Cats who teach me to fly…

It was my usual feeding hours at Whampoa, perhaps just a little late. I heard a loud ‘bang’ on the second floor shelter. First I thought it was a suicide and next I heard something like busy footsteps and I thought it must be the children playing again. I walked away.

I spent about another 10mins feeding a few cats at another area but still within the few blocks and I went back to the place where I heard the ‘bang’ and continue feeding. Three malays approached me and told me that there was a cat who fell down from 10 floor and still breathing. I was not at all panicked cos in my mind, no cat survive falling from 10 floor. So I told them to prepare to bury him as he was not going to make it. They insisted that I go and take a look. I was reluctant to go as I was afraid to see a broken cat… I kept asking them if the cat looked ok. They said yes and not at all scary. 

I went with them and the cat can only be seen at third floor. His nose was bleeding and was grasping for breath. He actually sat up with his front legs. At that moment, I still thought that he was not going to survive cos he was grasping so hard on his breath. Well, I can’t just watch and leave him alone. In order to save him, I had to climb up and out to the shelter. I didn’t expect to do this at this age. That was to removed my slipper, climbed out from two and a half floor and crawl on top of the shelter barefooted and finally I reached the cat. But I have nothing with me, no carrier nothing. Benjo was at Island Vet that day and my carrier was there. I told the young lady who approached me to give me something, a shirt or something so that I can carry him. She brought me a shirt and a big sheet that looked like an aluminium foil and that was enough to carry the cat and I can’t carry alone. Luckily, the brave young lady helped me. And step by step we moved the cat away from the scene.

I quickly carried the cat to my vehicle. The cat had to be at the front seat so I can watch him just in case I need to make a U turn… We were on our way to Island Vet again. 

Along the way, I noticed the cat seemed to look comfortable instead and it really really freaked me out!

Finally we were at island vet!

This is the cat!

Xrays were given to him. Oxygen escaped from his lungs and that was why he was grasping his breathe. No signs of broken bones. All organs were intact. However, he was unable to use his hind legs. 

As days went by, he started to move his hind legs a little. 

It was on the 10th of April that the accident happened. Today, Smoochie is able to walk but not fully recovered. He is especially weak on his left leg. He still could not jump or climb up steadily. But Mel and I were happy with the result.

However, we cannot take in anymore cats. Once Smoochie is sterilised and if there are still no one who would like to adopt him, we would have to release him…

Hope that someone would come to him soon and give him a safe and loving home. 

PS: I was told by the people who live there on the next day that he was thrown down from the 10 floor. This is the third case as far as I know. Speechless! 

I brought Shunshun home last Sunday. We were told that he was not going to survive. I just hope to make his last few days at home wonderful. 

Mel was worried about me cos I was too optimistic about his condition. I told her one has to learn to be optimistic always but must also know how and when to let go when things do not go your way. I have always loved this quote by the Buddha.

“In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you” ~ Buddha 

I slept with Shunshun and he was always running away from me when he saw me cos I had to force feed him. He greeted me one last time like he used to greet me when I returned home on the second day when he was back. He woke up and ran towards the door looking at me. And I knew this could be the last time. 

He and Sunshine got along very well. Whenever I moved Sunshine away from the room, he would stand at the door yelling and waiting for her to return. From what I see now, Sunshine seems to be coping well without Shunshun even when Shunshun was in the hospital for a week. And we are glad!

Sunshine behaved adorably by showing off her belly to Shunshun.

This picture was taken in Sembawang. 

Shunshun was rescued on February 2014. He was surrounded by many cats under a car and Shunshun has a pair of awkward hind legs. He could not scratch himself using his hind leg and he could neither jump high nor far, therefore, we had to bring him back and see what we can do next. 

Shortly after we brought him home, he had a pillow ear and I sent him to AMK vet for surgery. Since then we realised Shunshun was actually a sweet boy. Giving him medicine and cleaning his ear was not difficult. 

He just loved sitting at the hammock. I remember he was named “crocodile” when we first brought him back cos he just couldn’t stop biting us. Until Sunshine came into his life and everything changed…

Sunshine would jump so high and when she descends, she would tap on Shunshun’s head hard and I was always laughing and Shunshun would look so blurred. He didn’t see it coming I believe. Sunshine opened his heart up and Shunshun began to learn to love and not bite anymore. 

When Shunshun was home last Sunday, Sunshine kept licking him. Showing him her love as usual…

I am glad that I did not choose to euthanize him. Shunshun left peacefully and Mel was with him.

I read the Medicine Buddha Sutra to him every night and tonight Mel read to him and he left when Mel was halfway reading it. I chanted the mantra. Whatever I can do for my cats and all my loved ones, I did it for them way before anything happens to them. Therefore, I was not upset with Shunshun’s departure. There is really nothing to hold on to our contaminated body. I told Shunshun that our body is useless. Come back with a healthy body and meet me again. As long as ‘mummy’ did not fall into the lower realm and you would not too.

Through our effort and virtues, may Shunshun have a favourable rebirth.

Shunshun was hospitalised this afternoon. He vomited plenty of yellow liquid and he looked really unwell. When I was cleaning up for him this afternoon, I told him how much I care for him despite his naughty character. I told him that I will take care of him no matter what happen and he will not be abandoned or left out or being ignored by me. He looked into my eyes as if he knew what I was saying. After cleaning up for him, he just lay flat as if he was going to die… I got freaked out and sent him to Island Vet immediately. 

This photo was taken this afternoon after cleaning him up.

His blood test result shows that he has juandiced. It indicated that he also has kidney and liver disease. Shunshun is a FeLV positive cat. Others think that it may be a disadvantage for him but I am very sure that it will not affect his illness.

Shunshun was given antibiotics and medicine for his kidney and liver. Mel felt negative about it but I am confident that Shunshun will recover soon and he doesn’t need further examination. This time his sickness got a bit serious. 

I didn’t know that I miss Shunshun. Someone is missing in the room. I believe Shunshun misses Sunshine and so does Sunshine. 

We will be visiting Shunshun tomorrow evening. I am looking forward to bring him home soon.

Benjo was hospitalised on 4 March. 2 to 3 weeks before I decided to send Benjo to the vet, Benjo has lost so much weight, however, he has great appetite. I can feel his spine. And I thought he may be suffering from major illness. Illness like kidney failure, cancer etc… The reason why I didn’t send him to the vet earlier was because we have just rescued Burry and the bill was around 2.3k. Therefore, I have to wait just a little while and finally I couldn’t wait anymore.

Benjo was diagnosed with diabetes. Mel was extremely worried when she heard that and I was like “diabete diabete lor”. Mel’s father was a diabetic patient and that explains…

Benjo needs to be given two jabs everyday to stablise his glucose level. When I was told that I had to give him 2 jabs daily, honestly, I felt nothing despite the fact that I am afraid of needles.

Thanks to the nurse at Island Vet who taught me how to give injection and also thanks to those rescuers whom I had seek for help and was being ignored by them.

Benjo’s condition has been stablised and I hope gradually Benjo will need only one jab daily and eventually none…

Benjo looking miserable in the hospital!:)

I am so glad to be able to give injection to Benjo myself and I made a promise to help others who have similar situations or conditions like me.

Before Burry went missing for three days, I knew she wasn’t feeling alright cos she refused to eat the food I gave her but she looked active and healthy as she followed me around. 

When she came back after three days, she looked so weak and refused to eat completely.  She just laid on the grass and not moving a muscle and I had to pull her out and put her into the basket. It was after 9.30 that night and most of the vet clinics were closed. The nearest vet clinic I can think of was the Companion Vet Clinic. I wouldn’t dare even to consider James Tan Vet after the incident of Po.

I knew it was going to be expensive. Upon looking at Burry’s condition, I really didn’t want to wait till the next morning. 

The vet gave her a full blood test and all her vital organs are functioning well. I told the vet we’ll do the xray at Island Vet the next morning.

The bill at Companion Vet Clinic cost $550. I sent Burry straight to Island Vet after she was discharged on the next day. Dr Tharm did an xray on her. Burry had a long stool queuing up all the way to her liver. Her stool was suppressing her small intestine and she was terribly constipated. 

On that afternoon, Dr Tharm removed all her poops. The next thing that bothered Burry was her pneumonia. She has to be force feed for three days since she wasn’t eating by herself and on the fourth day she ate by herself.

Her flu got well. Dr Tharm thought she had megacolon. What I like about Dr Tharm is she always do things step by step. She didn’t cut her colon straight. 

Burry is home with me. She eats well and poops well:). Her big intestine is working:). She is super manja. 

Burry when she was hospitalised on the 9th Feb. She is more than 10 years old I guess but if there is a need to remove her big intestine, I wouldn’t hesitate to do so. However, everything is doing fine for Burry.:)

I wonder if I didn’t send Burry to the vet, will she recover by herself and stay alive? Or will she die of a slow death? I really don’t know.