The Story Of Zen Kitty

I’m Gemma, a writer, yoga teacher, and cat advocate.

I’ve always loved cats. But it wasn’t until I moved to Thailand that I discovered my true passion for felines, leading me to become a cat mum and kitten rescuer.

Orphaned kittens and sick cats began crossing my path regularly.

I was desperate to help them. But I didn’t know the basics of caring for cats, let alone how to save them from fatal diseases.

So I spent hours and hours researching online, trying to learn how I could help these street kitties.

I found plenty of information. But most of it was aimed at cats in Western countries where the climate and culture are totally different. So, I could never quite find the answers I sought.

I’ve spent the last four years rescuing and fostering kittens and caring for street cats.

I learned everything I needed to know through direct experience and the help of vets and other cat rescuers.

I know many people feel the way I felt four years ago, wanting to help stray cats but not knowing how.

That’s why I decided to combine my skills as a writer and cat carer to create this resource.

My aim is to help and inspire cat lovers worldwide to provide the best care to their pets and the stray cats in their communities.

Because while saving one cat may not change the world, for that one cat, their world changes forever!


The Inspiration Behind Zen Kitty

Every cat and kitten I’ve crossed paths with has given me the knowledge and expertise I can share today.

However, a handful of cats have had a notable influence, inspiring me to help other felines in need.

Peanut & Prince

The journey began 4 years ago in Koh Phangan, Thailand. Here, I rescued two cats from the streets – Peanut and Prince.

With Peanut, my lack of experience meant I didn’t realize how sick he was until it was too late.

With Prince, despite acting quickly, I was unable to save him due to lack of veterinary resources and knowledge.

Not being able to save Peanut and Prince broke my heart. But I decided to use that pain as fuel to learn everything I could about helping felines here in Thailand.

Their deaths also led me to two other kittens, who would later become my world…

Cappuccino & Toastie

On the same day I lost Prince, I encountered Cappuccino. I instantly knew the timing was NOT a coincidence.

That evening, I was driving home when suddenly, a little kitten ran out in front of me, scared and in terrible condition.

Although I was heartbroken from losing Prince, there was no way I could ignore him and carry on driving.

So I picked him up and took him home, naming him Cappuccino.

A few weeks later, I came across another kitten dumped in a garbage can.

Toastie, as I named him, was just 3 weeks old and needed to be bottle-fed, something I had never done before.

Cappuccino instantly fell in love with Toastie, and the two developed a strong bond.

Raising these two kittens taught me so much about caring for cats, giving me the confidence to foster and rescue countless more in the following years.

Unfortunately, Toastie tragically passed away in late 2023.

Reflecting on the many lessons he taught me, I decided to honor Toastie’s death with the birth of the Zen Kitty blog.

While he is no longer with me physically, his legacy lives on through the words I write…

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You might think fostering just one kitten won’t make a big difference… but for that kitten? ➡️ Swipe to see some truly heartwarming transformations ⬅️ One day they’re happily chasing toys and demanding treats… the next, they’re curled up, not moving, and refusing to eat. When I started fostering, I didn’t know anything… I didn’t plan to foster over 30 kittens. I just saw one tiny life in need… then another… and another. She died in my arms before I could even get her to the vet 😢

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