E.01: Welcome to A Voice for Cats
Hello. I’m so glad you’re here.If you’ve been listening for a while, you might know this podcast used to be called Heart Cat and Soul. After 12 episodes I decided I needed to evolve. As you may know, I’m Spanish and within my hispanic community there’s been a lot of change and soon it will all reunite in this community with reflections, experiments, and a lot of learning. I needed to be more direct and clear with my message. The voice, more grounded.So now, this space has a new name: A Voice for Cats. And it lives here on Substack — a platform where I can not only share audio, but also write, send newsletters, and connect more closely with those of you who feel called to explore this feline world in depth.This is not just a podcast. It’s a shared space. And this episode is an invitation.Who I Am and How I Got HereMy name is Amaya. I’m a veterinary surgeon. And I’m a singer. And honestly — that was never easy.For a long time, music and veterinary work felt like two forces pulling in opposite directions. Two different worlds. Two different versions of me.I didn’t know how to make them fit. They both mattered to me deeply, but trying to carry both felt like constantly switching parts of myself on and off.That started to shift when I began exploring my voice — not as something artistic, but as something I needed to do, my soul was asking for it.Through singing, toning, breathing, and vocal work, I discovered that voice could help me regulate my emotions. It became a way to hold space for myself — and that changed everything.I could finally sit with animals differently. With more presence, with more stillness. And cats noticed. I noticed. This helped in my day to day work and I found I only needed my voice to relate to cats.That’s how I found integration — not by choosing between music and medicine, but by understanding that voice was the missing link.And that’s what brought me here.Why This Podcast ExistsA Voice for Cats is not just about giving advice. It’s about offering language — or sound — to things that are usually invisible.Cats don’t always speak in ways we expect. They speak through behaviour, breath, silence, patterns, disruption. And this podcast is a space where we try to hear that.Yes, we’ll talk about health, nutrition, trauma, enrichment, death, recovery, herbs, fear, play… But always through the lens of relationship.You and your cat are not separate. Your nervous systems talk to each other. Your energy, your rhythm, your presence — it matters.So this is not about “fixing” your cat. It’s about meeting them. It’s about understanding them with all the tools we have: science, observation, emotion, and yes — sound.This podcast is for those who want to relate, not control.What to Expect HereYou’ll hear solo episodes, where I reflect on topics from my work as a holistic feline vet and from my own journey with animals and voice.You’ll also hear conversations — with people who care deeply about cats, healing, and the spaces between science and soul.Sometimes we’ll explore trauma. Sometimes we’ll talk about something as simple as playing with your cat. Sometimes I might share a song, or a personal story. And often, we’ll be sitting in that space of ambiguity — where real connection happens.You can expect truth. Not always answers — but always honesty.A Different Kind of Community (in Discord)Aside from what I’ll be creating here in Substack, I started a community that lives in Discord.That’s where I host conversations, share resources, listen to your stories, and — starting soon — where I’ll begin the C.A.T.S. Meetings: Cat Advocacy Team Support Meetings.These are open gatherings where we’ll meet live, as a small community, to talk about feline topics that really matter. Not just what food to feed — but the emotional, spiritual, and practical challenges of living alongside cats.This is not a membership. You don’t need to commit. You get your ticket any time you want to join, when it feels right.And the continuation of these meetings will depend on your participation.We’ll begin in late May or June. You’ll find more info in the show notes, or you can subscribe to the newsletter to stay informed.I’d love to see you there.CLOSINGA Voice for Cats is the result of years of pulling threads together — voice, care, science, emotion. It’s not perfect. It’s not polished. But it’s real.If you believe that cats deserve presence, patience and poetic attention — you’re home here.If you want to explore how your voice, your energy and your awareness affect the way you live with cats — you’re home here too.I’m Amaya. This is A Voice for Cats. And I hope you’ll stay close. Get full access to A Voice for Cats at lullabiesforcats.substack.com/subscribe
