A few days ago, I received a text from CWS, I was told that I was being nominated for the CWS volunteer appreciation award. I was surprised of course and I burst into laughter. I am only a nominee but not selected yet and I am supposed to send them my ‘story’. My story will only be shared if I am selected.
At first I thought I could get away by not attending the ceremony. However, I was asked to share my story even though I could not attend. Mel said it will be rude if I don’t share and it will not be nice too to the person who nominated me.
After thinking about it, I felt that it doesn’t hurt to share, doesn’t matter if I am selected or not. I hope my story can inspire others and if I am not selected, I hope the selected people could do so.
Mel has been working alongside with me all this while. She knows what I have been doing. As a teacher who received numerous awards, she knows very well what to write and she helped me.
My story goes like this…
It all started after my one and only beloved cat, Miemi, passed away three years ago at the age of twelve due to lymphoma. In order to commemorate her, I started feeding the community cats around my block at Whampoa every day without fail.
Half a year later, I finally adopted two tabby kittens from a CWS volunteer. About a few months into feeding community cats, I chanced upon a group of very hungry cats while I was at Hougang. One of them was heavily pregnant. I enlisted the help of the CWS volunteer whom I had contact with. I found out to my dismal that the cat was sterilized. I vowed to make up to her by feeding her for as long as she lives. Hence, I started feeding at Whampoa and Hougang every day. I always tidy up the place after feeding and educate people who care to listen about how wonderful these cats are and their plight. Once I started to volunteer, there is no turning back. There are no rest days even when I am ill or even when I have moved to Sembawang. I suffered a lot of verbal abuses, and threats from neighbours in Hougang. I was not deterred by the town council officers and MPs who came to speak to me. I live by the belief that I need to be the voice for not only the cats but animals.
I also realized that the only way to save the cats is to control the cat population. I joined CWS and became an independent volunteer with my friend, Melanie, to sterilize cats. We persuade others to sterilize their cats and nurse sick cats and kittens back to health. I teamed up with CWS officers to conduct mass round up of cats for sterilization in areas with unsterilized cats. For cats that are suitable to be rehomed, I would join CWS’ cat adoption drives and put up online advertisements to help them find a good home. I maintain close contact with my adopters to ensure that the rescued cats are well.
I have responded to appeals for help on Facebook as well such as a feline whose paw was being eaten up by maggots. The feeder refused to send her to the vet so I did so as I could only imagine the pain that she had to go through. I named her Miracle and she proved to be one. She collapsed while the vet was dressing her wound but thankfully, I made the decision to resuscitate her. She eventually recovered but I have decided to keep her as she has a nasal problem.
Another cat that badly needed rescue was a deaf cat which I found at Changi Village. I vividly remembered that it was late at night. I spotted a white cat under a tree near the carpark. I gave it some food but it did not even lift up its head. I walked closer to check if it was dead and realized that the cat was covered with bites and burns and he was deaf. There was poo all around him and he seemed to be in pain. I brought him home and nursed him. He turned out to be of low intelligence and given that he is deaf, I could not bear to release him back to the streets. I decided to keep him and although he is unlike normal cats, I have grown to love him as well.
I strongly believe that all lives are precious. Every time I have to make a decision to sterilize a probably pregnant cat, I struggle internally. I do not allow myself to be desensitized. Whatever decisions I make must be for the welfare of cats, even when I had to make the tough and unpopular decision of taking action to save the tens of community cats from stray dogs after exhausting all avenues of help, or rescuing a litter of 6 black kittens and 4 adult cats, 2 of which were pregnant from AVA. As they were both heavily pregnant, I could not bear to abort the fetuses. I let them give birth and am trying my best to rehome them.
All these would not have happened without the support of other rescuers, especially Melanie, who work alongside with me.
Today, I not only commemorate Miemi, I also commemorate all rescued cats who have passed on or have gone missing under my care. The grief I had for my recent seven rescued kittens who had passed on one after another makes me wonder if I was being defeated. No, I just feel heart broken. When all is healed, I am all ready for the next rescue.
THE END.
It is not an interesting story. However, these stories are genuine. I don’t know how the outcome will be and I wouldn’t care much about the result but I am really happy that I have a chance to ‘speak up’.
Volunteer appreciation award? I really don’t want to cling on to it.
Cats who teach me to fly... 