Remembering Mojo Jojo

Mojo Jojo – my best friend, my soul mate, my baby, my everything. (Aka Mojo, Moji, Mogo Gai Pan and Momo).

I lost my fluffy, sweet boy almost a week ago today. And losing him has been the hardest experience for me. Our bond goes far beyond the owner to pet. He was a part of me. I could look into his eyes and see his soul. We understood each other and were always there for each other. We were practically attached at the hip. I cry every morning, every night, I cry doing anything around the house – I have lost a part of me.

Even though I have been wrestling with emotions of depression, sadness, hate, regret, guilt and more… I do remember him for the 13 years of love and happiness he gave me. He gave me the best 13 years of my life. I truly am changed for my experiences with him and I want to share the happiness he brought me, Mark and my family over the years.

Bringing Moji home
It was my junior year of high school and I had always talked about owning a cat. I wanted one sooo badly but my mom was allergic. A friend on the school bus mentioned a neighbor of his bred Ragdolls – a hypoallergenic cat. And he said he could get me one for free! Normally they go for about $700. After months of waiting I got a phone call that the kittens were born but they had a heart murmur. I decided to skip that litter and wait for the next one. In May they were born and healthy but I had to wait 9 weeks until I could take him home. In July 2001 I went over to the house and all of the kittens were out around the mom.

I spotted a tiny kitten, kind of hiding under something and a bit shy. I looked right into his eyes and knew he was mine. But the breeder said I couldn’t pick my kitten and she had already picked one out. As fate would have it, it was the same kitten I spotted. He was the runt of the litter and I loved him to pieces. At the time I was obsessed with the Power Puff Girls cartoon, which featured an evil monkey genius named Mojo Jojo. That was the perfect name for my kitten.

Bringing Mojo home was wonderful, he was so tiny he could fit in the palm of my hand. He cried a lot because he was in a new environment but he always stayed right with me. Like a puppy, following me from room to room. At night he even slept right on my pillow next to my face for the beginning months of his life. He struggled at first to get up and down the stairs but learned quickly.

As fate would have it, I started officially dating my now husband Mark, a day after I got Mojo. Mark even was at the house the day I brought Mojo home.

Growing up

At the time Mojo was all white except for his nose which was grey, but as he grew up he developed the most beautiful features. He was white and grey with hair that was smooth and soft to the touch. His eyes were bright blue and his face was dark grey with a white marking in the center. His legs and tail were grey except for his paws and tip of his tail were white. It was like he was dipped in white on the tips. He was absolutely beautiful.

Over the years, Mojo stuck by my side as I graduated high school and college as well. I lived right near my college, Rutgers, so I commuted to school. When I would be home studying Mojo was always with me, sitting on my books or standing in front of my computer screen, always looking for attention.

When I graduated college and went to move in my first apartment in NY with Mark, Mojo of course came with us. He followed us from there to another apartment in NJ and then into our home.

Through all of our moves, Mojo was an avid mouse catcher and always made each house feel more like a home.

He wasn’t just a cat, he was our child, he was our baby, he was a member of our family.

Whenever things got rough he was always there. When Mark or I were sick he would sleep in the bed with us, when I would cry he would curl up next to me, when I would get anxiety or suffered from panic attacks he was there to rub up against me and let me pet him to calm down.

Since Mark loves to cook, Mojo developed a very high-class palate. He would eat almost anything Mark cooked such as bison steak, edamame and fun items like McDonald’s Big Mac burgers.

Mojo’s antics

In our current home, he loved the garage – that is where the mice were. He would always bring in a mouse he caught with such pride and offer it to Mark or I. We always accepted with gratitude and then secretly threw it away. There were a few times when he brought a mouse into our bedroom as an offering but it wasn’t quite dead yet so as he plopped it down on the floor it would start running all over the bedroom with Mojo quick on his tail. He always caught the rodent and kept us safe.

There are birds that like to make a nest in our air conditioner units in the windows so Mojo would always sit in the chair I placed for him and swat at the window to scare them away.

Every morning as soon as we stirred or the alarm would sound, Mojo was incessant on meowing until we got up. We were never late. I would give him his treat of either a bit of tuna or some wet food each morning.

He was spoiled, I admit it. Since Mark and I don’t have any children, he was our baby. He had his own bedroom, he had a water fountain to drink, he would get cat nip everyday and treats every night. He was our baby.

He always waited by the door when Mark or I would come home from anywhere.

He was my running buddy in a sense as he would greet me when I returned, he would rub up against my legs as I stretched and would always sniff my shoes to see where I had been. He always had a keen sense of smell and was always curious. Everyday after he greeted Mark or I from work, he would whine to go in the garage just to smell our tires and see where we went. He would also smell our hair and lips to see where we had been or eaten.

One of the things I miss the most was when Mojo and I would hang out on the beg together sometimes he would offer up his paw. I would just hold it in my hand and wrap my fingers closed around the paw. And just hold it and squeeze it. Mojo would do the same, in my palm he would curl his little toes and essentially squeeze me back. While we sat there paw in hand, we would just stare into each other’s eyes for a while. I was as though we were sharing our deepest thoughts. And then he would squint as to acknowlegde whatever I was sharing.

Missing Mojo

Mojo offered Mark and I so much over the years. It’s a shame his life was so suddently cut short with a blood clot. He as the most healthy cat ever and the happiest ever. I know many say he lived 13 years but it wasn’t his time. He had maybe 7 years left in him and I feel robbed. Even as I type this tears stream down my face and my chest tightens up. I literally feel my heart break and the pain in my heart.

Even at the end Mojo was still happy. He made sure to bite his cardboard box one more time before I loaded him in the car. As I sped down the streets to the hospital, I sang a song I made up for him when I first got him.

“Mojo you so cute,

Mojo you so fine,

Mojo you the best kitty of the time.”

He looked at me through the crate and he knew what was happening. I could see it in his eyes as we drove. At the vet he was still purring and opted to just lay on my hand. His head just rested on me as he purred and told me he loved me as I showered him with kisses and tears. To the very end he purred and was the sweetest, happiest cat.

Mojo was so much more than a cat, he was our baby, he was our companion, he was our light in our lives. Our connection is something I can not fully explain its as though we were truly soul mates and understood each other just by looking in each other’s eyes. He saved me and I am forever grateful for the love he gave me.

I miss you Mojo Jojo.

Mojo Jojo 07/09/01 – 07/14/14