Most of you that follow my blog know that it was started as a direct result of my writing The Chronicles of Zee & Zoey – A Journey of the Extraordinarily Ordinary, a book about the tumultuous love story of Zee and Zoey. While my writing the book was not initially planned, getting Zee and Zoey very much was. Both cats came from stable homes and I knew their background and history from the minute they were born. Zee was given as a gift from me to Dan and a couple of years after that, we got Zoey because the timing was right.  Zee was going through a very naughty stage in his life and was misdirecting his excessive energy with Mr. Jazz who was with us at the time, as well as with Harley – neither of whom appreciated it. I had always wanted a Bengal kitten and because they were known for being extremely playful and athletic, it seemed the perfect match and solution. 

When Zee and Zoey met way back in 2008 they both still had kittenish features. Zee did not have the full mane of fur he has now and Zoey’s figure was not as svelte as it is today! They were inseparable at this point and at the early stages of their love story!

Theirs was the story of an instantaneous love that was very much rooted in physical attraction. So much so that because I was not the well-informed cat advocate I am today, I did not realize how early a  female kitten could become pregnant. I had planned on taking both Zee and Zoey to the vet – he to be neutered and her to be spayed, but their insatiable urges beat me to the punch and as a result Zoey delivered a litter of kittens before I could do anything about it. The long and short of it – we kept the kittens (of which we love and adore) and I have since learned an enormous amount about the importance of spay/neuter, to the point I have become a significant force in the cat world educating people on the virtues of spay/neuter as not only a safe and humane means of reducing cat overpopulation, but as a procedure that helps to ensure your cat live a longer, happier, and healthy life.

Zee and Zoey still share a tender moment now and then, but for the most part their napping together days are few are far between…

As time has passed, they are still in love, but the passion and obsession for one another is long gone. They will snuggle together now and again, but for the most part they just share a comfortable relationship like an old couple that has been together for 50 years… You know how that goes – Zoey will talk and Zee will drown her out or he will tell her to move because she is blocking the TV…

With the introduction of Kizmet a couple of years ago, and now Jazmine in the house, we have a new love story, but this one has an entirely different dynamic. Both of these cats came to us unplanned – Kizmet came as a result of me going to Pet Supermarket for food one day – I  spotted him in a cage and brought him home instead of the food and Jazmine came as a result of Dan and I attending the Global Pet Expo a month ago – Dan took one look at her, found out she was up for adoption, and that was that.

I love the juxtaposition of this picture of Kizmet and Jazmine taken a couple of weeks ago as compared to the image of Zee and Zoey in 2008. Their stories are different, but the love shared remains the same…

Because both of these cats were found abandoned – Kizmet was found on the side of a road with his littermates and no mother  and Jazmine   was found in an abandoned farm house, living with other feral cats, cows, and goats – we really don’t know what their life was like or what hardships they had to endure prior to them being rescued. I don’t know if that is what has caused the difference, but the relationship they share is rooted in a loving, gentle, and compassionate tone. Sure, they still play with one another, but because they have already been spayed and neutered, the play is based on having fun, not the urge to mate. I find them both to be old souls as well and maybe that is what has drawn them to one another on such a deep level.

Kizmet stands guard to his beloved Jazmine at all times. Here they are on the kitchen counter.

Having an old soul pet is a wonderful gift – I have always loved all of my pets, but not all of them were, or are, old souls and it has nothing to do with being old. Kit, my cat that showed up on my doorstep back in 1992 and lived with me for 18 years was an old soul. Rolz is an old soul and so was Mr. Jazz. Kizmet is the oldest cat soul I have ever known and I think Jazmine is an emerging old soul. Somehow they live and communicate on a different plane, almost as if they have already been here on earth and have come back again in a different form whereby they see things with a deeper and more spiritual connection.

What makes them different is that they have a unique level of communication, understanding, and sensitivity and I think that is why the bond between Kizmet and Jazmine happened so quickly and with such strength. I liken their connection to one of my favorite movies, Jerry Maguire, when Jerry Maguire tells Dorothy he loves her and wants her in his life, ending with the poignant statement, “You complete me,” to which Dorothy’s reply to him is, “You had me at hello.”

I love this picture of the two of them – it wasn’t until recently that Jazmine took to napping in this cat condo. Now that she realizes how great it is for sleeping and bird watching, Kizmet stays on the top tier to keep watch over her!

Despite the instant connection and the fact that Jazmine has been with us for a month, Kizmet  continues to be her loving and protective guardian, just like he was the first hour he met her. Very rarely do you find a time where he is not within eyesight of her and if any of the other cats give her an occasional huff, hiss, or tussle, he will plunk himself in the middle of it to make sure she is okay. Not that she needs the help, mind you. Little Miss Jazmine is one bold, secure, strong, and plucky young kitty who has no problem telling the other cats what’s up, but I do think she appreciates his concern for her!

Jazmine is seen here doing a little mid-day grooming…Oh look who’s by her side… It’s Kizmet! What a surprise!

Another fascinating aspect of their friendship is how cheerful they both are. I get the distinct impression they truly appreciate their lot in life and they both are always in a good mood. Jazmine  is the first cat I trip over in the morning to feed all the cats breakfast and she greets me with a happy little  trilling chirp that would bring sunshine into the darkest of anyone’s day. When I finally get into the kitchen, Kizmet will be the next to greet me and he is equally as happy as she is to see me! I love how they both seem so full of joy to start the day and I am certain there is a lesson somewhere in there for me to learn…

What do you know… Jazmine is on another kitchen counter…And how odd, so is Kizmet…

All I know is that if there were any trauma in either of their young lives, you would never know it and they seem inextricably bound to one another through heart, mind, and spirit.  What about the cats in your life? Are any of them old souls or connected to one another in a way that seems special? Please feel free to share – I would love to hear your stories!

Happy Caturday All and please be sure to check out this very special video of Kizmet grooming Jazmine – you can just see the love they have for one another radiate off the screen!

Okay, Kizmet, buddy. You can take your eyes off her for a minute… I promised everyone a video, so just relax for a minute… I promise she will be okay and that she isn’t leaving you!