Months have passed since Zeus the cat bid a fond farewell to his deceased companion Sam the dog. The bereaved cat still has a deep affection for his longtime canine friend, though.
And that has recently become very evident.
On the surface, Zeus and Sam’s relationship may not have seemed too atypical for a cat and dog living under the same roof.
But despite the contrasts in their species and temperaments, a bond formed between them — though they did express it in different ways.
Emma Catanzarite, the pair’s owner, told The Dodo that Zeus “always attempted to snuggle with Sam and play with him, but Sam was always indifferent.” Zeus enjoyed making fun of him all the time.
But really, he just want proximity.
However, Sam the dog showed his love by being tolerant, as opposed to cats who typically have odd ways of expressing affection.
Sadly, though, their time together couldn’t last forever; two months ago, Sam died — and it cast a long shadow on the cat’s heart.
“Zeus seemed really lonely after Sam passed away,” Catanzarite said. “He followed my mom around a lot more during the day and he meowed a lot after he died like he was looking for him.
The day Sam died, we had him wrapped in a blanket and my mom came in the room to find Zeus sleeping on top of him, like he finally got the chance to cuddle with him.”
Sam may be gone, but this week Zeus found a way to reconnect with him.
Catanzarite’s brother had kept the dog’s old collar on a bookshelf in his room ever since the dog had passed away. Zeus discovered it the other day, and his heart immediately grew larger.
Zeus rushed up and sat down right by the collar when he finished smelling near the bookcase, Catanzarite recalled. “Seeing how thrilled he was to locate that and finally smell Sam again made me so sad,” the author said.
Here is a clip of Zeus finding the fragrance he had been longing for:
It’s tough to say for sure, but it sure seemed like the simple act of smelling Sam again was enough to heal his heart.
When he found it, Catanzarite observed, “He appeared really thrilled.” “I believe that may have benefited him.”
Nothing will ever be able to bring Sam back in physical form, but his soul and fragrance will always be present, and Zeus now knows where to go for them.
