Our little ginger furball, our little pocket torpedo

Yuan Yuan

November 2004 to 10 October 2019

14 years & 11 months old

We read stories about people who had been inseparable all their lives and when one party dies, the surviving one gets so heartbroken he/she will also soon move on.

We never thought this would happen to us.

Our Yuan Yuan moved on last week, 8 months after her beloved adopted mummy, Xin Xin, left us.

Yuan Yuan had always been a cat-cat, only close to Xin Xin. Ever since we picked her off the street as a 3- month old kitten, she had stuck close to Xin Xin, following her mummy around whenever she can.

Xin Xin never showed much maternal actions towards Yuan Yuan but deep down, we think she really cared for her adopted daughter. Whenever Yuan Yuan hollered during her bath time, Xin Xin would be pacing and meowing outside the bathroom to make sure Yuan Yuan is okay.

Since Xin Xin left us, Yuan Yuan could not find a new emotional support to lean on. She left heartbroken and depressed, her tiny body further wrecked by failing kidneys.

Our little pocket torpedo

Yuan Yuan was our little pocket torpedo. She had never liked to be held or cuddled and would find the earliest opportunity to struggle out from our embrace.

Just 3 weeks earlier, she would still meow out loud her protests when we grab her for her daily sub-cut. If she find that we were taking too long with the sub-cut, she would burst away from our grasps violently, sometimes taking the whole drip along with her. Sometimes, she might even turn back and give us a little hiss, telling us how much she disliked it.

Yuan Yuan was the only one in the household who would never come voluntarily to us for a scratch or a pet. We always had to approach her, sitting silently beside her and gently touching her. She would tolerate it for a minute or two before she walked away.

No matter what, we had always loved her, an important member of our family.

Catching the breeze

Yuan Yuan liked the outdoors. Below the row of plants, she would rest in the balcony where she would catch the breeze. This was her sanctuary where she would rest, sleep and lounge.

When she was younger, she would seek the rays of sunlight which shone on parts of the balcony, sometimes moving together with the rays as the sun raced across the sky. She would roll on her back happily, sleeping with her belly exposed.

Whenever she could, she would spend her whole day there, coming in only when the sun set.

Xin Xin, her adopted mummy

When we found Yuan Yuan as a 3-month old, she was alone in a Simei estate void deck. We walked past a small drain and she was hiding in there. We would not have noticed her if she had not hissed at us for allegedly encroaching into her space.

Over the next few days, we would seek her out as often as we could. She was always alone though there were several other older community cats living in the same void deck. But she was a loner and would never come to us like other kittens.

Her playmate was this domesticated young male cat from a household in the same block. We remembered her play-chasing after him, sprinting across grass patches. As she hurdled over the shrubs, her 4 short legs would spread wide open like a flying squirrel.

Her antics, cute face and short kinked tail won us over and we took her home one of those nights.

We named her 圆圆 to pay homage to her rotund figure.

For some magical reasons, she latched onto Xin Xin as her adopted mummy even though Xin Xin never paid her much attention. She would follow her mummy around the house, sometimes trying to get her attention by meowing loudly. If she was lucky, Xin Xin might groom her a little and I think Yuan Yuan must have been so happy with that.

It was very much a one-sided love affair most of the time. And it had a devastating impact on Yuan Yuan after Xin Xin left us unexpectedly earlier this year. She became moodier and spent more time alone. She tried seeking another mummy figure in Kim Kim, calling out to her whenever she walked past but Kim Kim is old and did not respond.

Her last stretch

We detected she had diabetes mid 2017 and chronic renal failure mid 2018. We managed to sustain her condition for many months with daily insulin injections and sub-cut. She continued to be fairly active with a healthy appetite till she started to deteriorate quickly beginning of Oct.

We decided that she should not suffer anymore and with a heavy heart, we let her go.

Goodbye our little pocket torpedo. We hope that you had a good life with us though we had never asked if you would like to be part of our household. We are glad you had Xin Xin as your mummy.

Go find Xin Xin and Bon Bon at the Rainbow Bridge. You had brought us so many happy moments. When we look at the balcony, we will forever find you there. You will always be in our hearts.

3 years since you left us

We had fried chicken tonight, just like what we had for the last 2 years on 14 March.

We remember how you loved fried chicken, especially KFC. But we never did give you much because it is not the appropriate food for you. But you are always such a nice girl, patiently waiting by our legs, hoping we will relent.

Having fried chicken tonight is our way to remember you. That you still occupy a big space in our hearts.

The pain has passed, at least for me. But we still remember and miss you fondly.

Your Xin Xin jie jie just joined you over there. So show her how that place works. I am sure you two will be running around and playing in no time. My little grey girl, do take care of each other.

2nd anniversary - Bon Bon

Our dearest Bon Bon,

Today marks the day you have left us for 2 years.

The pain is still there but it has diminished much.

But we still miss you lots.

Grandma Kim Kim has got much older this past year. She has diabetes and CRF but she is coping well like a grand old lady. She'll be 18 soon, you know. 

Your Xin Xin big sister is going strong. She's still mad you know. I think she misses you running after her when she goes crazy daily. Mei Mei does not do as good a job as you.

Your little nephew Chang Chang has got rid of his itchy skin problem. Yay!

Yuan Yuan also has mild diabetes since Jul 17. She has lost some weight and muscle but overall, she is good. Do you know she is now a lot friendlier and receptive to us stroking her? Did you whisper this to her? I think you did. Thank you, BB.

And your little sidekick Mei Mei has slimmed down a bit this last 12 months. She's doing well on her new diet. She remains your little spunky niece.

We miss you. Come back from time to time to visit, ok? We are having your favorite KFC tonight. We'll leave some for you.

Happy birthday, my little grey girl

You would have turned 15 tomorrow if you are still with us.

Happy birthday, my little grey girl.

You still remain in our hearts.

1st year anniversary

To our little girl,

It was 12 months ago when you left us.

We still miss you very much.

2016 reflections

2016 has not been kind to us.

Bon Bon and Mei Mei

We started 2016 with Bon Bon diagnosed with oral cancer on 27 Dec 2015. We fought the disease valiantly together with her for 2½ months, hoping for a miracle. It was not meant to be and we had to ease her pain and let her go in mid Mar.

In that same quarter, we noticed the Mei Mei had some blood in her pee. The vet found a bladder stone and had to operate to remove the stone. Luckily for us, a combination of early detection, Mei Mei’s relatively young age and the skill of the vet meant that she bounced back to health within 2 weeks.

We grieved the passing of Bon Bon in the next few months as the remaining 5 of them re-positioned their ranking within the family. Some routines changed. Mei Mei replaced Bon Bon and started to shadow Xin Xin around the house. Yuan Yuan became slightly more vocal. And every night when we reach home from work, we will find the 3 of them right at the door, welcoming us without Bon Bon tagging behind Xin Xin.

Kim Kim, Xin Xin and Chang Chang

In the middle of the year, we sent Kim Kim, Xin Xin and Chang Chang for teeth scaling procedures. With them being more advanced in age, especially Kim Kim, we were worried, not knowing how they will react to the anesthesia given. This was especially so for Xin Xin since she has a known heart and kidney issue and has a higher risk of not waking up from the anesthesia. Luckily for us, all 3 of them came through unscathed.

Chang Chang

Right when we thought things were smooth sailing again, Chang Chang ruptured his anal sac during the night in Nov. In just 6 hours while we slept, he aggravated the injury through aggressive licking of the wound area, creating a massive 2cm wide by 1cm deep wound right beside his anus. We were horrified when we saw his wound in the morning. It was so raw and bloody. We could not imagine the pain he was experiencing.

The vet could only clean the wound area and let the body heal on its own. There was no sufficient skin and flesh to stitch the wound. So in the next 5 weeks, we had to disinfect and clean his wound twice a day. He would sometimes yowled in pain when the disinfectant stunk the wound. With an E-collar though those weeks, he was miserable as it made eating and drinking difficult and grooming impossible. Gradually, the wound did indeed healed on its own, filling up the deep hole with extra tissue growth. It would be difficult to spot the wound area on him today.

Kim Kim

Kim Kim celebrated her 16^th birthday in Apr and is our oldest cat. In human years, she is already close to 80 years old.

We have been keeping a close watch on her health for many months. Her movement have slowed down much and she rests a bit more compared to a year or two ago. Recently, we noticed that she has been drinking and also peeing a lot more. Fearing that she might have contracted kidney issues, we brought her for a blood test in early Dec. Her SDMA test showed her kidneys were still alright though the results were at the high end of the normal range. However, her glucose levels were high. She was diagnosed with a diabetic condition.

But because she was not eating well due to her herpes flare up, we had to get her to eat regularly first before we can have her hospitalized to determine how much insulin to give her. We syringe fed her twice daily. The medicine given did not seem to improve her condition. She was lethargic and spent most of the time under the sofa. As she continued to pee a lot, she became dehydrated and we had to give her daily sub-cuts.

Her condition got worse just before Christmas. She became weaker and was unable to crawl into the litter box. Uncharacteristically of her, she peed outside the box for days in a row. The vet ran another blood test on her on Boxing Day. Her ALT levels were 10X the normal level – it was within the normal range mid Dec. Her liver was not functioning properly and was immediately hospitalized.

Fortunately, she responded well to the aggressive treatment over the next few days and was finally able to eat on her own on 29 Dec. When we brought her back home yesterday, we were delighted that though not as strong as before, she still had the strength to walk around the house. Her appetite returned though we still have to coax her to eat.

Today marks the date we will have to add Kim Kim’s insulin injection to our daily routine of pilling Xin Xin. As I type this entry, she is resting in her bed next to me, grooming after her evening feed.

Our family ends 2016 on an even note, with no more highs and lows. I hope 2017 will be a better year for all 5 of them.

My cats are aging

I was watching TV lounging on the sofa last night when Kim Kim climbed up to sit with me. She gave me a silent meow again as she demanded me to pat her. 

I cannot remember for how long this has been happening on a daily basis. It seems like a long time. She will meow. I will pat her, then maybe stop a while and she will meow louder again as she thinks that it is not long enough. Once she has enough, she will sit with her hind legs in front while she suckles her tummy for a few minutes. And then she will fall asleep on the sofa beside me. Occasionally, she might wake up and give another silent meow before she drifts off to sleep again.

She will be 16 and a half this coming Sep. In this past year, we have noticed that her mobility has slowed down and she is sleeping more. Her aging process has accelerated a little more though she remains bright and alert. 

With Bon Bon's death in Mar, we have become more aware that the rest of the gang are also getting on in years. Kim Kim and Xin Xin  are more than 15 years old which is the average age of a house cat. If all goes smoothly, they might have at most another 5 years with us. By then, Chang Chang and Yuan Yuan would also be around 15 to 16 years old. 

My wife and I have talked about their death candidly on many occasions. We have always known this will happen, that we will mourn each of them when they leave us. But we just cannot estimate the impact it will have on us. 

Bon Bon's passing hit us really hard. We continued on with our daily lives but there is so often this huge hole in our hearts. Time heals but it is such a long process.

I can't imagine them leaving us one by one in the next few years. The house will be so empty then, perhaps only left with May May who is 7 this year.

Till then, we will all follow our daily routines. They will bugger us for food and for pats. We'll continue to love them and care for them. If only this continues indefinitely.

Happy 14th birthday

You would have been 14 years old today if you are still with us.

Happy 14th birthday, my little grey girl. We still miss you lots.

We still miss you a lot, little grey girl

It's been 2 months plus since oyu left us but we still miss you lots. The searing pain has since been replaced by this dull ache which does not go away and we do not want it to go away.

Come visit us at night. We'll love to hear you meowing loudly in the living room again as we sleep or hear the sounds of your little paws running around as you chase Xin Xin for your favorite game of tag. Come snuggle between us. We'll like to find your grey fur on our blankets once again.

Mummy was so happy one morning as she recounted you visiting in her dreams.

Come again, Bon Bon.

Bon Bon's fight to the end

Bon Bon

20 June 2002 – 14 March 2016

13 years & 9 months old

We sent our precious little grey girl across to the Rainbow Bridge this afternoon.

From Nov last year, she had been having some trouble eating and what we thought would be a routine dental job for her in Dec became a nightmare for both her and us. The vet diagnosed her as having stomatitis, a life threatening oral inflammation caused by the over reaction of her autoimmune system to plaque. A biopsy also revealed that she had oral cancer on the left side of her mouth.

There was no cure in Singapore for her. From early Jan 2016 onwards, she lost the ability to eat and drink on her own as the ulcers and tumors in her mouth and throat started spreading. The monthly steroid injection could only reduce the inflammation and hopefully make her more comfortable.

We were totally helpless. We could only ensure that she does not starve to death by syringe feeding her twice daily. It was hard seeing her in pain she tried to swallow the blended liquefied food. But she persevered and we did the same for her. It did not really matter we spend more than 2 hours daily huddled in the kitchen feeding her. Sometimes she will be cooperative but on some days, it becomes a challenge as she splattered food all over. It was painful seeing her trying to stay alive, especially in the last few days.

Other than the inability to eat and drink, she lost none of her lovable personality. She spent a bit more time resting but she continued to be curious and mobile. She moved around the house, poking her nose into anything which pique her curiosity. She continued greeting us at the door every evening when we get home but hides under the sofa once she knows we are preparing her food.

We knew the end was near when she started losing her zest these few days. This morning, she cried out in pain when we carried her into the kitchen. Her first time in the last few months. We know our Bon Bon. She is one of those dainty cats who cannot really stand pain. She drooled quite a copious amount of blood from her mouth when we syringed her food a couple of times. There would be occasional blood when we feed her but never in this quantity.

It is time. We said our goodbyes. She moved on peacefully and without pain at the vet.

Thank you Bon Bon for the last 13 plus years with us.

You are the gentlest little girl we have ever met with not a single bone of malice in your lithe furry body. You would wriggle your way out of tight situations, rather than hiss and scratch like most other cats. You are Xin Xin’s most loyal sidekick, following her almost throughout the day. We love the way you play with the water dish. That is so uniquely you.

Our hearts are so pained when you finally left us. But we know this is the best option for you. You'll be free from the pain. Run well. Play well. Rest well. If what they say of the rainbow bridge is true, we'll see you again some day over the other side.

We’ll always remember you, our little grey girl.