Sumudu Mahatheri – aka ‘Cat’ (or ‘Catty’) is a 22-year-old black feline who first entered Jayasara’s orbit at Dhammasara nuns’ monastery, Western Australia, in early 2003 when she was unceremoniously ‘dumped’ in the bush and made her way to the monastery. She was adopted by the nuns’ community and proceeded to live a life devoted to deep samadhi and relaxation. She was first named ‘Ebony’, but was later given the Pali name ‘Sumudu’, meaning ‘very soft, gentle, flexible’.
Following a bad ear infection and a botched veterinary procedure, Sumudu was rendered totally deaf. She has coped well with this karmic unfolding though, and continues to live a life of relaxation and ease. More recently she was given the name ‘Cat’ by Jayasāra and Jitindriyā as it became clear that her identification with labels and names was lessening.