Kate on the banks of the Potomac River, Maryland, late 80s.

Remarkable Hearing...For A Human

Kate Solisti-Mattelon talks to animals. And animals talk to her. Particularly, horses, dogs, and cats. Kate's otherworldly ability has led vets and pet lovers around the globe to seek her help in healing and better understanding the needs of these creatures. I have known Kate personally since 1988, when I went to work for her in the Washington, DC office of American Rivers, Inc.--the nation's principal river saving organization. So if you ask me, do I believe in her ability, the answer is unequivocal. Yes!

dB: Have you always been able to converse with animals?

Kate: I was able to converse with animals when I was little, but I shut down my abilities at age 8 after the death of my beloved cat and because I had no support from my family to continue. (My story appears in detail in Conversations with Cat, An Uncommon Catalog of Feline Wisdom.)

dB: How do your Smith College friends and other Eastern Establishment types like your family (or strangers on an airplane for that matter) respond when informed of your somewhat unusual vocation/profession?

Kate: I don't have any Smith College friends, really. The one I had for many years can't deal with what I do, just as half of my family can't. It's not a problem for me. I usually tell people that I'm an author and that I write about animals. If people ask, I'll go farther. I have over 400 clients who believe in what I do as well as vets and holistic trainers and others in the US and Europe who value my work highly. Most importantly, I know that what I'm doing is helping deepen interspecies understanding, compassion and contributing to healing the planet.

dB: What kind of dog food do dogs like?

Kate: Dogs like real food best (chicken, lamb, beef and other good stuff). All dog foods are compromised nutrition. How would you like to eat Total cereal every day for your entire life? (There's a thorough discussion on this subject in our Holistic Animal Handbook, A Guidebook to Nutrition, Health & Communication.)

dB: Why is Boulder a particularly good setting for light work?

Kate: Boulder is an open-minded, animal-loving town.

dB: Do animals actually utter "words" to you or do you "pick up on" their meaning?

Kate: I receive thoughts (telepathic) as well as pictures and feelings. I rarely hear voices.

dB: Can anyone talk to animals?

Kate: Yes, I believe we all have the ability to communicate telepathically. However, I have learned in the ten years that I have been doing this that different people have different aptitudes for it. Just as some people are gifted with musical talent, mathematical or artistic talent, some are gifted with greater telepathic abilities. I do believe that if someone wants to develop their abilities, they can do so. It just comes more easily to some.

dB: How did you specifically go about reawakening your ability to communicate with animals? Was it spontaneous, or a result of much effort?

Kate: When I was living in Washington D.C., I went to see a therapist to deal with my adolescent stuff. No big deal, the usual anger at my father, etc. In the process, I discovered that a piece of myself was missing--the feminine, intuitive part of me. I began to work with the therapist to reintegrate this part of myself. As I did so, I began to receive information telepathically. The first beings that I "heard" were the trees in the little park by my house. When the trees began to "talk" to me, I had two feelings simultaneously. One: my mind told me that it wasn't possible. Two: my heart sighed with a sense of absolute recognition and a sense of finally being "at home." I knew I wasn't crazy so I decided to pursue this experience.

dB: Can you tell us about your companion animals at present?

Kate: We have a wonderful four year old cat, Azul. Our sweet dog, Mollie died in December 1999.

dB: Do dogs and other animals go to heaven?

Kate: They sure do. They call it "The Place of Reunification." They tell me it's a place of unconditional love and connection. (There's more on this topic in Conversations with Dog, An Uncommon Dogalog of Canine Wisdom.)

©2001 David Burn Some rights reserved