The Cat's Paw

My blogging skills might take a turn for the terrible soon.
As time goes on and I'm adding mileage, my pre-work runs are going to get longer and my pre-work blogs shorter. Or they might vanish entirely. Good thing I only work 3 days a week.
So much to write about today. I hardly know where to begin!!


I think I'll start out with this.
Reflexology for Cats.

Lets not keep the pseudoscience and alternative quackery to ourselves. Get your pets involved too for a housewide experience! This author starts out by saying that the World Health Organization claims it's one of the fastest growing "natural therapies" in the world today. After 3-4 google searches using the search terms: World Health Organization, WHO, Alternative Medicine, and Reflexology (in all possible combinations.) I still couldn't find this claim. After searching the WHO website for reflexology and alternative medicine the only relevant article I could only locate was this.
A lit review bascially counting how many times articles on alternative medicines have been published over the years and how it shows an increase. However, reporting methods are vague so in the discussion the authors conclude, "Who knows?"

I never found this out and out claim from the WHO, but I did find several mentions of if by different websites on reflexology. (Um, citation please?)

Back to the cat.
Reflexology, a complementary or alternative medicine. Now before I get blasted with arguments of how it worked for your Aunt Bessie or whatnot. Let me give my (highly valued and greatly respected) opinion on SCAMS (So-called Complementary and Alternative Medicines per Dr. Mark Crislip) I guess it goes back to my homeschool/christian school days with Phil 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

So, um. Test it. If it works, bring it on in. If it doesn't (Like the recent acupuncture issue.) DON'T CALL IT MEDICINE. Don't use it as a treatment. It's a scam. There's no evidence it will work or not. There's no reasonable belief anything will improve or change. Therefore it becomes a swindle. (Especially with how expensive medical care can be!)


Again back to the cat.

People may think that reflexology does not apply to cats because the paw is too small, it is too difficult to perform and/or generally not well tolerated. In my experience I have found that this is not the case. From my observation, many animal guardians unconsciously perform ear, face and paw reflexology because they know that it feels nice for their pets. Most people are largely unaware that they are affecting everything in the body through this simple gesture.

So why not pay $50 to get a book telling how to do something you already do unconsciously? Maybe I'm too cynical and Spock would be a more well behaved cat (Ha.) If I practiced a little Reiki as he lounged around my house.

Heck, as this practitioner from the video suggests maybe I should reiki my coffee to give it more life energy!!

Sigh.

In other news, my sister came to visit and we had way more fun that can be added to this post right now.
Look for a ramble-bamble post on life later.
For now, you'll have to deal with the science rage.