Reflecting back to the wonderful first outing we shared with Kizmet last week.

Last week, through words and pictures, I was able to share the joy and amazement that Kizmet experienced in his very first outdoor adventure. It was a milestone event  that I will never forget and I wrote about it with such vivid story telling imagery that you literally felt as if you were outside with us sharing the glorious day. Bravo Kizmet!! What a wonderful excursion you had! What I did not share with you, however, was the fact the event was rampant with controversy and blatant glossing over of the full facts of the outing and I felt I must come clean with the real story… the behind the scenes of the incredibly adorable and amazing morning we shared with Kizmet via our darling  Zee and the part he played in this simply too perfect moment. Read more

There are certain first moments in life that are so precious to behold that they beg to be bottled in time. One such moment is the utter awe and amazement that radiates from that pure and innocent child who believes in Santa Claus and wakes up to find a spectacular array of presents under the tree that surely came from the North Pole, magically made by Elves. The mind’s eye of how that that child perceives the moment is a gift to witness and a memory that stays in your heart forevermore etched in time. For Kizmet, that moment occurred a few days ago when we brought him outside for the first time. Read more

I shared a post on Saturday about how incredible it was to see Zoey play and groom with Kizmet as if he were one of her own litter (if you missed it, please be sure to click here – it really was a very special and heartwarming story). She is a mother at heart and despite not immediately liking Kizmet when we first brought him home, her maternal instincts were so strong that she felt compelled a couple of short weeks later to interact, bond, and share important behavioral lessons and manners with him. On this Wordless Wednesday, I am thrilled to let you know that Dan was able to capture one of those moments on video as Zoey turns an overly aggressive playtime with Kizmet into a loving and nurturing grooming session.

My cats are fascinating to me for many reasons, but one of the most incredible would have to be the relationship Zoey continues to maintain with her “kittens” who are now almost four years old. I am positive she still knows these are her children, and I am equally as positive they know she is their mother. I say this because I have read on numerous sites that as time goes by, a mother cat will no longer recognize an older cat as being one of her own and will just think of it as another cat in the household.

Once Zoey realized she was a Mama, the love and devotion she had to her kittens was deeply evident. She is seen here with Rolz when he was about 6 weeks old and she still continues to nurture him like a kitten even though he is almost 4 years old now!

When Zoey gave birth to her kittens, it was a stressful time – she rejected them the first couple of days, not quite comprehending her role as caretaker and I had to set up camp with her to make sure she stayed with them and gave them warmth and nourishment. Once she realized that she was indeed a Mama, and the kittens were her responsibility, her motherly instincts kicked into high gear and she has been a devoted, protective, and caring mother ever since (with an occasional bout of crankiness and exasperation like any mother experiences with her children). I know this firsthand because we kept three of her kittens – Mia, Peanut, and Rolz and the bond between them is irrevocable. I marvel everyday at the social dynamic they share, especially when it comes to her grooming and playing with them. Read more

We love to decorate for the holidays, but when it comes to our kitties, the less help from them, the better. Kitties can be extremely curious and want to nibble on everything from curling ribbon to plastic bags to tree tinsel. The best advice, keep the ribbon off the gifts and forgo the tinsel altogether to be safe. When it comes to live plants, we need to be especially careful –  mistletoe, poinsettia, holly berries, and amaryllis blooms can all be toxic to one degree or another if they are ingested by your cat. The two general types of poisonous mistletoe’s are the European variety, Viscum Album, and in the US, the Phoradendron Serotinum. Read more