When I was born in Nov of 1967 in CT, my parents and family had two Samoyed Huskies, a mated pair, Nicky (M) and Meka (F). As an infant, I was very bonded with Meka. My mom would find me missing from my crib even before I was a year old, and she would find me sleeping on top of Meka wherever she was laying in the house. At 9 mos old, I began to attempt standing and my mother had to take me to Orthopedics as I would collapse onto the ankles. I was placed in casts for the next year or so. It did not deter a young one from trying to walk or stand and Meka taught me how to walk. My mother would find me trying to stand as I lay on the dog and Meka would wait until I had a full grip of her fur and the slowly stand up taking me with her. Even when I transitioned to othro shoes with the bar across the middle, Meka taught me how to walk and move around even with all the limitations I had. From the beginning of our bond, she would tend to me as one of her pups, cleaning me, tending to my needs, and if I was sleeping on top of her, she never moved until I did. As an adolescent, my older siblings had chores and friends and when we weren’t all together doing whatever, I spent my time with Meka even in the big dog house and run my dad had built for them outside. She was my best friend that I told all my secrets and stories to.
In 1977, my dad was having to go to work overseas in Saudi Arabia, the two oldest kids were going into the Army, so we had to move to Florida so my mom would have family close by to help her out with the 3 kids still at home and any other issues that may arise. My parents made the decision to have Meka put to sleep as she was in her elder years and Florida would not be a good place for her besides the fact we didn’t even know where we would be living yet. Mom told me she just couldn’t give Meka to another family so late in her life so did the hardest decision they ever made as they also had to put our two cats to sleep as well. Nicky had already passed by getting hit by a car a few years prior.
Over the years, I always missed my Meka but life took me across country several times and all kinds of life adventures. After my first child was born, I found I had developed many many allergies including to dogs and cats from the pregnancy. I was heartbroken to think I would never be able to have a pet again in my home! I was determined though and did get two kittens who were born on Easter to my sister’s kitty when my daughter had just turned 3 yrs. I couldn’t cuddle them or snuggle. I did not feel the deep connection but loved them the best I could as I wanted my kids to have a life with pets growing up.
Jumping forward in time, I had moved to Las Vegas in 1997, got divorced in 2000, met my life mate, and began raising a blended family of my two girls and my stepson with my partner. Two kitties in tow as well, Snowy and Tiggy referenced above.
In Fall of 2005, we moved to the woods in North Carolina and that winter we surprised each of the kids with a puppy of their own. The home we bought came with the invisible fencing, 3 collars for the fence, and 2.5 acres plus no carpet! We went to adopt 3 golden retriever puppies to surprise the kids for Christmas. There were four available from the litter and as we were there, my husband bonded with the fourth.. so yes we adopted FOUR golden retrievers that Christmas. One for each child and one for my husband. But as much as I loved these babies and became Alpha Mom, I had yet to feel my bond with Meka. Our kitties passed, Tiggy at age 15, and her litter mate, Snowy passed in Nov. 2013 at age 18 1/2.
Around 2011, I started telling my husband,” the next animal to come to us is going to be MINE! Everyone else has a dog and whether it is a dog or a cat, the next one is for ME! ”
April 2013, life was a bit hectic with family stuff going on and my husband was working as the Head of Maintenance for the Charlotte Country Club. Part of his job included having to trap the stray animals on the property and have animal control come pick them up. He knew there was a stray momma that often had her litters on the property but she avoided capture at every turn. One morning, he went out to check the grounds (he dealt with the clubhouse stuff not the golf course), and as he started to walk towards the pool and laundry area, he heard this itty bitty sound that captured his attention. In the grass was this itty bitty cream colored ball of fluff yelling as loud as she could in this tiny little voice. He picked her up and she had grey colored socks and ears with big blue eyes. She looked to be about 3 weeks old. As he held her, he found where she had come from. Under the laundry room building was a crawl space in which Momma Cat had stashed her three kittens. He found her two brothers still sleeping in the hidden spot momma had placed them. He put the little girl back and told the Sous Chef about them. He came home and told me about the little one he had found and how he felt I would just love this little cat. I said, “Well why didn’t you bring her home!?” We talked about it and he went back to work the next day with plans to bring her home that day but the kittens were not where he left them.
When he ran into the Sous Chef, he asked about the kittens and the Sous Chef told him he had taken the kittens to his home after his shift and fed them some cream. My husband then told him how I wanted the little girl and Chef said he would bring her to us in 3 days when he was off.
I was over the moon about this new baby coming and more excited than I realized. Chef pulled up in the driveway and I didn’t even let him get out of the car before I was right at his door waiting. He steps out of the car and placed this little fluff ball in my hand. She was SO tiny my hand was bigger than her and I am a small person! She looked me in the eyes and I KNEW! I just KNEW who her soul was… it was Meka in this little tiny cat body!!! I asked her right then what her name is to be and I heard whispered in my head, the tiniest of voice, My name is Teaka. I was 45 yrs old and my Meka knew I could not take in another dog and my Snowy cat was soon to depart. She chose to be a kitty this time around as she would serve me best in that form!
I slept on the couch the first week of her being with us as she was so little and four big dogs in the house too, I fretted over her. I would snuggle her up close and she started cleaning my hair. We still have “hair time” every day hahahaa! She is definitely my little love! She is now full grown and still small as she only weighs 8 lbs. She still mother’s me and is teaching me all the time. I am a medium as well and even though I knew in my heart this was true, I do still like to get confirmation from other sources too. So one day when Jamie was trance channeling Maitland on FB Live, I did ask the specific question. Maitland said YES, Meka came back to be Teaka and will continue to come back to me as long as I am here living this particular life.
So yes, your dog can come back to you as a cat or your cat can come back to you as a dog, a bird, whatever is going to work for you and them best to rejoin you in your life journey.
–Shannon