Weekend Journal Part I-

LOOK OUT BELOW! IT'S A BLARDY LONG ONE!

Journal: 17 May 2008

A certain 3-week-old kitten has recently been on my mind ever so often since Wednesday. The supposed she-kitten is a suspected domestic shorthair breed of cat, blue with white feet and nose markings. She infiltrates my thoughts in the day and haunts my dreams at night. There is nothing particularly special about her but she is unique in that very same way. The more she appears to me, the closer I am to settling on the decision to adopt her. I even have a name ready for her, “Taiyou” meaning the Sun in Japanese in coherence with Yang’s name, which means the Light.

Taiyou cannot have presented herself at a better time. Recently, Yang has struck us as showing signs of distress and loneliness about being left at home on his own while we are at school for most of the day 5 days every week. By evening, he is meowing for attention and cuddles, and sleeping in our laps while we scoured through our homework and revision. He is not an old cat preferring the tranquility of silence. He is only 3 years old with the behaviour of a kitten, craving and game to play with anyone and anything he can get his paws on. We reason that it is no wonder he is bored at home alone.

With another cat as his companion in mind as one of the few brainstormed solutions, I have been paying extra attention at the incoming strays of Ranford Veterinary Hospital when I go there each Wednesday to do work experience. Two Wednesdays ago, I was disappointed and relieved simultaneously when there were 2 stray kittens available: a 5-week-old tabby girl-kitten with a bit of fear-aggression coupled with nervous hissing when I approached and an older ginger kitten recovering from an ear surgery. Last Wednesday, I had the same mix of emotion when I saw the same 2 kittens – the ginger is now named “Collie” – and an adult stray. I have criteria for the potential companion: young, forthcoming and Fate, which is the hardest to measure.

Fate is nothing short of luck and pre-destined encounter. Taiyou met just this condition. When I was agreeable with the 3 strays in the kennels, I heard sharp mewing calls at the corridor. I thought it was a client’s kitten in consultation but there were no consultations at that time. Curiously I walked out to the reception area and saw one of the nurses, Emma, stimulating and cleaning the rear end of a small kitten – Taiyou. Apparently, Emma has been looking after her 24-7 since she was surrendered to RVH and it was time to wean her off the milk diet. Another nurse prepared a paste-like food – kitten biscuits soaked and mashed in milk – to kick-start the transition. Taiyou did not like the new feeding method much, having to stand in her dish and clumsily trodding on the paste while desperately trying to use her teeth and tongue to pick up the new formula.

Finally, I used a 1-ml syringe to fill up with the paste – an idea from feeding baby food with a syringe to BitBit and Rascal during their anorexia stage – and fed Taiyou. She lapped it up much better. While I prepared to fill up the syringe, I put her in my scrub pocket and she would mew loudly and attempt to climb up the scrub towards me. It seemed natural to me to keep my eyes on both the syringe and her, using my elbow to gently nudge her back into the pocket. That was the moment when I thought an alternate name could be “Pocket”. As she was fed more times and progressively became less hungry, she called out less and climbed with less desperation and perseverance. Taiyou eventually just hung out in my pocket quietly and nearly fell asleep in there before I took her back to her warm bedding. The next time she woke up, I fed her again in the same way with the scrub pocket.

I have thought of her so much ever since. I tell everyone how Taiyou is perfect for Yang and me. She is small and young, which is less intimidating for Yang to accept her. Where Yang is sleek black, Taiyou is a beautiful shade of grey with the same type of “boots” markings. She will probably grow to be larger than him because Australian cats are usually quite sizeable for cuddles but the gradual growth will not overwhelm Yang overnight. I am positive he will grow to love her as much as I do. She fits perfectly into our family.

Taiyou also appeared just in time for my non-school weeks. Since she is young, she requires attention for most of the time until she learns some independence. After next week, I will be having my study break, 2 exam weeks and 7 weeks of winter vacation. This is perfect! If I take her home on Friday, she will have no less than 20 hours of attention from my sister and I combined. Yang will give his undying 24-7 attention, undoubtedly, especially in the first 2 weeks. I intend to separate them by placing her in Rascal’s plastic bottom cage which is very spacious for a small kitten so both cats can interact safely on either side of the bars of the cage. 10 weeks of intensive interaction should suffice her socialization requirements, including some visits and sleepovers from friends. When she is large enough not to be mistaken for a big rat, I can supervise the cats’ no-barrier interactions.

There are just a few glitches with adopting another cat. One, my parents strictly said no more pets because of the added restrictions imposed on our renting of properties as did Yang. One cat proved a disadvantage. Two cats are going to be even more difficult to convince property agents should we have to move out of this Fraser Road North house. Clearly if, by some stroke of luck, we are able to purchase our own property next year, two cats is by far a negligent issue. We could have crocodiles in our backyard if we really wanted! The bottom line is that we probably cannot tell either parent about Taiyou.

Secondly, the property agent makes a house inspection once every 12 weeks and we only declared Yang as the only pet. By contract, we have to ask for permission to obtain another pet before actually obtaining it. However, the issue lies with if I declare Taiyou as another pet, word will get out to my folks. The above paragraph of consequences will then duly apply. On the other hand, if we did not declare Taiyou, she cannot be in the house on the inspection day. I considered the option of boarding Taiyou at the cattery for 2-3 days around the period of inspection so that the property agent will only notice one cat or none. The latter being the embarrassing fact that Yang cowers under the sofa when there are any visitors, especially men.

Thirdly, if I really intend to keep Taiyou hushed from my parents, she has to board at the cattery as well when my folks come to visit. Money should not a big problem because I will be working at RVH on alternate weekends with plentiful opportunities for more hours. I have to overestimate costs so as to have enough for the cats. Both Yang and Taiyou will need to board at the cattery early next year when I am in Singapore for the Lunar New Year.

Four, I also consider the feelings of both cats if I have to separate them on occasions. There are several possibilities. They or either could miss each other so much there could be depression involved which is difficult in animals to manage. Or they could spit and fight all over every time they reunite. This is a touchy issue as it cannot be accurately predicted. Knowing Yang though, I think he will not be the spit-and-fight one. It is the other condition and Taiyou that I am more worried about.

Last but not least, what if I get surprise visits from Aunty Valerie? The cat will be out of the bag, literally! News will get to my folks too. That is unless I can provide a suitable explanation each time she comes and sees Taiyou. Something like, “I am looking after it for a friend who is on farm practical for 6 weeks.” Joanna’s Believe It or Not!

I must consider my potential decision thoroughly and weigh my options carefully. I wish I am more like my sister – spontaneous and reckless. Sometimes, I reckon recklessness is good. Before we had Yang, I wanted every animal and considered every little detail. My sister, on the other hand, just picked up Yang from the streets and took him home to nurse his injury. Nothing else crossed her mind except the cat. If I could have just a little bit of that carelessness yet carefree mind, Taiyou is a definite shoo-in next weekend and forever.

However, I am me. I am Joanna Kwok. I am the rational and organized one. I am the responsible one. I am the one who does not like being unpleasantly surprised. When I adopt an animal, it has an owner for its lifetime and here to stay for good. I do not and will not give it up for anything. Therefore, I choose my pets very wisely and consider every little meticulous detail before opening my home and heart to it. From that moment, it is my responsibility and duty to look after it to the best of my abilities. That is me.

I did not leave Yang behind in Singapore for long. He arrived a year after I started studying in Perth. I had to leave my 4 rabbits in Singapore because Australia has an import policy against some animals, including rabbits. They had to remain in the care of a friend in Singapore. I do miss them terribly and my heart ached like a thousand daggers piercing it when 2 of them passed away early last year. So attached I am to my animals my folks always had a fear I would be a collector of strays or become an overemotional person.

My point is that adopting Taiyou is not touch-and-go. I want to be able to provide Taiyou with a secure, loving and forever home for her lifetime. Her life is in my hands and I would just die if I had to give her up. At the same time, I do not want her presence to be a thorn to others. I want others to appreciate her existence like I do, not as a hindrance to our lives. If I take Taiyou upon myself, I have to brace myself for half a lifetime of harmless lies to cover up for her until the time is right to admit what I did. Thing is, I have no clue when that day might be. If I decide to let Taiyou go this time, I will miss out on possibly the best candidate but kittens never stop coming because of irresponsible people so I will have my pick in future when the time is more appropriate. Again, when? I pray with all my heart that Yang is emotionally stable.

I can psych myself to think either way but clearly, my heart and mind wants Taiyou now. While I consider the rationale of it all, I shall leave everything to Fate. Will I see Taiyou on Thursday? What other hints will Fate give us about our connection with each other? I have seen one too many kittens before and every one of them I want to take home. But I always manage to convince myself otherwise and break away easily. But Taiyou is just different. She just appeals to me so much at the right time and place. Everything about her is just perfect.

Did I also mention that her date of birth might be thereabouts of my birthday? This means Taiyou can share my birthday with Yang! This is Fate, or perhaps, just my one-sided biased eagerness to prove that Fate is at work between Taiyou and I.