M's Tribute

I had written and shared this a few days before Christmas, between family and friends who knew M, and who have not met M before. I decided to write a tribute and share it with those who have pets and for those who don't. Because pets are not just some animals you can replace whenever you want. They become part of your family. They may be part of your family for several years, but to them, you are their entire world.

Here is my tribute to M:

The past few weeks have been really tough (and is still tough) but I want to thank everyone for the supportive words, prayers and continuous encouragement during this difficult time.

For those who have never met M before, we adopted him a few days before Christmas 1997 when he was a kitten. From that day onwards, we formed a crazy bond and learned a lot about his personality and character:

Intelligent. He was a smart cat. I taught him how to open doors and he managed to apply that when he got locked out of places. If I had my bedroom door closed in the morning, he would open it and come in to wake me up for food. He also acted as my second alarm clock. When my alarm went off and I snoozed too long, he would come in and meow to wake me up. He learned what to do and what not to do around the house, never destroyed furniture or rummaged through garbage. He knew not to climb the fence when we let him outside to roam. He wouldn't go past the lawn, not even the sidewalk, so we knew he wouldn't ever cross a street.

Compassion. As a kitten, he would cuddle up and sleep in our laps. When he sensed we were having a bad day, he would come and meow or purr at us, as to say "everything will be ok".

Chicken. He was afraid of everything. From loud noise to birds flying overhead. When the doorbell rang, he would growl then run and hide. When birds were chirping loudly, he would run inside the house and hide. It was quite funny. He got chased by a squirrel one time, and then a black cat the following week. Oh yes, his favourite canned food was chicken. He hated fish.

Did not like the vet. He was terrified of them. Every car ride there, he meowed in fear. It takes 2-3 people to get him out the cage. 2 to tip the cage, 1 to catch him in the end. He would run to me and cling himself around my neck, and wouldn't let go, just like a child would do in fear. During the car ride home he would be more calm because he knew we were going home.

Friendly. Even though he was afraid of people and children, he never attacked anyone. He was terrified when people got near him, but he never bit or scratched anyone. He had bitten/scratched mom and brother a few times growing up. I took the brunt of it because it was always fun playing with him.

Playful. He was a playful kitten, and claws were a scary thing but as he got older, he never took out his claws when playing with me. He would slap my hand with his paw, but his claws were tucked away.

Musically inclined. Growing up, he would plop himself in the piano room when I practiced my pieces for exams. He would sit and listen, and fall asleep. When dad started singing karaoke in the basement and M was downstairs, he would come upstairs to sleep. I guess that's how terrible dad's singing is XD.

Lazy. At one point he gained a lot of weight and slept a lot. We used to call him Garfield. When I pet him when he eats, he gets lazy and lays down, then uses his paw to get the dry food from the bowl. All the food got on the floor but it was pretty hilarious to watch him eat off the floor. He would only do that when I was around to rub his belly. Otherwise no one else was able to repeat it.

Spoiled. Yes he was a spoiled cat. He wouldn't eat his food unless someone was there to pet him or comb his hair. Since he was an indoor cat, we still let him out to the front yard or backyard to get some air. Most days he sits at the door and meows at us to let him out, so we do. But he knew his boundaries.

Funny. He was funny in various ways. From the way he sleeps to how he eats, to how he still chases his tail at 17 years old. When he saw me approaching him and I call his name, his legs would go numb and he would lay down, as to say "I give up...just pet me". And I would pick him up and give him a big hug, which he would always find annoying.

Emotional. Even though he couldn't talk, we can tell he has feelings. If he's happy he purrs at us. If he's pissed he will hiss. If he's sad, he sheds a tear. My parents noticed that when I didn't come home for the night, he would sit outside my room and meow non-stop. If he's confused he would look at us in a weird way. If he's scared, his tail stands up and he takes his stance. Sometimes I can see a smile on his face.

Strong. In this context, he was strong until the very end. He knew he was getting weaker by the minute. But he also knew we were by his side. We encouraged him to be strong, that he was coming home with us, and not staying elsewhere. When he saw the sadness in our faces, he knew. He couldn't say anything, but he did try to look at us, and he shed a tear. He fought his hardest, but 5 minutes from home, he took his last breath. In my eyes, he was the bravest and strongest cat and still made it home to be with us.

Although he is not physically here anymore, his memory will live on forever. It's going to be tough dealing with the first Christmas and New Year without him, along with many other "firsts", but we know he loves us, and we love him.

Cherish your furry pets. They are a blessing from above. Love them and they will love you back just as much. You will become their entire world.