Page 18 - Autumn 25

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in the owner’s arms. They will sit on their lap during the
consultation. One of my mammal patients’ owners was a
midwife and wrapped her cat up like a newborn, held him
against her shoulder and rocked him like a baby. They can
also mimic maternal behaviour and be attached to soft
toys and carrying them round the home. Seeming to nurse
them in their beds.
There is often a history of separation from their mother
too young or orphaned. Owners will report there having
been distress and pining when they arrived in their home
away from mother for the first time. I have often used Lac
Caninum for orphan puppies and Lac Felinum for
orphaned kittens when there is no history available.
There can be a history of abuse or neglect which is evident
in human mammal cases. These are the puppies born in
puppy farms or they may have been born in rescue centres
or foster homes where the mother is stressed and cannot
give adequate mothering.
Addiction to drugs as seen in human mammal cases is not
seen in our cases but can be observed as food obsession.
Owners can describe them as addicts with certain
possessions, food or activities. Similarly, OCD type
behaviours such as self-soothing, acral lick dermatitis,
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self-trauma and repetitive behaviours. This can be due to
an inner feeling of being out of control.
First Case
Mental Picture Suggesting a Mammal Remedy
Jessie Rivers
This was a one-year-old stray cat presenting with
behavioural issues. He had been rescued by the owner’s
daughter, who is involved in cat rescue. She described him
as a stray that had “infiltrated a feral colony”. Her initial
complaint was: “My mother can’t manage him. He wrecks
the kitchen looking for food.”
I took the case and noted a huge appetite and strong
territorial behaviour. Initially, I considered that he might
need a snake remedy or something from Row 6 of the
periodic table, such as Aurum. However, she then
described him as very affectionate and mentioned he was
a big cat. This began to point me towards the mammal
remedies. He always wanted to be on someone’s knee and
is very, very affectionate. All the other cats respected him.
He didn’t need to show aggression. He was a big predator,
confident, and unafraid. He even bossed the dog around.
When the family visited the owner, he was sitting happily
in the middle of everyone, seemingly believing they were
all there to admire him. He was haughty, confident, and
completely relaxed in the consulting room. He was rolling
around on the table. That was until we tried to restrain him
to take a blood sample. Then he showed his claws. He
struggled and was very strong but could actually be cajoled
quite easily. A true diplomat.
It became clear to me that this was a mammal picture. A
creature that thrives in social connection, but on his terms.
A confident predator, affectionate but not submissive,
respected by all, with no real fear in him. The remedy that
fit this noble little character was Lac Leoninum. I prescribed
1M to fit the energy of the case. I gave a split dose. One on
the first day, then one 24 hours later. He responded really
well. He has retained his status as king of the jungle and no
longer feels the need to demonstrate his power with
violence. His appetite has settled to a more manageable
level. A very simple, straightforward mammal case.
Having explored the mental picture, in part 2 I will look at
the physical aspects of mammal remedies. I will share
some cases to show how I differentiate between mammal
remedies through their bodily symptoms and behaviours,
and how these help confirm the remedy choice.