Remembrance Book - In loving memory of Ba Chui （八朱）

12 July 2023, I made the most difficult decision. I let Ba Chui (8豬）go. It was a good 17 years ride. From he was a baby and raised him to be this strong feisty little cat, it was quite a memory. He was never really a healthy boy. From the first day I accidentally picked him up as this ugly little thing, with fleas and worms as well as fungal and bacterial infections, it was hard to believe he would live on but he did. For many years, he was healthy until he had his first asthma attack when he was 8. Nonetheless, he lived on. Then came his first crisis at 14. One day I got home to find his eye all filled with blood. I rushed him to the 24h clinic, his blood pressure was 300! They stablised him for him to be follow up with his own vet. Then for a month and a half, his BP was rollercoaster. He vomited non stop. Nothing gets in. I had to bring him to the vet almost every second day. For a month, he couldn't eat without an injection. Once the drug worn off, then he threw up again. Finally drug was not an option, I was introduced by a pet shop owner of a Japanese products called "cat's water drop" 貓之水滴. Thanks god, it worked. It was then became part of Ba Chui regular soup. Anyway, he was stablised. It was a hard fight but Ba Chui did it. Then for the next 4 months, everything seemed peaceful again. I took half time off my workload so I could be there for him. And it was the pandemic, everyone was home office anyway. But he was getting old. After the hypertension thing, then came the kidney thing. From then, it was a strict routine. Everything is scheduled. We clocked his medication, so was his meal time. And meal had to be divided into 6 parts adding 20ml of water each. Along with the early breakfeast soup and the late night supper after the last medication, 200ml of water everyday was the target set out by the vet. It was quite a challenge as Ba Chui was feed and water by machines. And Ba Chui had never eaten wet food. He liked dry food and it was popular back then with vet recommendation. Then I resigned to schedule his feeding and medication time. That went on for another year or so. 2 weeks before we left Hong Kong to the UK, Ba Chui was diagnosed with Hyperthyroid. It just never end. We scheduled a new vet in the UK to deal with Ba Chui's endless health problems. It was well taken care of, though not a smooth ride. New drug, numerous blood test, numerous vomiting... But Ba Chui still made it for another 9 months, till his final crisis that eventually bumped him out. He suffered from another hyphema, likely from renal crisis. He didn't eat for more than 72 hours. Until Tuesday, I was still desperately hoping Ba Chui would sit with me through this storm. I thought, "just give me sometimes, let us sit this one out just like all the other ones." I didn't want to abandon him. I was planning to tube feeding him myself. As I walked pass his vet office, I stormed in for advice. I am not a vet, I don't understand how cat work. The vet gave Ba Chui appetite stimulants hoping it would work. It worked. Ba Chui ate. Then he violently threw up, followed by wetting hinself and then a seizure and then he walked around home trying to make himself comfortable all night long. I told myself to stop hesitate, stop pushing, stop forcing human medicine on Ba Chui. I am not a vet and his body was failing fast. That morning, first thing, we did it. Ba Chui, I love you so much, but I cannot keep dopping you to stay alive. I am sorry, I love you too much to watch you suffer. I miss you so much. "Started off as accident, Determined by faith. Through the years with joy and love, Left with the memories of us." Ba Chui, our dearest son, we love you.