spay my cat Booboo

Hexagram 41 line 2 changes into Hexagram 27

Then I asked: Should I take my cat Booboo to the Animal shelter at (specific address) to get spayed. Please advise?

Hexagram 5 lines 3 and 5 changes into Hexagram 19

 

[cornucopia63]

Anyone?

 

[Liselle]

Oh dear. Sorry, Cornucopia...I had written a reply, and then found I was getting all twisted up trying to explain, so I abandoned it. Will try again.

First of all, is the shelter in your second question the one where you have the appointment on March 27th, or are there two different shelters? I'm assuming there's only the one.

Then, is there a specific reason you're worried, such as is she older, or does she have other medical problems that make surgery unusually risky? Or is it just the idea of your little one having surgery at all?

"Is it safe to spay my cat Booboo?"

41.2 > 27

41.2
'Constancy bears fruit,
Setting out to bring order: pitfall.
Not decreasing, increasing it.'

41 means decrease or offering, but the oracle says, "Two simple baskets may be used for the offering," which is generally said to mean you're not being asked to offer more than you can. 27 means nourishment, what you need to live, and so forth. Hilary says it's "not only what you eat, but all the processes and structures that sustain nourishment. It includes all forms of nourishment: physical, social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual… all creating and re-creating an individual ‘ecosystem’ to sustain and shape you."

Part of what I get from that is that this free-of-charge program at this shelter is an "offering" (41) which helps people get what they need (27), and get their cats what is needed, without having to sacrifice more than they can. There are many reasons why spaying and neutering is encouraged, which could go along with 27.

I think the line text says it's okay and safe - "constancy" to what you've already decided, contrasted with "setting out to bring order" which might mean continuing to search for more perfect circumstances / time / place, which may not even exist. (I looked up "setting out to bring order" in Hilary's Language of Change, which I highly recommend if you don't have it already, and it's not terribly expensive. One thing she says is "look out for perfectionism.").

The last line says "not decreasing, increasing it," which - the simplest interpretation as an answer to your question is: "Spaying Booboo will increase her, not decrease her."

There could be room here for confusion and the opposite interpretation, where "constancy" would mean continue with the current status of her not being spayed, and following from that point, "setting out to bring order: pitfall" is taking the actual step of spaying, with a bad outcome.

However - it might help to be very literal about what you're asking, and seeing the answer as an answer to your literal question. "Is it safe to spay Booboo?" Your question seems to assume "spaying" as a starting point, and this is after quite a long time of planning to have her spayed. This has been in the works for a while, it just had to be delayed a couple times. So when the text says "constancy," my best guess is that it means constancy to what you're asking about, and constancy to what's been planned for a while. I could be wrong, of course - this is interpretation.

Real-life support for that: these are experienced veterinarians, and if they've cleared her for surgery, it's probably reasonable to take their word for it, same as we're usually safe to take doctors' word for things like this. It seems the vets have demonstrated caution in the past, and surely they'd continue to do so if they had a reason. Would they have any interest in taking undue risks with someone's pet at a free neutering clinic? I can't see how, unless I'm missing something. But obviously there are always risks with any surgery.

Other real-life support might be just statistics - not that I know the statistics, but I suspect the chances of a healthy cat dying during or shortly after routine surgery are very low.


"Should I take my cat Booboo to the Animal shelter at (specific address) to get spayed. Please advise?"

5.3.5 > 19

5.3
'Waiting in the bog
Invites the arrival of robbers.'

5.5
'Waiting with food and drink.
Constancy, good fortune.'

I can see how you might think Yi is telling you to wait, don't do the surgery now. But looking at everything Yi has said to you, I don't think that's it. 5 means "expectant waiting" or "waiting with commitment" - I think this might refer to the waiting you've already done. You've waited with commitment through at least two delays so far. Yi might be saying that "waiting" - your own experience of waiting - might be exactly the issue here: there's been a lot of it, you've had a lot of time to think and worry.

19 - I'll admit I don't understand this hexagram very well. It's named "Nearing" or "Approaching," and is often interpreted as "being the adult in the room." That comes from the Image text:

'Above the lake is earth.
Nearing.
A noble one teaches and reflects untiringly,
Accepts and protects the people without limit.'

Hilary says this about it:

A noble one has the inner reflective depths of the lake, contained within the protective, accepting qualities of the earth. She is the one with endless capacity to reflect, interact and explain, to shelter and nurture people as a parent protects a child. She has the strength and maturity, and so naturally she becomes responsible.

That seems directly relevant. You're Booboo's mom, you want to shelter and protect her responsibly, and you feel the weight of that responsibility.

19's oracle does contain uncomfortable words:

'Nearing.
Creating success from the source, constancy bears fruit.
Arrival at the eighth month means a pitfall'.

That last sentence means things like bringing something to completion too soon, before it's ready. That's what you're worried about. But - this is the relating hexagram which is exactly where Yi reflects things we're worried about. Relating hexagram - how you're relating to the situation, how it feels to you. It's not your direct answer, it's not what you have to work with - that's in the primary hexagram.

Combining the hexagrams, it might mean something like, "Waiting as this Nears" - the closer it gets, the more anxious waiting you've done, the more nervous you become.

I think the moving lines are instructions - what to do, and what not to do, as you wait. Line 3 - what not to do - do not get bogged down in worry, doubt, and frantic questioning, because those are "robbers" stealing your peace of mind. Line 5 - what to do - this often means to relax while you have to wait. Eating and drinking are normal, pleasant things.

Again, I Ching interpretation is not an exact science, and I could be wrong. But this is my best effort as a fellow, often nervous, cat mommy. I think Booboo will be fine. (Give her a little cuddle from me!)

 

[cornucopia63]

Thank you for your response. I decided to cancel the appointment because I didn't like hexagram 19 the outcome. I asked again if I should spay her and hexagram 52 came up and I asked again and hexagram 23 came up! There is a chance my cat has pyromytra I'm told but I didn't have the money to do all the tests and the vets at the shelters don't have the equipment to deal with that I was told if they open her up and find she has it. I've decided to take her to a private vet and have the right tests done and pay the full amount for spaying. You were right it is free at the shelter but they don't do all the tests.

You were right that I cancelled 2 times before because first time she had UTI infection and 2nd time she was in heat. I cancelled to have peace of mind.

Oh dear. Sorry, Cornucopia...I had written a reply, and then found I was getting all twisted up trying to explain, so I abandoned it. Will try again.

First of all, is the shelter in your second question the one where you have the appointment on March 27th, or are there two different shelters? I'm assuming there's only the one.

Then, is there a specific reason you're worried, such as is she older, or does she have other medical problems that make surgery unusually risky? Or is it just the idea of your little one having surgery at all?

"Is it safe to spay my cat Booboo?"

41.2 > 27

41.2
'Constancy bears fruit,
Setting out to bring order: pitfall.
Not decreasing, increasing it.'

41 means decrease or offering, but the oracle says, "Two simple baskets may be used for the offering," which is generally said to mean you're not being asked to offer more than you can. 27 means nourishment, what you need to live, and so forth. Hilary says it's "not only what you eat, but all the processes and structures that sustain nourishment. It includes all forms of nourishment: physical, social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual… all creating and re-creating an individual ‘ecosystem’ to sustain and shape you."

Part of what I get from that is that this free-of-charge program at this shelter is an "offering" (41) which helps people get what they need (27), and get their cats what is needed, without having to sacrifice more than they can. There are many reasons why spaying and neutering is encouraged, which could go along with 27.

I think the line text says it's okay and safe - "constancy" to what you've already decided, contrasted with "setting out to bring order" which might mean continuing to search for more perfect circumstances / time / place, which may not even exist. (I looked up "setting out to bring order" in Hilary's Language of Change, which I highly recommend if you don't have it already, and it's not terribly expensive. One thing she says is "look out for perfectionism.").

The last line says "not decreasing, increasing it," which - the simplest interpretation as an answer to your question is: "Spaying Booboo will increase her, not decrease her."

There could be room here for confusion and the opposite interpretation, where "constancy" would mean continue with the current status of her not being spayed, and following from that point, "setting out to bring order: pitfall" is taking the actual step of spaying, with a bad outcome.

However - it might help to be very literal about what you're asking, and seeing the answer as an answer to your literal question. "Is it safe to spay Booboo?" Your question seems to assume "spaying" as a starting point, and this is after quite a long time of planning to have her spayed. This has been in the works for a while, it just had to be delayed a couple times. So when the text says "constancy," my best guess is that it means constancy to what you're asking about, and constancy to what's been planned for a while. I could be wrong, of course - this is interpretation.

Real-life support for that: these are experienced veterinarians, and if they've cleared her for surgery, it's probably reasonable to take their word for it, same as we're usually safe to take doctors' word for things like this. It seems the vets have demonstrated caution in the past, and surely they'd continue to do so if they had a reason. Would they have any interest in taking undue risks with someone's pet at a free neutering clinic? I can't see how, unless I'm missing something. But obviously there are always risks with any surgery.

Other real-life support might be just statistics - not that I know the statistics, but I suspect the chances of a healthy cat dying during or shortly after routine surgery are very low.


"Should I take my cat Booboo to the Animal shelter at (specific address) to get spayed. Please advise?"

5.3.5 > 19

5.3
'Waiting in the bog
Invites the arrival of robbers.'

5.5
'Waiting with food and drink.
Constancy, good fortune.'

I can see how you might think Yi is telling you to wait, don't do the surgery now. But looking at everything Yi has said to you, I don't think that's it. 5 means "expectant waiting" or "waiting with commitment" - I think this might refer to the waiting you've already done. You've waited with commitment through at least two delays so far. Yi might be saying that "waiting" - your own experience of waiting - might be exactly the issue here: there's been a lot of it, you've had a lot of time to think and worry.

19 - I'll admit I don't understand this hexagram very well. It's named "Nearing" or "Approaching," and is often interpreted as "being the adult in the room." That comes from the Image text:

'Above the lake is earth.
Nearing.
A noble one teaches and reflects untiringly,
Accepts and protects the people without limit.'

Hilary says this about it:


That seems directly relevant. You're Booboo's mom, you want to shelter and protect her responsibly, and you feel the weight of that responsibility.

19's oracle does contain uncomfortable words:

'Nearing.
Creating success from the source, constancy bears fruit.
Arrival at the eighth month means a pitfall'.

That last sentence means things like bringing something to completion too soon, before it's ready. That's what you're worried about. But - this is the relating hexagram which is exactly where Yi reflects things we're worried about. Relating hexagram - how you're relating to the situation, how it feels to you. It's not your direct answer, it's not what you have to work with - that's in the primary hexagram.

Combining the hexagrams, it might mean something like, "Waiting as this Nears" - the closer it gets, the more anxious waiting you've done, the more nervous you become.

I think the moving lines are instructions - what to do, and what not to do, as you wait. Line 3 - what not to do - do not get bogged down in worry, doubt, and frantic questioning, because those are "robbers" stealing your peace of mind. Line 5 - what to do - this often means to relax while you have to wait. Eating and drinking are normal, pleasant things.

Again, I Ching interpretation is not an exact science, and I could be wrong. But this is my best effort as a fellow, often nervous, cat mommy. I think Booboo will be fine. (Give her a little cuddle from me!)

 

[Liselle]

I just looked that up (I'd never heard of it) and it sounds scary. Hopefully if it's taken care of properly she'll be fine afterwards.

It's also scary to be so horribly wrong about a reading. I'm sorry. Fortunately your antennae are working to see what Yi was really telling you.

Would you mind posting again after her surgery to let us know she's okay?

Best wishes to both of you.

 

[cornucopia63]

Thanks Liselle I have my doubts of ever having her spayed. She doesn't really need to as I have no other cats. If I see that she is not well after antibiotic wears off - lasts for 3 months - then I'll decide what to do.

 

[Liselle]

......well......at the risk of sounding like I'm telling you what to do (after getting your reading entirely wrong ), the article I read explains how cats who aren't spayed and keep going into heat without getting pregnant can die from this. I had no idea this problem existed.

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/pyometra-in-cats

I won't try to summarize the article but I'd suggest reading it and maybe some others and of course talking to your vet.

It's hard knowing what's best for them. I'm always nervous about mine and their health and whether I'm "doing things right," and that's true even though they don't actually have any serious health problems.