Eulogy

When Mama chose you from a bunch of kittens, she said she chose it because you were the most appealing. Because your tail was long. The others had short tails. Because we were so into animals at that time, we knew short tail is considered a defect in the cats world. Mama told me they found you in the basket of onions, sleeping. At that time you were only 3 months old. You were still breastfeeding, that was what Mama told me. Then you were brought to our house in Shah Alam and it was the first time we met, remember? I was the 9 year old kid, with messy hair and ugly pants. Mumu was only 6 at that time. I was super excited, I can't lie. God knows how much I love animals those days. We had one cat already that time. But we refused to settle with only one. So it was you who we picked to adopt.

Then, everyone was so excited to name you. I picked Dino. Random, I know. But apparently Abah was against the idea because the uncle living next to us had Dino as his nickname. So I wanted it to be Zelda, but they say it was too feminine. Aishah, being so creative, wanted to name you Shino. For some reasons. Eventually, Narn who was not even fond of you in the first place gave us the name Didie. So Didie it was.

Remember that night when you were crying (okay fine, meowing) because you had to sleep in the cage? And it was already late at night. Mama and Abah were out going to a dinner function. So that left me and Mumu to take care of you. I swear I felt so sorry and worried because I know you might be missing your mom. We tried giving you milk and cat food but you won't eat. God knows how much I worry for you on that night. So me and Mumu went downstairs because we couldn't help to hear you cry, we brought you up to our room and we slept together. Remember how we patted you until you sleep? And that was the first time I saw your habit, you love playing your front paws with an odd way when you wanna sleep. That habit, you kept it with you until the end of your life :')

And you had the front seat ride back to our house in Kuantan with Uncle Mohan, remember that? Uncle Mohan told us you were asleep all the way. That lessen my worry, do you know that? I thought you would have motion sickness, silly me. In Kuantan, you loved our old house. You had so many cool friends in the neighbourhood. You remember Garfield, our neighbour's cat? He was your best friend. When you were still a kitten, I made sure I checked your litter box and food and drinks before I go to school. And when you started to come back late at night, with grasses stuck to your thick fur, we all knew that you were mature enough to start mating. It took us long enough to realise that you already had offsprings with our neighbours cats. But because you were too wild, the doctor advised us to castrate you and so we did. After that you became so much tamer and homeward bound. And it was safer for your health too :)

As time goes by, we grew so much closer. When I watch the telly, you would take a nap on my tummy. When Mama and me went out gardening, you followed too. We bought so many toys for you to play with. We even bought collar with bells for you to wear. You wore the blue collar with bells until you grew out of it. I bought a new silver one for you after that but I never made you wear it because I like you better without the collar.

But as I grow older, my interest in animals waned. When I stopped riding horses, I stopped having the passion for animals anymore. I didn't want to be a vet anymore. And I admit that I wasn't that much interested in you as much as I did when I was small. True, we fed you, we cleaned you, but I didn't play that much with you. And whenever you sneak into my room, I would chase you away. Whenever you scratch the furniture, I would scold you. Whenever you came back from God knows where, you had dirt all over you, I yelled because I was very lazy to clean the fur. I'm sorry I did that to you. I'm sorry I never really get to apologise.

Lately, I swear I had you in my dreams. And when I was told, you passed, I was shocked but I couldn't cry.

But I cry now, Didie. 9 years with us was a long time. You were there when I get upset, when I was hospitalized, when we moved into another state, when we had arguments, when the family grew bigger, you were always there. 9 years with you in our family meant a lot. 9 years was way longer than the relationship I was in. You were my best friend, and will always be. You were my ultimate boy friend I didn't break up with.

I will always miss you. And I am sorry I didn't get to see you for the last time. Sorry I am far away from home. Sorry that I wasn't there when you were sick. That I didn't get to say goodbye.

Rest In Peace, Didie. You were just a feline but I love you very much.


2002-2011