Sometimes the Universe Has a Unique Sense of Humor

 Are you a pet lover?
Do you believe that our beloved animals come to us for a reason?

I have had pets all my life; in my childhood we had cats, dogs, tropical fish, a goldfish, turtles, hamsters, guinea pigs (lots as one had babies!), parakeets and a mynah bird named Charlie that we only got to say “Hello there!”. One spring my father bought us ducklings that we named Mutt and Jeff. He even built a small pond in our Chicagoland suburban backyard. Eventually the ducks outgrew the pond and would run down the street. The only way my mother could get them back would be to make quacking noises and flap her arms. They eventually went to a farm (not a euphemism – the Marshall Field’s delivery guy lived in a rural area and expressed interest in taking them, although I have no idea of their actual fate after that.)

In my international traveling days, and before my marriage, I adopted a beautiful Siamese-mix cat. I’ve always adored dogs, but feline care was much easier for her pet sitters. Angel was quirky and curious, with a massive attitude. When I’d take her to the groomers, they would greet me ironically “Oh, Angel’s here!” Evidently when she had quite enough pampering, she was not exactly angelic…

My husband and I blended our canine/feline families and eventually brought in a pair of the most precious cocker spaniel littermates, JJ & Bella. They lived harmoniously with Angel – as long as she had the upper hand – and enjoyed our cross-country car trip when we moved from Southern California to Tampa, where she lived out the rest of her life terrorizing the neighborhood lizard population.

JJ, Bella and Angel are memorialized in this video my husband made when they were puppies.

We have a new generation of fur babies now: Two English Cockers, a Cockapoo and an American Cocker — and even though I wasn’t sure I wanted another cat, we visited a local shelter 8 years ago and brought home CiCi. She spends most of her time up in the loft of our home, but visits with us on the winding staircase.

Surprise, surprise!

A couple of weeks before Christmas, one Saturday I was musing about our menagerie and made the decision, in spite of admiring felines and my love for CiCi, I would not seek to have another cat in this lifetime.

About four hours later, I was in the bedroom reading and my husband came in and said “Would you like to meet our new cat?” “What the heck???” was my response. A handsome tuxedo cat approached him as he sat on our porch that evening. This cat was very friendly and seemed hungry so my husband gave him some snacks (and a few more servings, as it appeared he was ravenous!) And he decided to just hang out with him after devouring the food.

When I came out to meet him, I was struck immediately by his nose marking – a vertical infinity sign. That is the symbol that is embedded in most of our Academy logos, in the background of the certificate template and has even graced my book covers.

But what a personality! Literally the chillest, friendliest and poised animal I have ever met. You can pick him up, turn him upside down, carry him like a baby, rub his tummy – and he is unruffled. Yet, he is most likely a stray evidenced by no chip, no collar, no recognition of a litter box (he does now!) and a clipped ear, memento of a “catch and release” neuter and vaccine program. We did post and checked with neighborhood boards. No one was looking for him.

What is the coincidence of the friendliest and most trainable cat, marked with a symbol so meaningful to us — and gets along with every other furry member of the household showing up just hours after my No More Cats proclamation? Quite the synchronicity, per the Jungian School of Pyschoanalysis.

I asked AI what it means when a black & white cat shows up in your life and this is part of the response:

In many spiritual traditions, a random cat appearing at your house can be interpreted as a sign of good luck, protection, heightened intuition, or a message from the spirit world, often urging you to pay closer attention to your inner voice and instincts. Pets can ask as spirit guides, meaning they can offer guidance and support through their behavior, acting as a conduit for messages or insights into one’s life journey.
And in my search, this came up from spiritualdesk.com
Tuxedo cats have a unique spiritual meaning. Their color and markings often indicate a sense of special protection in life. Black and white cats are seen as having the ability to guard their human families against negative energies and bring in positive ones.

He is beloved by all of our fur babies and has developed a particularly close relationships with our 4-year-old “pandemic” puppy, Beau. He even hangs out in the loft with CiCi who seems glad for the company.

We named him Zen.

What have you learned from the past and present furry friends in your life?
I guess my first lesson is, never say never!