Xin Xin, our best little girl in the world

1 January 2002 to 2 February 2019
17 years & 1 month of wonderful memories

This took me a while to write. The action of penning it down means that our Xin Xin has really left us for good.

There is no good way to reconcile it when the bright sparkle that came into our lives 2 days before CNY in 2002 will leave us 17 years later 2 days before the 2019 CNY.

Xin Xin brightened our lives the first time we laid eyes on her. She jumped straight out of the cage into my lap, took a look at me and immediately scurried around the pet shop, exploring. My heart was immediately captured by that furry little thing.

She was a playful little girl with unlimited energy. Always playing, sprinting, jumping, exploring. She spent almost all her waking hours active whenever we were home, even when she became a senior cat.

And despite not asking for the attention, she was the most popular cat in the household. Every single cat which came into the household after her, except for Chang Chang, idolised her, mesmerized by what she does.

Bon Bon loved her big sister immensely. She followed Xin Xin every single waking minute.

Yuan Yuan called out to her like her long lost mummy, seeking her affection and attention every day.

Mei Mei followed Xin Xin and Bon Bon around, knowing that these 2 mischievous girls are always up to something fun. And after Bon Bon left us, Mei Mei remained her loyal sidekick.

Our Xin Xin had 2 BIG loves.

She loved us. Whenever possible, she will be beside one of us – sleeping, snuggling, resting, playing, seeking affection. She will always be the first one to greet us at the door almost every single day. And when we open the bedroom door every morning, she will sprint from wherever she is and come immediately to us.

Xin Xin LOVED her wet food. She would always be the first one at our feet during meal times. She would be the first to finish, then waiting patiently for the rest to perhaps leave some in their dish and straightaway, devour it whole. But she was a nice girl with manners. She would never nudge them away when they eat. After all this, she would still follow us around, hopeful that we might still have a last spoonful of wet food for her. Begging us with her large round eyes, cute little pink button nose and that silent meow.

Xin Xin trusted us with her life. When she was diagnosed with HCM and kidney failure in 2007, she took all the medical treatment without complain. The vets and vet techs told us she was cooperative with all the needles and such. She did not hiss or scratch. And she never run away from us for the twice daily pilling. If anything, she would come to us voluntarily for the pilling, because she knew she would get another mouthful of her wet food after that.

She was gutsy with the tenacity to live. She fought back from the brink of death in 2007 to live another 12 years. It much exceeded the vet’s expectation because she actually thrived after that episode. Her eyes sparkled. Her coat was shiny. She gained back muscles and lost weight. She continued sprinting and playing. It is as if she was never sick before.

We always thought we would finally lose her to heart or kidney failure. And perhaps only when she gets to beyond 20 years old. She was that healthy.

But it was mouth cancer (Gingival Squamous Cell Carcinoma) which took her away from us. We detected a lump under her chin mid December 18 and brought her to the vet immediately.

Biopsy showed that it was malignant. The vet could operate to remove the tumour. We read up and the chances of getting well from that is dismal. She might survive the operation and we know she will. But her mouth would be sore and in pain and that takes away one joy from her. The road to recovery will be long and painful with a high chance of the cancer cells spreading to her other organs quickly, before painfully killing her a second time perhaps just months after the surgery.

We made the painful decision not to go ahead with the surgery on the morning of the surgery. We did not want her to suffer unnecessary pain with no guaranteed chance of success.

She was strong and fit one day and by the 4th week, the tumor grew exponentially it sapped her energy and life away. Despite the pain and the big tumour in her mouth, she still sought us for attention. For love. For food. 

But we saw how painful it was for her. We let her go on 2 Feb 2019.

We cried so much during that one month. It was so painful. It still is.

With Xin Xin gone, the energy in the household is lost. The house is a lot quieter now, especially when all but one of them are above 14 years old.

We are still grieving. After 3 weeks, her adopted daughter Yuan Yuan, seems to have finally come to the conclusion that her mommy has left. Xin Xin’s scent around the house is fading. Yuan Yuan has been calling out loud to her mommy the last few days.

I don’t think we will ever have another cat like Xin Xin. She is very much unique. Who would have known this little kitten adopted from the street would have so much character and gave us so much love that after she left, there is this big hole in our hearts.

Goodbye, our best little girl in the world. Go find Bon Bon at the Rainbow Bridge. May you be free from all pains from this point onwards. You will always be in our hearts.