CRIZ CATS SANCTUARY

A YEAR HAD PASSED BUT YOU STILL LEFT ME WITH A BROKEN HEART

2011-12-16T00:01:00.002+08:00

If he were to be here still, he would have been 4 years old today. No matter how hard I tried to forget that Jeremy was no longer by my side, the more the sweet memories of him kept coming back into my mind. It was the closest bond which we had through all his growing up years that caught me in tears occasionally… even now. It still hurts quite badly whenever Christmas approaches. Jeremy has been one such golden boy that had touched the lives of many people out there… not only mine. He had brought peace to those with troubled minds. He had brought smiles to the faces of many in sorrow. Nevertheless, he had brought so much happiness into my life that nothing else in the world matters anymore. Boy… How I wished I could cuddle you to sleep once again. I missed the warmth… I missed your unique expressions… I missed just having you next to me always… Happy Birthday my dear Jeremy~ I’ll never forget you!

Although Jerry was adopted for barely for a few months, this Christmas boy did not even have the fate to celebrate his second birthday this Christmas. I missed him too. Nobody would have known that the severe blow of FLUTD could have taken him away just like that. He was such a handsome and macho buddy I came to know very well.

I guessed Christmas would not be the same anymore without my two December boys but life have to go on. The rest of the J Familiy Kitties would still need my affection and commitment to keep them happy always. Let the spirits of Christmas bring more joy and happiness in the lives of everyone out there. Have a great Christmas and holidays ahead~

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

With Love,
Criz Lai & the J Family Kitties (Mama Jessica, Janice, Jayson, Jimmy & Jiro)

THE FLUTD FEAR IS BACK!

2011-08-03T12:20:00.006+08:00

Have I been destined to be the sole caretaker of the J Family Kitties? There seemed to be a consistent trend that each time I'm down with some sort of illness, one or many of the kitties would follow suit. This time, it's Jiro's turn. Just slightly right into my third day of high fever (prior to being diagnose with dengue fever and admitted into the hospital), Jiro has been real noisy and jumped onto my bed. His first reaction was to stood up with his two front paws on my tummy, gave out a scary loud meow and peed right onto me. This little act of disobedience has never happened before. The stench was unbearable. It was exactly that unforgettable smell that made me recall the day I lost my golden boy, Jeremy. Could it be FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease)? I could not be ascertained but I suspected it is... Even if I could just find the extra energy to send him to the vet, he has gone into hiding again. The monsoon season has started with endless downpour every night. Where's he now? I'm super worried especially with his weird calls each time I was near him. HE HAS TO GO TO THE VET VERY SOON!

I may be home now but I'm not fully recovered from the bone breaking Dengue Fever (or breakbone fever as it's also known for). This is not just a common fever you would encounter. It's a LIFE THREATENING one! You can't recover within days. It would sometimes take weeks to months for a clean record of health. You can check more on the fever in Wikipedia. My platelet count dived from 210 to an all time low of 61 before picking up to 114 yesterday. No doubt the fever has stopped but the after effect of being hit by the fever remained. My whole body is still aching like hell and I'm sweating furiously even though it's raining heavily out there right now. Other than the disorientation in balancing well, you can try to imagine having a long icy spike poking right into every part of your bones. The chill and pain are just impossible for a sane person to bear. What made matter worst is that there's no proper medication available to treat the fever except with two tablets of Paracetamol 500mg every 8 hours. Anything stronger such as Ponstan would cause internal bleeding. With all the side effects popping up now and then, I'm also down with male PMS - Dysthymia. I just hope I can cope with all the mood swings now.

I have to be strong now, no matter what it takes to find the extra boost of energy to stand up properly now. Jiro might just be another member of my newly adopted cat family but I can't bear the sight of him gone just like his brother, Jerry, in May 2011 this year. It may sound like a great move to help another soul to adopt them but more and more complications are beginning to appear. It's all linked on their long usage of wrong feed by their previous owner. I'm all out against cheaper cat food produced by Tesco. The brand guaranteed great nutrition and anti FLUTD but I can confirm that it killed Jeremy with only one month of consumption during my relocation late last year. It almost killed Mama Jessica. Luckily she has a bigger hole to discharge all the toxic blood. It definitely killed Jerry, who had been fed the same brand for more than a year by his previous owner... and now... Jiro is at his worst stage. I'm keeping my finger crossed that Jose's new found love for a mixture of wet and dry food would stop him from being slapped with the same fate as his other siblings. All I can do now is to pray... pray that with my every effort to keep the J Kitties healthy, they would enjoy their lives to the fullest...

MY CHRISTMAS BOY IS GONE

2011-05-07T09:35:00.004+08:00

When tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see;
The sun will rise and find your eyes
All filled with tears for me.
I wish so much you wouldn't cry
The way you did today,
Remembering how I'd lay my head
In your lap that special way.
I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too.

But when tomorrow starts without me.
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name
And petted me with her hand.
She said my place was ready,
In Heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.

But, as I turned to heel away,
A tear fell from my eye,
For all my life I never thought
That I would have to die.
I had so much to live for,
So many purrs and bums to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.

I thought about our lives together,
I know you must be sad,
I thought of all the love we shared,
And all the fun we had.
But life is uncertain,
And death is unavoidable.
Stay strong Dad,
I'll be in your memory forever.

I had stayed all night long hoping that I can give him some comfort while waiting for the best possible chance to get him to the vet but he just could not wait. He left under my watchful eyes at 9.00am sharp by giving me the last blink, "Daddy... I love you..."

Note: It's a nightmare that I lost two December boys within 6 months... it hurts badly~

FEAR AND ANGER WOULD NOT MEND YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CAT

2011-03-28T13:25:00.004+08:00

Have you ever wondered why at certain time, your pet's characters and behaviors swayed from bad to worst? This is something that most of us would be in a daze as we could not understand their language and there tends to be lots of communication breakdowns. No matter what, there's something quite universal about your pet(s) and you. All of us have feelings and we do get into periodical mood swings as well. On top of that, fear, insecurity, the need of love and affection, understanding, communication are some of the common scenarios we faced each day. I'm going to share with you a touching real-life Japanese video on the relationship between a cat and his owner. I'm sorry that only Chinese subtitle is provided but I did a summary in English just right after the video for a clearer understanding of what really happened as shown below.

Summary:
A 5 years old cat (named Gu La) suddenly turned violent against everyone at home, especially when confronting with the eldest daughter, Mei. Ever since being adopted from the garbage bin as a kitten, both Mei and Gu La were inseparable. Now, both of them cannot even stay in the same room. With the help of a lady (Hai Bo) whom can communicate with animals, they finally knew about Gu La's temperamental problems.

It was amazing how Hai Bo could calm down Gu La in a sitting posture and by the blink of the eyes. Everyone did the same action to gain back Gu La's confidence. From Gu La's body action, it was learned that he had a sad and angry history. He felt the insecurity when Mei moved out from the house to further her studies. The time spent together got lesser and lesser as the days passed. He has lost his mother two weeks from birth and is Mei as his adopted mother discarding him as well?

He missed the hugs Mei gave him ever since small. From sadness, loneliness and fear, it became anger. By showing her endless love commitment to Gu La, Mei finally got his trust to mend the lost relationship. "I never hate Gu La and leave the house. I have to further my studies, thus I have no choice but to leave Gu La for awhile. Even though we are separated, I have always love Gu La. I do really wish I could be with Gu La as before." Mei kept radiate her love from her heart towards Gu La.

Gu La suddenly changed his pose, "Come... scratch my tummy~". Mei has not been showing her affection by stroking Gu La for 3 years. To her surprise, Gu La extended his paw towards Mei as if it was a peace hand shake. Now everyone can stroke Gu La without having the fear of being scratched at. This was indeed a touching moment~ :)

Note: I tried my best to get the information translated as accurately as possible. The names of the cat and human are from direct translation. I hope I got them right~ :P

COULD THIS BE ONE OF THE ABUSED SERDANG KITTENS?

2011-03-11T00:30:00.000+08:00

Tati Ambia shared this news regarding the present life of one of the remaining kittens in the Serdang Cat Killer case. According to the news, Victor Fei from the Selangor Times, went to the crime scene located behind KFC at a fruit shop, next to the Seri Kembangan market and saved the dying kitten without any hesitation. The kitten is now back to normal health. Thanks Victor for your compassionate heart to give this kitten a new life.

There was a bit of doubt here too as no one could ascertain if this was one of Chow Xiao Wei's victims. From the date Chow admitted abusing the kittens on 19 February 2011 until the day she held a press conference on on 6 March 2011, it was 15 days apart. Could the kitten suffer such an ordeal for such a long period? My answer would be a "Yes".

I had personally encountered such a case before when I tried to help a black tabby with serious head injury from what I presumed was a badly abused case. Her head was struck with a hard object, most probably with a stick, until you can see her open skull with blood stains. I tried getting her to a vet but she disappeared in fear. Things did not look promising then as I could not trace her at that location ever since. Two months later, I mysteriously spotted her at the same location scavenging for food. At least her head injury was better. The wound had closed up with pinkish colored flesh remained. Again, I failed to capture her for treatment. A month later when I went back to that place, she was there again. This time, her black fur had grown back steadily but slowly. If you are at KFC, Jalan Larut, Penang, you might still bum onto her once in awhile. Unless you have her confidence, it's not that easy to approach her still. From this case, you would know there are possibilities that a cat would live on, even as hardcore case as this one.

You might ask me how confident I am in identifying a cat. I had single handed helped my mother cat, Mama Jessica, in two deliveries. In fact, they had gone through 4 years with me, from a kitten to beautiful ladies and handsome gentlemen. Identifying a kitten would not be hard at all as each kitten has their own markings, just like the fingerprints of a human. If you study closely on the kitten photo in the newspaper, you would notice that there's a "M" marking on the forehead. It's the same as the kitten on the right. Even the little "mold" below the lips is the same. If you compare the lying position of the kitten in the newspaper with that of the kitten, there are similarities too. The fur color of kittens might fade a bit or changed to more orange as they grow up but those markings would remain the same. Let's hope that this lucky kitten would have a better life from now on. Let's pray that those who had gone over to the rainbow bridge would find some peace from the nightmare.

SERDANG CAT KILLER SLAPPED WITH SECOND POLICE REPORT

2011-03-10T16:53:00.002+08:00

Adapted from Malay Mail

PETALING JAYA: The "Serdang cat kiIler" now faces another report against her, this time from the Selangor Department of Veterinary Services (DVS).

Yesterday morning, Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) president Christine Lai lodged a police report in Petaling Jaya against 21-year-old Chow Xiao Wei who apologised to torturing and killing three kittens with an umbrella and stomping them to death.

At 2.30pm yesterday, Christine filed another report with DVS against Chow. A copy of the report would be handed over to the Shah Alam Deputy Public Prosecutor, to get an approval to start an investigation.

Meanwhile, Selangor DVS director Datuk Haji Mohd Radzuan Malik denied claims by several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that the department was reluctant to act on various animal abuse complaints against them.

"We carried out many investigations of animal abuse over the years. In most cases there were no harsh cruelty to animals as described under the law for us to take appropriate action," he told The Malay Mail.

"I understand most NGOs want immediate action against animal abusers but what's perceived as cruel in the eyes of the public, is not necessary so in the eyes of the law. Unless there is an amendment to the law pertaining to the rights of animals, only then can prompt action be taken against animal abusers."

Radzuan said in animal abuse cases, it was vital for witnesses to come forward to assist in investigations.

"There was one major animal abuse case dropped because witnesses refused to testify. This involved stray dogs at a train station. People were scared of the stray dogs, leading to some people taking matters into their own hands by being cruel to the strays."

Meanwhile, since Chow apologised, she should be made to do community service, says Malaysian Small Animal Veterinary Association (Sapam) president Clement Anthony.

"She should do community service like sweeping drains, instead of doing volunteer work at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)," Anthony said.

"Animal abusers should not be let off with a minimal fine. Only a jail term will make them sorry."

Anthony said those who watched the recent closedcircuit television (CCTV) footage of the Serdang cat killer would find it hard to forgive her despite her apology and promise never to abuse animals again.

"While torturing the cats, she kept looking at the CCTV as though she was proud of what she was doing."

Anthony urged the authorities to amend the Animal Act of 1953 to have the fine increased to RM50,000 so as to serve as a deterrent.

"The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) should also lead in taking legal action against animal abusers,"
he said.

"Sapam has filed several reports on animal abuse to the DVS but feedback from them has been discouraging."

Anthony also commended Facebook members for exposing the incident soon after the CCTV footage was uploaded.

"The public can play a major role by not condoning any animal abuse and also reporting such incidents without delay," he said.

S. Vijayaletchemi, an animal lover who has three dogs, believes the Serdang cat killer should serve jail time and be under tight supervision while doing community work.

"Only through a jail term will she repent. Someone has got to pay the price for their cruel act in order for others to learn from it."

READ:
NGO lodges police report against 'Serdang Cat Killer'
Tracking animal tormentors

SERDANG CAT ABUSER RELEASED AN APOLOGY LETTER

2011-03-06T17:54:00.010+08:00

UPDATES:
To have a clearer understanding on the case, check out:
1. Tati Ambia's inside interview: Her close encounter with the abuser.
2. Kwong Wah (Chinese) : 网搜下无所遁形虐猫女现身道歉
3. Free Malaysia Today: "Kitten Killer" Apologises
4. The Star: Kitten killer claims to be depressed over parents’ divorce
5. Malay Mail: Cat Abuser Says Sorry

The outcome of the press conference with the cat abuser is still unclear. We’ll still need to wait for the official news through the media later today. From what I can understand from some of the comments left in FaceBook, it was a closed door press conference with only the reporters, the abuser and the assemblyman’s team. Due to some pressures, 4 persons were allowed to get into the service center to represent the public. The weird thing was… why were the SPCA personnel invited but then were stopped from going into the building? They were only allowed to sit in while enforcement officers from the Department of Veterinary Service (DVS) got a statement from the accused. DVS has stated that they would immediately pursue a court case. If found guilty, the accused would have to pay a maximum of RM200 as a fine and/or maximum 6 months jail, an amount and imprisonment period that everyone crying foul over it.

The only thing we know was that the accused presented a letter of apology and further investigation would be carried out before any decision is to be made. Here’s the letter which I presumed was written by someone else on the abuser’s behalf. It’s in Chinese and Bahasa Malaysia. I’ll translate in at the later part.

Morning,

I sincerely wish to ask for forgiveness from the public, especially those animal lovers, for my action in abusing those kittens. I was not in control at that moment and thus made a huge mistake.

Due to the seriousness of this case, my Mum has taken me to a psychologist in hope to help me out. My Mum is a single mother, working in a market at Kampung Baru Seri Kembangan. After my Dad and Mum divorced, my Mum remained the sole bread earner in the family.

I hope the public will forgive me and give me an opportunity to correct my mistake. I promise this type of incident will not occur again and I would learn to love and respect other living creatures.

I wish to clarify that I’m not a lesbian, a psycho, as reported by the media a few days back. I hope the media would not post up false facts.

On top of that, I have received a few SMS threats which had threatened my safety. I have made a police report on this.

Thank you.

Chow Xiao Wei, 21 years old

Well, many people are still not happy about this. How could a simple letter of apology, which did not even bear any signature of hers, be sincere? Depression does not mean you can go out abusing and killing anything that can be easily bullied. Come on… This is the first stage of becoming a future psychopath! If the head of the accused is not properly examined, there would be more killing soon.

SERDANG CAT ABUSE VIDEO HAD GONE VIRAL

2011-03-05T21:34:00.012+08:00

Many of you might not be aware about the recent hot video that had gone viral not only in Malaysia but throughout the world. The approximately 5-minutes video which was retrieved last week from a CCTV along a back lane in Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, showed something that got many animal lovers in fumes. It showed the then assumed to be a boy (the abuser was later identified as a teenage tomboy) abusing a family of 3 kittens and a mother with an umbrella. The video was later deleted from the main source which is a forum but somehow someone managed to download it before it was gone. The video resurfaced in FaceBook a few days later under the account of a Mr. Ken Liew with over 1,000 Likes and over 4,000 comments and it’s still increasing. Here’s the video:

WARNING: PLEASE DO NOT WATCH IF YOU HAVE A WEAK HEART FOR ANIMAL ABUSES!

The next day, another FaceBook user, by the name of Love Cat, uploaded a series of lookalike of the accused abuser. The FaceBook Likes has gone up to over 3,000 to date with an endless stream of comments surpassing 7,000 by now. The fan page received many different reactions, mainly the inhuman way to treat the kittens. It did at times, created some hate race, hate tomboy, prank video accusation, lack of proof accusation, legal issues, etc. Luckily, everything’s still under control. Here are the photos of the accused abuser as posted up by the page.

The latest news is that the accused abuser will be holding a press conference tomorrow (Sunday, March 6, 2011) at 10.00am (Standard Time +0800 UTC) accompanied by the Seri Kembangan Assemblyman YB Ean Yong Hin Wah at his service center, 1121-1B, Jalan Sekolah, Kg Baru Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia. Police reports will be lodged at the district police station after the press conference, followed by an official complaint lodged with the Department of Veterinary Services on Monday.

A source, who appeared to know the suspect’s background, said the suspect, a girl, was raised in a troubled family with a history of domestic violence due to an abusive father. “The family has problem, the girl has problem too. So I hope everybody will give her a second chance,” said the politician. The politician said the girl is “very fragile” at the moment because of the unrelenting public condemnation of her deed on FaceBook.

Does that mean she would get away so easily with just, "I'm sorry. I won't do that again."? I would strongly recommend that she get herself an appointment with a shrink. Her head sure needed mending badly. How many alcoholic would swear that they would never get drunk again? How many serial killers would stop killing as if they are bored to kill for another time? Another point to ponder here.

Someone has to put a stop to such cruelty as we have to show the authorities that many do not condone to animal abuses. But there’s a problem in Malaysia, even if the accused is found guilty. Our outdated Malaysian Animal Act 1953 is a bit too lenient with Section 44. "Anyone guilty of an offense of cruelty to animals shall be fined RM200 and/or imprisonment for 6 months". That is even lesser than my monthly mobile bill! We really need to get the Animal Act amended or there would be more abusers!

If you study the fines and sentences throughout the world, you would find that Malaysia has the lowest fine in this region since the colonial days in 1953. What have the government been doing for almost 6 decades? Even our SPCA has no power in detaining abusers. Their job is merely to gather those strays out there, pathetically rely on donations to spay/feed them and the worst case is to wipe them out when over population occurs.

Anyway, this case has been highlighted by many concern animal lovers to a few SPCA around the country, namely SPCA Selangor. Green Animal Shelter & Sanctuary (GrASS), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), PETA- Asia Pacific, Department of Veterinary Services, newspapers and a few radio and TV broadcasting companies were notified too. This vividly showed that the public is deeply concern over such a case.

RESEARCH FACTS: “An animal abuser would be 5 times more likely to harm a human and 4 times more likely to steal from a property than one with no such track record.”

If heavy fines and stronger sentences were not executed at the initial stage of wrongdoing to instill a fear on such crime, it would become a catastrophe in a country in near future. Would you want murder cases to be a norm in your life? Would you close one eye to such needs to amend the law just because it won’t generate much income to the country? Think about it! You won’t want the safety and life of your child to be at stake when criminal cases are abundant. Do not always assume that tragedy only happen to others and not to your own family. Anyway, I don’t like to ASS/U/ME anything… it makes an ASS out of U and ME!

Note: I don’t have to attach any news links here as this post practically summed up the whole news. I’ll update on the verdict after the press conference tomorrow.

THREE MAKES A GREAT FAMILY

2011-02-16T21:27:00.003+08:00

When there was not much hope left in retrieving the last child of the SP Kitties after so many trips back to the abandoned house, he mysteriously appeared at a neighbor's house. Finally, he was brought over to my place this morning to be reunited with his two brothers. It was a touching moment with lots of purring and head bums. I named him as "Jose" Lobha Dosa. Pronounced as "Ho Se/Hoe Say" in Spanish, the name has a special meaning. It also rhymes with the Hokkien dialect (one of the Chinese clans), meaning greatness. Let's hope they could stay peacefully with the rest of the J Family Kitties. Things have been going on quite smoothly now as both the families are presently staying in two different sections of my house.

It has been 12 hours and Jose seemed to have made himself quite comfortable by sleeping on anywhere throughout the house he deemed fit. That's a great news. I'll keep him accustomed to the new environment before letting him out of the house. His two brothers have already got used to the neighborhood and knew their way home for food... but only a bit too early for breakfast. Well, I have yet to get use to them waking me up before 6.00am for breakfast... LOL! Anyway, here's Jose lazing about~

Now I would have a fresher and happier life ahead as I would be having a rose blossom each morning I wake up from my sleep... err... not that red one... but from this one... :P I simply love that short rose petal tail of Jose's... Cool~

I AM SO HAPPY TO BE REUNITED

2011-02-11T22:08:00.002+08:00

I am so happy that Mummy came over for a visit this afternoon. She had a big surprise for me. Can you guess what she brought over to my new home?

It's my little brother, Rasanutta. She managed to save him from being abandoned on the streets. Let's welcome him to our new home~ :)

Finally, I have my brother reunited here to accompany me and to play "chase" all over the house. It's kind of boring that the J Kitties are still not receptive of my presence. All I need was a playmate to kill boredom.

Now I do not have to sit inside Daddy's bath tub to wait for some excitements to fall from the ceiling... err... I did see some lizards hanging up there~ Hehe~ :P

Aiks~ This little bro of mine is getting to be real mischievous now. Lucky I stopped him from leaving some graffiti on Daddy's furniture.

By the way, Daddy is having a headache trying to get us new names. Do you think "Jerry" Upekkha sounds nice? It's supposed to mean "holy" as I've been real... errr... ahem... holy, adorable, lovable, huggable, friendly, etc, ever since I stepped into this new family. Hehe~ Bro should be given the name "Jiro" Rasanutta as it means "second male". Well, everyone thought he was a female until his "ahems" popped out almost 6 months later. What a late bloomer~ Gosh!

A LATE CHRISTMAS PRESENT?

2011-02-10T12:08:00.009+08:00

Before I proceed with my post, here's a little update on Mama Jessica. The bleeding has stopped finally and she's doing very well with her daily medication. Let's hope it stays that way. Thanks for all the supports and wishes sent earlier. I appreciate it a lot.

Some of you may not be aware that in late Januaruy 2011, I had heavily publicized a family of 6 cats up for adoption in FaceBook. Those cats were actually the adopted children of a Buddhist nun by the name of Sayalay Paramacari. I called them the SP Kitties. As she would start to be on the move again very soon, all her cats needed to be relocated immediately. Moreover, her old house would also be demolished within the next few months for a new development. One thing which did amazed me was that all her cats were all born on different auspicious days, ie, X'mas Day, Wesak Day and a few days' ago 4 new kittens on Chinese New Year. She even had them named after their unique characteristics.

Getting a cat being adopted in Malaysia has been really tough, especially when one is not of any pedigree breed. It was until today that we thought we could manage to send all the kitties to their respective homes when an unexpected incident occurred. Two of the kitties were released back at the old residence by an adopter when his friend was not available to pick up the kitties. That was an act that caught us dumbfounded as it was not so easy to put the outdoor cats back into the cage. Now those two were missing. Let's hope they could be found soon as they may not find any food and lodging when the house is being demolished. Both the boys, Rasanutta (in Pali meaning sentimental) and Lobha Dosa (in Pali meaning Greed & Aversion) were born on Wesak Day (the birth, enlightenment and death of Lord Buddha) - 28 May 2010.

It was a big mistake they were released back into the wilderness. If only they were sent to my house instead. At least I could temporary shelter them while waiting for new adopters.

You might say it was a blessing in disguise as I managed to save another boy from being turned into a stray. Upekkha (in Pali meaning Equanimity) was born on Christmas Day 2009. When I thought the loss of my Jeremy Boy near Christmas 2010 has brought me much heartache, I was gifted with a Christmas boy. Let's hope the J Kitties are receptive on his presence or I might have to put him up for adoption too. Don't you think he's real handsome and somehow resembled a bob-tail version of a larger Jimmy?

Upekkha's twin sister, Katanutta (in Pali meaning Gratitude), the sole female in the SP Family, has been lucky. She's being adopted together with her few days' old, Chinese New Year 2011 born quadruplets. I hope her new owner, Sergeant Abdullah, would be more responsible towards their well-beings. He was the one who released those two kitties, Rasanutta and Lobha Dosa due to some miscommunications.

Aww... I missed these babies now. They reminded me of the J Kitties when they were in that tiny weeny sizes. Aren't they adorable?

Santhi (in Pali meaning Peace) and Santutthi (in Pali meaning Contentment), males, both born on Wesak Day (28 May 2010), were also lucky as they have been adopted by another cool family. Unfortunately, Santutthi was involved in an accident a few days' back that resulted in him limping all the time. He would be required to be put on a strict medical observation. Let's pray that he would get well soon or else he would need to be sent back to the vet for further treatment.

Hmmm... Upekkha seemed to enjoy himself in the new place, although I had to cage him up for the next few days for fear he would run away with all the firecrackers bombing out there during this Chinese New Year period. The best news is that he loved me so much that he would let me pat him to sleep. Gosh! I'm beginning to pamper him with all the rich food.. Haha! Well, he's not complaining and has been busily munching and drinking away~ Err... Why did I start calling him Jerry now? :P

HAS THE BLEEDING FINALLY STOPPED?

2011-02-04T20:46:00.002+08:00

With all the celebrations going on during this Chinese New Year, you might ask why I'm still here and not out there celebrating with my family and friends? The reason... I could not be away for more than a few hours as I have a sick cat here who needed my endless support. Mama Jessica bled for the last 3 days, even with all the medications given from my second visit to the vet, and to show all the blood shots taken would surely spoil your beautiful weekend. Furthermore, I have been down with lethargy from all the hourly monitoring. I'm sorry for not updating sooner.

One good news - her urine has begun to turn light pinkish this morning. It's a good sign that she's improving. Let's hope it would be all cleared by the week. But will it? I have been hit with a more serious case than the first time just barely a few days ago and I'm now not too sure if it would happen again. I've tried being positive but then the fear of loosing her kept me in stress each day. No matter what, I would ensure that she has the necessary check up again this coming Monday. I hope I can cope up with all these frequent visits soon.

At least for now, she's all cleaned up and happily claiming my sofa again~ sweat~ Let it be... I'm not complaining as I would love to see her being healthy again within the shortest period of time. Gosh~ she has lost so much weight~ Haiz~ Let's hope her new diet would improve her loss weight soon.

MAMA JESSICA IN EMERGENCY AGAIN

2011-02-01T08:33:00.007+08:00

UPDATE:
February 2:
11.20am - Blood strains still everywhere... I hope the medications given would work faster. I'm forced to lock her up in the bathroom. She may look like she's fine but inside her existed the pain that I would never be able to detect.

10.30pm - It has been a tiring day rushing here and there to get situations in order. The vet could not detect any problems with Mama Jessica, especially when she's still under medication. More medications have been given to her to stabilize her bleeding. Another bomb~ sweat~ The only suspicion was that she tried too hard to poo and the bleeding came back. This should not be happening as I had changed her diet to semi dry food. I had used the latest Purina Friskies 2-in-1 Gravy Coated Salmon & Tuna Flavor where a little water would made them gravy like bites plus I had also added in some Whiskas's Chicken & Tuna wet food. She should not have problem making her poo. She would be under strict monitoring again these few days. Let's hope things gets better now. I'm getting real worried for her health now.

9.50am - Now she's all covered with blood even after I have cleared all the stains on the floor! :( Going off to the vet now... lucky it's about 5 minute's drive away.

9.33am - It looked as though I had murdered something in my bathroom. Panicky now~ Less than half an hour before the vet is open. :(

--------------------------------------------------------

When things began to look bright and promising, I was hit with another dilemma half an hour ago. Mama Jessica bled again in spots all over my indoor and outdoor floors, cushion and my bed. :(

It's to the vet again once they are open in another 1.5 hours. It's going to be another stressful week for me with Chinese New Year being two days from now. I better get ready to rush her to the vet very soon as today would be the last day they are open for business until next Monday. :(

FINALLY SHE HAD SOMETHING INTO HER TUMMY

2011-01-27T15:43:00.000+08:00

Would you believe that for the pass 18 hours I did not even let Mama Jessica out from my sight? We ate, we slept and we wandered within the house inseparable… sweat~ I had just spent the last 2 hours inspecting her actions out at my porch area, obstructing her from jumping over the fence not less than 3 times. No… no… She definitely not allowed outdoor unmonitored again for at least another few days prior to her check-up.

At least the blood trace in her urine is getting lesser and lesser by the hours. That’s a good sign indeed.

Getting her to eat and drink with either wet or dry food was a huge task. She would rather sleep or stare out of the windows (in search of an escape route I guessed which was quite impossible… LOL!). Anyway, I managed to coax her to sip in some water and munch a few cat biscuits this morning. Finally, she decided to eat more and drink more during lunch time. That was a relief for me.

But~ I’m still having problems getting her to take in all her medications. Don’t you think a 12mm diameter tablet could be a bit too big for her to consume? I even tried breaking it up to smaller pieces but that gave me more scratches on my wrists. It’s like meeting Freddy Krueger from Elm Street. What a nightmare for me! It’s time to get some cheese wrapped tablets for her. :P

I guessed I would keep this update short for the time being as I really need some rest now as one of my eyes is swollen now. Moreover, there are quite a few blood stained cushion covers and floor to sanitize before she wakes up from her dreamland. Anyway, thanks for all the supports and wishes you have given here. I appreciate it a lot. Errr… oh no… Mama Jessica woke up due to a commotion outside.

That must be JT (Jay Tux), my new daily stalker in the compound. Well, I would not turn down a cat in need, would you? :)

MAMA JESSICA NEED HELP URGENTLY NOW

2011-01-26T09:54:00.005+08:00

UPDATE:

11.00pm - She's awake but refused to eat even with the best food given on her plate. Fortunately, she did sip in some warm water. She has not stop licking her "ahem" yet. I'm still following her around to clean your those "sliding" blood stains she made on my living room. Patient... patient... Daddy... This will pass soon. She has gone back sleeping in her bed... err... cage on her own. Smart girl~ :)

7.00pm - Extremely exhausted! Just back from the vet with a bunch of medications which I would even be too scared to swallow. The amount and size of those tablets would get me more scratches now. Mama Jess... please spare me... those medications would do you much good. Luckily I was swift enough to take action as it was an acute case. Another few hours of disappearing act would surely send her to heaven. Too bad, I'm forced to lock her up for now. From the many hours of observation, she was still bleeding but not as much as this morning. I hope those medications would get her all well again. I have to monitor her condition for a few days and send her back to the vet for a few more thorough check ups. Sweat~ Let's hope this would clear up too as next week would be a long week of festive holiday and the vet would be closed. :( She's now sleeping soundly in her cage now. Let's hope she would eat something when she wakes up.

While waiting for the vet to be available within the next one hour or so, I did a little research and I was in a state of shock to find out what made Mama Jessica having those weird behaviors for the past 2 days. The case of Jeremy’s death had made me quite a nervous wreck for quite some time and now this with Mama Jessica making occasional disappearing acts for as long as 36 hours. As for Jeremy’s case, it was suspected to be Acute Renal Failure (ARF) but I found out that those symptoms were more likely to be associated with Feline Lower Tract Urinary Disease (FLUTD), one of the causes of blood in a cat's urine medically known as hematuria. This is one scary disease that made me extremely cautious with the daily affairs of the J Family Kitties.

Now I suspect that Mama Jessica is suffering from Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) which I pray would not be fatal as in Jeremy’s case. But the percentage of symptoms shown by Mama Jessica had made me panicky.

Key symptoms of FLUTD/UTI in cats:

(/) Painful urination
(x) Straining to urinate
(x) Urine limited to a few drops or worse, no urine output
(/) Bloody urine
(/) Cat Licking frequently on its genitals
(/) Urinating out of the litter box
(/) Vomiting
(/) Loss of Appetite
(/) Lethargy
(/) Shock
(/) Hiding or disappearing frequently
(x) Death if left untreated once the toxins overwhelmed the body, poisoning the cat to death (uremic poisoning)

It’s another 20 minutes before the vet would be open and Mama Jessica almost went MIA without me noticing. I’m sorry… I have to keep her locked up securely this time. I can’t afford to lose another member of my family again. I would truly need some support of any kind now. It has been a devastating few months for me here.

I’m rather surprised here too as a mother is always a mother. She’s not showing her pain and kept on taking care of Jimmy, who has been missing her since last night.

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY JANICE AND JAYSON

2011-01-04T07:42:00.003+08:00

I could still remember how anxious I was around this time 3 years ago when Mama Jessica gave birth to these beautiful babies. The memories of helping her in labor was the most memorable experience for me. How I wished Justin could be found for this reunion and Jeremy could have been around still to make the celebration as grand as ever. Somehow, I'm still not in the greatest mood this year. I'll just get them something special later on to appreciate how much they have touched my life... Anyway, Happy Birthday Janice & Jayson~ Be in the greatest health and happiness always~ Love ya all always, Dad~

THE LIFE OF JEREMY - MY GOLDEN BOY

2010-12-28T17:05:00.002+08:00

Life has been rather quiet here this festive season with rains of tears storming this tropical region almost daily, especially on one specific spot - my then new but now sad home. Ever since Jeremy's departure, I had to brave myself to stay strong as my promise to him when I sent him off in his last journey. From the outlook, I may look happy as usual but for those who knew how close I was with Jeremy, could sense my inner sadness, especially the J Family Kitties who had been jamming in my bed without fail nightly. They were indeed right as inside my heart and soul, I'm just a weakling... longing to cuddle and play with him forever. It took me quite some time to gather up my courage to compile his photos from the past 3 years to make this simple video.

Each time I had finished checking an album, I eventually fell back to his last photo on the frozen ground on that wicked afternoon, dripping tears furiously but silently. Psychologically, I needed the strength to pull through but only time will heal my sadness. I really need the peace of mind right now to get my life back to normal even without him around to put a smile on my face as always. I guessed this painstaking and tearful video I had produced would be the sole memory of him for me to cherish forever. Peacefulness... calmness... are what I can hope for... and that's what I have been doing by watching those memories ten of times each day...

Note: You might want to let it load fully before playing for the best effect. In case of failure to load well, try visiting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N76pO4zRv3I

THE DAY HE LEFT WITH TEARS

2010-12-19T18:13:00.006+08:00

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the wishes and comfort during these sad moments. Jeremy was the love of my life… my son… the “man” behind my blog. Without him around, my life had gone crashing down. It happened so quickly and I was totally helpless to help him pull through. Subconsciously, I still filled up his bowl daily… That showed how much I had missed him and not wanting to think that he had left me for good. I’ve no reasons why I’m still so reluctant to put away his food bowl, although the rest of the J Family Kitties enjoyed the extras. Maybe that would be the best way to overlook on that part for some time.

Trudy ('Kaika, Tanith, Midnight, Stella, Blackie and Miss Kitty’s mum) was kind enough to warn me through ML on the possibility of some warfarin (rat poison) presence here, just in case the rest of the kitties had gone wandering around biting on any poisoned rats. Thank you for your concern, Trudy. I appreciate it a lot. From my knowledge, no one I knew was using such toxic substance here. Moreover, Jeremy would rather go dating at Monty’s house than to waste his energy chasing rodents and the rest of the kitties are rather homely. If only Jeremy knew Monty was spayed. Monty indeed loved his presence over the rest of the kitties.

I was really in stormy anger when I went over to my vets for a post mortem of the incident. They were supposed to detect any health problems on my babies but they failed to do so for Jeremy. The act of moving to a new place about a month ago and just 15 minutes’ drive to the vet did not save Jeremy’s life. Only cat fight wounds from a recent brawl with the mafia cat here were treated instead of checking further the cause of him losing some hair at his back. It was only concluded that it could be due to CRF (Chronic Renal Failure) he has been suffering from for awhile, in which none of us were aware of and with no symptoms at all. The illness suddenly took a bad turn into ARF (Acute Renal Failure) during the last two days of his life, as pointed out by Trudy.

I guessed I have to stay strong now and share my bad experiences here so that the rest of you out there would be knowledgeable enough to spot the hidden symptoms to avoid the same life threatening scenarios as in Jeremy’s case. On the other hand, I’ll need to shift my mind not to wander off wildly again as I have been during the past few days. Here are some comparisons as I found from vetinfo.com which I would be using to show on Jeremy’s recent behaviors:

Common symptoms of CFC include:

* Excessive urination and thirst – Normal healthy stools but peed quite often in small puddles.
* Loss of appetite – No signs of this. He was hungry always.
* Fatigue – He had his usual sleeping time. Nothing suspicious found here.
* Weight loss – A bit and I thought it was due to the relocation stress.
* Vomiting – Not that I have known of except for some fur balls throw up.
* Bad breath – None as he’s the cleanest cat in the household.
* Drooling – Not as regular as before I had moved here but extremely during his last 2 days.
* Dehydration – He did drink a lot though from running to and fro Monty’s house.
* A Dull Coat – The normal change of hair seasonally but it could meant he was not well too.

Key signs of ARF include:

* Lack of Coordination – He was still moving around here and there with no such signs.
* Refusal to eat – He ate a lot in the morning but not at night in that fearful state.
* Pain and straining during urination – Not that I was aware of.
* Vomiting – None at all.
* Weakness – A bit which I assumed was from a mild cold from the recent wet weather.
* Disorientation – The night before his missing as he was in “Sphynx” position and not lying down, shaky and in fear, which I assumed was the threat from the mafia cat. It’s a crashing sign for immediate medical attention!
* Bad breath – Not at all.
* Seizures – None at all except during the posture he was in when I found his body :(

Other findings from my personal observation on Jeremy:

* Fur Loss – Only after moving here which I assumed they were from some cat fights.
* Pee Color – Deep yellow and extremely smelly than norm.
* Hide & Seek – During the last few days, Jeremy has been digging and hiding in dark areas in my house. I thought it was the nature of cats to do so... mischievously.
* Constant Seeking Out – I thought he wanted to snuggle with me more without realizing that he was not so well and would like to be as close to me as possible. I should have known that he wanted to tell me that he was sick and wanted my immediate attention and action.
* Unusual Purrs – It could be an indication that he was in discomfort instead of content. If only I could understand cat language to hear him out. :(
* Blood Stain Mucus-like Substance – It could be due to some internal bleeding which my vets and I could not determine the cause of it. If only he stayed and did not run away, he could have been saved. :(
* Unusual Cries – Do not ever ignore such cries from other cats. It could mean that they are seeking help for someone they love. If only Monty could show me where Jeremy has been hiding, I could have had rushed him for emergency treatments.

I’m still in a sad and broken down stage now but I have to brave myself to write this post. It’s not so easy as to write on something you have lost recently without drowning in sorrow. Jeremy would be grateful for what I had written here to share with others. At least, another life would be saved for speedy actions. The picture of his cold body still haunted me nightly. The thought of his last moments on his face and the tears in his sparkling eyes left a deep wound in my heart. For 3 full years, I have been treating Jeremy as if he was my own son but he just left me without allowing me to be by his side during the last moment. Who would have expected that his birthday would become his death day?

The J Family Kitties have been real supportive these few nights by cuddling around me at all times. They somehow could sense my sadness. I hope I can pull through this sudden trauma very soon… it has been the saddest moment in my life…

I WISHED I COULD WIPE THOSE TEARS OFF OUR EYES…

* sorry but this was his last photo and I would like to remember him forever...

REMEMBERING JEREMY

2010-12-16T13:37:00.003+08:00

No words can describe
How sad and empty I feel today
Especially when it's your birthday.

Why did you have to go away suddenly
And leave a big hole in my heart
When there was hope for you to exist?

What I'm suffering now seems so unfair
As my love for you has never ended there.

I'll cherish the moments I held you in my arms
with you gracing me always with your lovely charms.

A million words and tears would not change the fact
That you would never ever come back.

I'll brave the bitter grief that comes
No matter how sad I had become

As I know that you're on a safer ground now.
Rest in peace my Jeremy, my son...

I'll held tight the memories of
My love for you forever and ever...

Thanks for the wishes and prayers everyone.
Jeremy is now over the rainbow bridge.
Update: http://crizcats.blogspot.com/2010/12/jeremy-is-critically-ill-and-lost.html

JEREMY IS CRITICALLY ILL AND LOST

2010-12-15T14:12:00.013+08:00

16 DECEMBER 2010:
UPDATE: 12.10pm - Monty's Mum found him dead frozen under her car. I was lost for words. :( A simple funeral was held. Goodbye Jeremy~ http://crizcats.blogspot.com/2010/12/remembering-jeremy.html

UPDATE: 10.20am - 24 hours since I found him sick. He's still missing. :(

UPDATE: 9.40am - I'M BREAKING APART...

UPDATE: 8.12am - He did not greet me this morning. I'LL NEED A MIRACLE NOW! :(

UPDATE: 2.00am - Went out to check again with Janice. Still none! :(

UPDATE: 12.00am - Armed with torch lights... Checked the whole neighborhood with a friend. Jeremy not found. :(

15 DECEMBER 2010:
UPDATE: 10.10pm - Still no sign. I'm still praying and hoping... Don't let me down Jeremy...Sob~ Sob~

UPDATE: 8.07pm - More than 10 hours and still no sign of Jeremy back for dinner. I'm not going to like the sound of it... Where could he be?

UPDATE: 5.20pm - Went out checking the whole place for the 10th time by overturning whichever place he could have been hiding... NONE! He better come out from hiding fast before it's too late to do anything for him. It's getting late now. :(

I'm panicking here...it's a matter of life and death now but I can do nothing as Jeremy went missing before I could get him to the vet. I should have kept the main door closed. :( It was truly my mistake! 5 hours had passed but I could not find him in the whole neighborhood. Where could he be hiding? I really did not expect that a sick and weak cat can still linger out and hide himself away? Jeremy~ Please come home... you need to seek treatment immediately. Pleaseeee.....

I felt something real strange this morning when he came hunting for me. Not his norm anyway. Suddenly, I felt that he became so lightweight overnight. While cuddling him, he looked at me with that teary eyes and gave out a weird sounding meow. That was really strange. Before I could put him down to check out what was wrong with him, he leaked on my legs... not once but three times and the smell was extremely pungent.

Immediately I laced a box and put him in there for inspection while taking some shots to be emailed to my vet before they are open for business. Gosh! He was still leaking and his anus was filled with bloody mucus-like liquid.

This was a sign for emergency but the vet won't be in until another half an hour. I quickly cleaned up all the mess, changed and planned to take him to the vet but he was no where to be found in the box, around the house and outdoor in the garden. I try seeking for him door by door in the neighborhood but there was just no sign of him at all. I'm really stressed out right now. I'm hoping for some prayers for his speedy homecoming and great health.

A WHOLE NEW WORLD FOR THE J FAMILY KITTIES

2010-12-03T19:11:00.005+08:00

It has been quite awhile since I managed to find time to update this blog due to my hectic work schedule, recovering from a long trail of sicknesses and an impromptu notice to relocate my place. It was indeed a tough time for me to manage everything all at the same time mentally, physically and financially. It took me a few months to sought things out and the luck to find this beautiful place where the kitties and myself would consider a true heaven. You may say it's a blessing in disguise as I finally found a nice house with a large compound in a neighborhood full of pet lovers. Although this neighborhood is more of a dog's paradise than a cat's, the J Family Kitties have no problem at all to make themselves at home now.

There were a few hiccups earlier when Jeremy and Jayson were lost for a few days but all are well now with them adapting to the new changes in environment smoothly. There was also the case of a mafia cat from a few blocks away terrorizing them but the family spirits of the kitties did overcome the situation. Well done kits~ :) Then there was this and that and more stories followed but I guessed you would have missed the pictorial chats of the kitties for some time right? anyway, here's something to brighten your weekend. You may need to click on the photo to enlarge further. Happy weekend everyone! :)

PHOTO HUNTERS – FRAMED

2010-08-28T14:09:00.001+08:00

This week’s theme is FRAMED.
Sometimes, certain frames should be left untouched.
Now somebody is crying foul over him
being FRAMED for tearing down
a paper wall divider…

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND VISIT!
HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!

HAPPY PHOTO HUNTING!

PHOTO HUNTERS – NUMERICAL

2010-08-21T15:40:00.001+08:00

This week’s theme is NUMERICAL.
There’s something NUMERICAL in life
that kept us in distress at times…
Monthly Family Budget! :P
Finally, the kitties realized that
maintaining a family is not
as easy as it may sound…
especially when it’s in US dollars…

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND VISIT!
HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!

HAPPY PHOTO HUNTING!

PHOTO HUNTERS – ORANGE

2010-08-13T14:34:00.002+08:00

This week’s theme is ORANGE.
I think I have made a stunning discovery…
a new ORANGE fish…
and it looked just like a cat!
What’s the differences between a cat and a fish?
Well… not much…
Both have two eyes, two nostrils and a big mouth!

and they sure eat nonstop a lot!

Hmm… I don’t think I did make any mistakes…
Cats won’t live in aquariums…
Only catfish would… LOL!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND VISIT!
HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!

HAPPY PHOTO HUNTING!

A PIOUS CAT NAMED LIBERATION

2010-08-06T21:35:00.001+08:00

Would you renounce the COLORFUL world of yours and live reclusively in the name of faith? Majority of us would not give up our life as we do not have the will power to sacrifice our never ending needs and wants. The display of devotion from a particular cat, given the name Liberation, in a South Korea monastery, will sure put many people, regardless of religion, to shame.

Found by the abbess 4 years ago as a kitten with burn injuries, this cat has been practicing without fail the 3 golden rules instructed by the abbess ever since… no noise… no meat… no killing. She would reluctantly walk away for her meal daily, while spending many hours venerating in the COLORFUL decorated shrine. Amazing right?

A few videographers decided to test out the cat by providing a COLORFUL array of meat dishes. To their dismay, Liberation ignored those sinned food and went for her favorite colored dish… greens. Wow! She indeed has a strong withstanding power!

Here are the documentary videos of Liberation in her daily life. Well, it’s in Korean but I’m sure actions would speak louder than words right?

Err… On the other hand, my Jeremy had declared that his life needed to be more COLORFUL. He needed more delicious food to tempt his pampered taste bud. Shame on you Jeremy… if only you could be half as obedient as Liberation there… :P

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND VISIT!
HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!

HAPPY PHOTO HUNTING!