Jay Osmond's Isaac

Where else would a drummer's cat steal away for a snooze,
but inside its master's drumset?!
Jay recently caught Isaac quite comfortable inside his old drumset,
(which oldest son, Jason, has now taken over).

Many of you have read Jay's answers to questions on his "Ask Jay" segments about his cats. Or perhaps you've taken a look at "The Jay Osmond Family Pets" webpage, where Jay and family shared photos including Isaac - the family cat. Over the years (and greatly due to his children), Jay has found a real love for cats. Recently, this love was shared with freelance writer Marla Brooks, who authors a regular feature in popular cat magazine, "Cat Fancy." Marla's monthly column with the magazine is entitled "Backstage," which spotlights celebrities who have special stories to tell about their love for cats.

~~~
Osmond Brother Jay Beats The Drum For Pet Power

Jay Osmond, the youngest of the original Osmond Brothers group started his show-business career at the age of 2. His love of animals also began at an early age.

“Living on a farm in Ogden, Utah, we grew up with chickens, cows, and horses,” Osmond says. “My father has the biggest heart in the world when it comes to loving all living creatures.”

In 1992, the family moved to Branson, Mo. “My parents had a little house there with this stray cat that my father used to feed,” Osmond says. “He was skittish and didn’t go to anyone except for Father. We called him Fast Eddie. For some strange reason, he took a liking to me as well. Around the same time, I got a dog for my kids. We went back to Utah for a vacation, and Father watched the dog. When we got back, I noticed that Fast Eddie was kind of hiding in the corner all the time, trying to steer clear of the dog. I was really bothered and became protective of the little cat. Soon after, some people who came to visit fell in love with the dog and asked if they could take him. I couldn’t believe it, but I let them take my dog, and I kept the cat!”

Years later, more cats entered Osmond’s life. “I was planning on getting my sons another pet, and these two little stray kittens suddenly appeared,” Osmond says. “Someone had dropped them off and they didn’t look well. My kids fell in love with them, so I took them to the vet to make sure they were healthy. When I brought them home, my sons Eric and Jason named the kittens Zeek and Isaac. Isaac, now 7 years old, is a pure black domestic shorthair and claimed Eric’s heart. Zeek, the tabby, soon became Jason’s new friend.”

While Zeek thrived, Isaac developed an allergic reaction. “Every summer, he started biting all his hair off,” Osmond says. “We did all kinds of tests on him, sent him to a specialist in Kansas City and finally, after months, found he was allergic to white oak trees, which are everywhere in Missouri. I knew we were moving back to Utah, where there were no white oaks. Once we got back, he was fine.” Ironically, Osmond’s wife, Kandilyn, developed a severe allergy to Zeek and Osmond reluctantly began looking for a new home for him.

“I never thought I could have such strong emotions for a cat,” Osmond says. “I felt sad and angry. I was upset with myself. I interviewed a ton of people trying to find him a good home, and finally found some wonderful people from Arkansas. We go back every year to visit Zeek. It’s like going to visit a member of the family. Zeek’s new owners were amazed we came all that way just to visit a cat. I never thought I’d be like that!”

“I believe God blessed our lives with pets. I believe God loves every creature and there’s a purpose for each and everyone. I know all pets bring us emotional healing, mental and spiritual development. They teach us absolute unconditional love. I’m a total believer that cats will do something great for kids and adults. How can you not fall in love with them?”

Each month, “Backstage” profiles celebrities’ special relationship with cats. Marla Brooks is a regular contributor to CAT FANCY.