We buried our beautiful boy, Mr Gin - a loved and loving member of our family for 5 years - in the garden on New Year's morning. And we are all so terribly sad.
A month or so ago I wrote a post about him, wondering if maybe he had Cat Covid, since he'd had a terrible cough and was losing weight. But he started to take a serious turn for the worst, and lost 80% of his body weight in the last 4 weeks. He developed breathing problems and heavy nasal congestion and it became apparent he actually had FIV (feline AIDS) which is brutal, fast and very common in Thailand.
3 weeks ago he simply stopped eating properly, and allowed himself only to lick the occasional treat. We cuddled with him non stop and loved on him, knowing he was dying and that there was little anyone could do. We kept him at home where he felt safe, loved and seemed to be in no pain.
The week before Christmas he stopped even licking at the treats & just snuggled with us. And on the 26th, Boxing Day morning, his skeletal, sick self walked off determinedly into the jungle near our house and he did not come back. We were gutted. 💔 And thought the story over.
Ffwd to New Year's morning. I opened the back door to let our other two cats out and saw Miss Cinnamon intently looking into the empty spare back bathroom, which comes off the back porch and serves as a laundry. At first I thought maybe a snake (common here) but when I looked, I got such a shock. It was a barely alive, skeletal Mr Gin, rasping to breathe and barely alive.
The New Year's Eve neighbourhood fireworks must have disturbed his chosen jungle spot to die.
When I found him early on New Year's morning he was ice cold, painfully thin, stiff & barely alive. He was wet, filthy and smelled terrible, but it didn't matter. I held him close & sang to him. I wrapped him in my favourite faded red pashmina and crooned to him gently, rocking him. He couldn't see anymore and stared vacantly, but I felt him relax into the warmth and familiarity. He died quietly, 20 mins later, in my arms.
Feeling so sad & upset that careless fireworks must have terrified him to the point of him dragging himself back to the only safe spot he could think of.
We buried him in the garden this New Year morning and laid him to rest on a little bed made with my daughter's fragrant dried flower collection. The worn pashmina from Nepal that has traveled so far with me for two decades became his shroud for what is perhaps the ultimate journey. I will make a little herb garden over & around him. 🌿🖤
He has given - and received - so much love and made this world a better place.
Vale our little buddy, my Mr Gin. 🖤 You are so missed and we are both so sad.
Survived by our rescued black-boy, MD, & his little disabled litter sister, Miss Cinnamon, who is still roaming the house and garden looking for him.
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Been here many times with the cat's I looked after it's incredibly sad I'm already with tears reading your post, I wish him all the best in the next world just wish they could all pass away feeling the same love you gave.
I believe the love is never wasted or gone, and yes, it's so sad to sit with the inevitability of the death of a being you love.
Hugs and thanks for the compassionate support @simonjay x
As a Cat Liver (4-very close Cat Friends) I understand Your lose.
😐😟😞
I Pray for him in the other side.
Thank you, @lesmann and yes, they give so much. It helps to have other cat and animal lovers feel it with me - and if one more person gives me the "it's-only-a-cat shrug" I'm likely to snap.
Sending hugs. Enjoy your 4 while you can and snuggle them hard. x
Thank You!
Those kind of people normally have more issues than the Cat one. I am sorry they exist..😐😐😐
And...
I am sure they never seen a Cat grow-up from birth.
If you have, you will notice - baby cats (kittens) are very, very much like humans - little quicker in the intelligence side!
My buddy - "Tang" is My true friend, although a stray of sorts,
He shows up whenever I am around - "I Just Love him", and will not take him for granted.
Have as great a day as You can!
And Many Hugs, to You as well!
🤗🤗🤗
I have a soft spot for free-roaming, world-is-my-oyster boys like Tang - he sounds just like our recued MD.
Hugs to you too, @lesmann x
Thank You,
I believe "Cats" have a capacity for Love that may very well exceed most humans.
Thank You again & Stay Blessed!
I'm beginning to believe that the karmic idea works in the reverse of what we humans want to believe - that we START as humans and then evolve into dogs and pigs and move UP the consciousness chain towards catness. Finally, we get to be things like ants - serving selflessly, cleaning up the debris of others. And birds who sing just because they can.
Hmmmm.... thoughts prompting a maybe post....
Sorry for your friend ...
Thank you @litalfrog - I see you're just beginning your Hive journey. Stick with it and be amazed .... it's SO WORTH IT! Thanks for stopping by.
I'm terribly sorry to hear about that. That cat looked so cute, he should have lived a lot more. 😥
He was adorable and with a HUGE personality! He is very much missed. Thanks for stopping by to acknowledge his life and meaning. x
😢💔
Thank oyu @rozku 🙏
Oh gosh the fact he returned to you when frightened speaks volumes. So glad you got to say goodbye and equally heartbroken for you. It's never easy to lose a pet!!
I can't help thinking of that last journey for him, dragging his half-dead self around the neighbourhood to return to us. It leaves me feeling awful (and incredibly anti-useless-noise-popping Asian firworks!) But I'm glad he was able to feel warmth and love and care in his final moments, and that we're no longer wondering where he ended up.
I like the idea of creating a little herb garden over and around him. Nothing like a chili plant to deter other critters from digging him up. LOL.
😔
I read in Galens comments about Mr.Gin and I can't say how sorry I am for your loss. I had to let many loved ones go already so I know what you are going through. In all the sadness I'm glad Mr.Gin was with you when he passed over. I can't ease the pain but know that Mr.Gin is thought of.
@bulldog-joy thank you for popping over to say this. It matters. Seriously loving the humanity I continue to find in the Hive community - incredibly appreciated.
Please accept my sincere condolences 😥😥😥.On December 17, the same tragedy befell me😭.I lost forever my cat Susanna, who was part of my family for 16 years.I was devastated and still am. The grief is indescribable, I also , buried it in our home garden.With all my heart I sympathize with you and understand your grief. I believe that he will remain forever in your heart and in your memories.
Oh my @vaketo - 16 years is a long time to be connected to one of our cat-gurus!! So incredibly sorry for your loss, and glad Susanna found a safe place to release her physical body.
Hugs to you and thank you for stopping by - appreciated!
Goodbye Mr. Gin... I'm so happy you were very well loved in these last five years of your journeying, this time around... Perhaps you'll meet my 'Misty' on the other side? She gave her last breath in my arms a mere few months ago, as you did in the arms of @artemislives.
Rest well, sweet boy...
Oh @angryman - hugs to you also grieving your beloved Misty. Truly the world can be divided into those who feel and love our animal friends, and those who are blocked off and afraid of the unconditional love and the responsibility.
I can still totally feel Mr Gin around our sunny garden this morning and yes, your are right, he was well loved. I called him "my sweetie boy" and he liked to roll over for a tummy rub when he heard me call him that.
More hugs - and committed to loving harder on our remaining two cats, who are definitely bewildered and feeling the loss too.
Thanks for the hugs, and back at'cha...
Vibrations of their soul-energies, remain and can be sensed at times, long after their physical form vanishes from sight.
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Oh gosh, this made me cry :(
Poor thing. So sad that he couldn't even die in peace as he'd wanted..
Thankfully you found him before he died though, at least he died with his loving people around him.
I can feel how much he was loved in your post, it really made me cry. I also miss my own cats while reading this <3
Take care!