Rest well Sonia...R.I.P. 29 October 2011

At 2.30 a.m this morning, my father and I were awaken by the horrible growls of stray dogs attacking a cat. I was worried for my Hiro as he roams around the neighbourhood as well as for the safety of my neighbour's cats as one of them was attacked before. Armed with a golf stick, my dad in his kain belikat rushed out to fend off the stray dogs. Me in my PJs, braless!!! also rushed out. There in the backlane of the house we saw one cat seriously injured just laying there while my dad continued to chase off the stray dogs.

It was dark so I was not sure who it was. Upon closer inspection, I realised it was one of my neighbour's cats, Sonia. Covered in dogs' saliva and hanging on for dear life, it didn't look good for her. Despite that, I took one of my carriers and brought her to the 24 Hour Animal Hospital in Pekeliling. Throughout the drive, from the stench, it truly dawned on me that she will most likely not make it.

At 3.05 a.m, Sonia was declared dead upon arrival. Poor thing. According to the nurse (I'm not sure what you call them...animal assistant?), most likely it succumbed to internal injuries from all those bites. So, Sonia is currently still in one of may carriers outside the house right now, waiting for a proper claim from my neighbour. It will be up to the owner in burying it. I've done all I can.

Sonia was a genteel greywhite cat of which I mistook as a male and a stray at first until I spoke to my neighbour two weeks ago about her other cat, Shaun. The last time I saw Sonia was when I got back from work today. She was near the spilled bowl of kitty food I routinely leave outside the house, grooming herself. I figured that she was probably playing with the other cats and accidentally knocked the bowl. I was too tired and since the area was protected from the rain, I left things how it was. I kinda regret not putting the kitty food properly back in the bowl.

Shaun, it looks like you'll be alone now. I hope you will take care of yourself when I move.

Sonia, rest well. I hope you're in a better place now knowing that you were loved.

So, my message is this... to all pet owners:

1. Owners, please take extra care especially for those whose cats like to roam around. Call out their name every morning and every evening so that they at least come back home to show their face and let you know they are alright. Leave their fave food outside the house. 
2. Be aware of your surroundings. My area rarely have stray dogs coming in. But if you do hear some commotion, rush out and quickly check. Not alone of course. Take care of yourself too...
3. To have a pet is a great responsibility. It is definitely not a short term commitment. The average life span for cats is nine years. You're lucky if it lives up to 15 human years. So, please, think REALLY REALLY hard when you make the decision. They will be part of your family. Not some simple item you can dispose off if things don't work out. Not only you have to spare the funds for food and medical expenses, there is also the emotional attachment you may have to bear it it gets hurt and what not.
   
   (Getting a bit side-tracked here)
   I love all my eight cats so much I can't bear if anything untoward happens to them. Don't get me wrong, I am not OBSESSED of cats like some people would label me. I remember when I was in school, my Ustazah was tellling me of how Allah had elected human beings to be khalifah for all things in this world such as to care for the environment and animals. Though I definitely don't have the power to save the world, I feel I am doing my little part here to help out the kitties. I think people lately have forgotten their duties as Khalifah or maybe the act of compassion is just too difficult to be bestowed.  To show compassion, one would be labelled as obsessed and what not. I just wish Malaysians would insist for stronger animal rights in Malaysia and avoid abuse such as the PETKNODE  (where pets were severely neglected) and HERO (whose limbs were cut off because he stole food from the food stall) cases.

p.s. Since it's way too odd to go and gali the front garden for some tanah to samak in the wee hours of the morning, I will only do it tomorrow. In the meantime, I have washed my hands 7 times with some anti-bacterial soap. Goodness, despite that, I still feel my hands are dirty. There truly exists the hikmah on why Allah orders us to samak.

For now, off to bed.

In Memory of Sonia, the greywhite cat...