Courtney Miller, Milo & Ziggy
It was Black Friday, November 27, 2010, and the Oregon Humane Society was advertising a special deal: buy any black cat for half price. Even though I hadn’t planned on getting another cat anytime soon, I decided it was finally time to go for a visit.
I spotted him immediately, lying down, asleep in the farthest corner of the room. He was stark white with a small patch of grey on top of his head and thus not on sale. But I had to have Jacob, as the Humane Society called him then. Soon he became my Milo.
Milo and the rest of his litter had been dropped off at the Humane Society by someone who was unable to care for them. They were then fostered by a mother and her daughter, who had kindly put together a care package to go home with Milo and his future family. Milo has always been an introvert and standoffish around people he isn’t familiar with or just simply doesn’t like. But he can also be very loving. He enjoys belly rubs and head massages—on his terms, of course. And on cold days, he loves soaking up the warmth from the floor heater, which he can’t seem to get close enough to. I often find myself thinking, ‘He better cross his paws so that his beautiful white fur doesn’t singe off!’ Now that he’s become an old-man cat, he’s relaxed and opened himself up more.
Recently, after being a single mother of an only cat-child for 9 years, I started to think that it might be time to adopt again. I had already been making some big changes in my life by moving to a new city and starting a new job, so why not add one more thing to it all? As I had done nearly a decade earlier, I made my way to the Oregon Humane Society but intended only to look around and spend time with all of the fur babies. I should have known, though, that I wouldn’t be leaving alone.
Little Ziggy stole my heart with his grey and white tuxedo markings and coy demeanor. He had come from a litter of kittens whose mother was feral. The very opposite of Milo, it turns out that Ziggy is a cuddler and a kisser. He also loves to be the star of the show, performing for whoever will watch him run and play. He never ceases to entertain me.
Bringing Ziggy home has also brought Milo back to life, which I am so thankful for. Although, the relationship between the two boys started out rough because Milo first refused to share his space with a new cat. It took separating them in different rooms, swapping their beds to get them used to each others’ scents and brief encounters before they learned to love one another. For a short while before Ziggy, Milo had grown very overweight and I was getting concerned. But as soon as the Zigmeister (one of his many nicknames) arrived, I started to notice a big change in not only Milo’s weight but his energy level, too. Now, when Ziggy comes darting at him, arms and legs spread-eagle, Milo is ready.
As many people know, having a pet—whether it’s a cat or dog—can also have health benefits. And your fur baby doesn’t have to be a certified service animal for them to notice signs that something with you might not be OK. I live my day-to-day life with epilepsy and have experienced how Milo behaves toward me before I even have a seizure. Back in 2012, the night before an early work meeting, Milo had been more affectionate than usual, giving me extra snuggles and head boops. The behavior was odd for him but I didn’t think much of it at the time. Then at my work meeting the next morning, I experienced a larger seizure than normal with small convulsions. I truly believe that Milo could sense that something wasn’t quite right and the extra love and affection that he was giving to me was his way of communicating that.
These two fur babies are not only my family but my life, too. They bring me comfort, happiness, love and support—and I am grateful that I get to come home to them every day.
Courtney Miller is a preschool teacher at the Nike Child Development Center in Beaverton, Oregon.