Interestingly enough, I met both of them in 1987, during the year that I lived near Detroit Michigan. Although today is the official transition date, I will write about McKenzie today, and I will write about Jack Boland tomorrow.
McKenzie was my little kitty companion and spiritual teacher for 17 years. She made her transition on March 4, 2004. I still miss her... every single day.
McKenzie as a kitten in 1987
McKenzie as an adult
I adopted her from the Michigan Humane Society in the town of Troy, Michigan. She was the cutest thing I've ever seen. It was love at first sight for both of us. McKenzie was a little fireball of energy and intelligence. She had a very sweet disposition, but had no patience for anyone imposing their will on her!! She was an independent spirit. She and I were alike in many ways. Even though each of us was immensely independent we bonded immediately and very deeply. She was without a doubt, one of my soul mates for this lifetime. There isn't a doubt in my mind!
McKenzie had a Q-tip fetish. She was obsessed with them. When she was young and I used to travel a lot for business, she would locate the Q-tip container in my bathroom (even though it was always hidden in some new and creative location) and empty the contents onto the floor. She would then proceed to pitch the Q-tips in the air and carry them all over my apartment. It was a ritual of ours for her to sit on the bathroom counter next to me when I was getting ready in the morning, or preparing for bed. She would wait patiently until I would give her a Q-tip to bat around and play with. When she was finished playing with it, she would usually carry it to her food bowl and leave it there, as though it were the fruit of some great hunt. To her last breath, she loved Q-tips and was always intrigued and amused when I would give her one to play with. I kept one of her last Q-tips in a little box of mementos of her life. :)
McKenzie also loved to drink water from a glass. This habit was started by a housemate who caught her drinking water from a glass on his desk one day. From then on he always made sure she had a full glass of fresh water waiting on his desk. I continued the ritual. In addition to her 'official' water bowl, there was always a glass of fresh water on my coffee table full enough for her to drink without getting her face stuck down inside the glass.
McKenzie also really loved to drink water from the sink. She liked for me to trickle lukewarm water from the tap and she would stick her head in the sink to drink it either from the tap, or from the side of the sink where it drizzled down. Cats aren't supposed to like water, but McKenzie loved to walk into the shower after I was done and walk around on the wet tile. It intrigued her somehow!!
McKenzie was special in so many ways. She was always waiting for me to come home and was always happy to see me. She always knew when I was coming home from a trip. Her behavior would change markedly the day I was to come home from a long trip.
She loved to sit on my lap and cuddle, but only on her own initiation. She never liked to be picked up. She liked to feel free to come and go as she pleased.
She had a very cute habit of lying on my hands when I would try to type on the computer. I honestly believe she was trying to get me to relax more and work less.
In her younger years she was a true escape artist. She would try to get out of my apartments at every opportunity. She was an indoor kitty, and yet she was fearless! She wanted to experience everything in life and had no fear of anything! She had many adventures in the great outdoors. I was terrified, she was exhilarated!
McKenzie taught me a lot about love. She taught me a lot about courage. She really taught me about the art of relaxation. She modeled so many healthy ways of embracing life... and rest for me.
She went through most of my major life transitions with me. She was a witness to many of my happiest moments and for a lot of tears and trauma.
I'm grateful for every day that I had with her. She was a gift from Spirit. We were perfectly matched in every possible way. I could never have asked for a better companion. She is deeply loved and deeply missed.
Here is a link to a page on my website that contains a tribute I wrote to her. There are a bunch of very cute pictures of her there as well:
Tribute to McKenzie & Photos
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