There was nothing surprising in that. The animal was probably thinking about his next meal or some female he planned to visit. Colin guessed Tom's mind worked in much the same way and he'd get a similar result if he were locked in a dark room with electrodes in his head. Then, everything changed. The pleasure zones in the cat's brain stopped responding and others kicked in.
A pattern of lines formed. Colin had seen them before. They were similar to those Tom had plotted with divining rods. He glanced towards him and saw that the cat had forced the lid of the basket and was trying to escape.
The thought of the animal running free in its present state was horrifying. The pond had been sacred to the mother goddess in ancient times. Cats were her familiars. They were a way of communicating with her. That's why Tom had picked a cat. It was a sort of joke but others wouldn't see it like that. There could be accusations of witchcraft and all manner of things.