Not in a very good week it was.
We lost our beloved JoJo who had been with us for nearly 5 years. On Tuesday 17th January, about 7pm, the vet had to put Jojo down. Reason being he had contracted sporothricosis and it has spread to his lungs and liver.
It all started out when Jojo got into a fight with a neighborhood cat, just a few weeks before we moved to Taman Guru. He was bitten on his tail and front foot. We took him to the vet then and was boarded overnight there to get his wound treated.
Toook him back the next day with the wounds cleaned and with a few medication for him. We applied the cream, fed him his medicine but only start seeing him becoming withdrawn and shabby in his fur. Hilman will bathe him like twice a week to get back his beautiful white coat, but he started to develop black crusty mange on the corners of his ears and nose.
JoJo became withdrawn. Refusing to come into the house to snuggle with the kids, like he usually does. He instead chose to look after Comel's kittens who were placed in a box in the garage. He would spend most of his time licking Comel's kittens clean when Comel roams off everywhere.
Tuesday afternoon, Hilman called me at the office and told me that Jojo has started to sneeze out blood. I was stunned for a while. Drove back home, took a look at Jojo, and had a very bad feeling, deep down in my guts.
Solat Asar, then took kiddos and Jojo in his carrier to the vet.
The vet at Jawhari Cat Centre was tsk tsking us when we showed her JoJo. She took him into the examining room at the back there and checked poor old JoJo for quite some time.
She came out with a very serious look on her face and took a big book off her shelf and proceeded to opening it at a page with Zoonitis written on the top. There were some pics on the pages, of cats with lesions like the one Jojo had. and she pointed to one word, "sporothricosis"
You can read all about it
here.
So, she slowly explained that Jojo's liver and lungs have been infected and that he is in a lot of pain. The potential of Jojo recovering just from medication is very low, she said. And, the disease that JoJo is carrying is potentially harmful to us human, especially if Jojo scratches or bite us (which can happen, when he is in a lot of pain). She strongly recommends that he is put to sleep, the humane way.
I looked at Hilman, as JoJo is his cat, always have been. His eyes was watering already and nostril all flared. Called Mr. Hubby to tell abt the vet's diagnosis and recommendation. He said, let Hilman have the final say.
As I got off the phone, saw the vet talking to Hilman in the corner of the clinic. Between nods, I could see shruggings from Hilman. I went up to them and he said, lets do it Mak. And the vet signalled that she persuaded him to agree. I was lost, kinda fast all these things happening around me.
So, the vet went into the room for surgery with JoJo. Husna just bawled her heart out in front of the room door, I bet a lot distracting for that vet trying to put JoJo to sleep peacefully back there. Hilman walked out of the clinic, and I was in the waiting room, alone with a crippled cat.
It was fast. A few minutes later she came out, leading Husna to a seat at the waiting area and told me that they are wrapping JoJo's body in surgical paper and we can take him home for burial. I told Husna to go look for Hilman. He needs to do this, coz I just can't. And he came in shortly, after summoned by Husna. Went to the back room, brought out the carrier, with Jojo's lifeless body in it.
I could see tears streaming down his face, but there was no emotion at all on his face. Denial mode has kicked in, I suppose. We all walked slowly to the car, and the short drive back was agonizing, I tell you. I had this big, bulky lump in my throat that would not go away in spite of me swallowing countless time. Husna was sobbing away softly next to me, while Hilman was stony silent at the back with the carrier and JoJo's body on his lap.
Reached home, Hilman immediately went to our backyard to start digging a hole, as it was getting dark. He selected a corner underneath the duku tree, where he has hung his hammock and takes his afternoon siesta. I understand, he wants his cat to be close to him, even in death. Husna meanwhile, went to cut up pandan leaves, picked flowers from our rose and melur tree and proceeded to make bunga rampai!
I was numbed, just stood under the duku tree, as Hilman labored at the hole. After reaching the depth of nearly three feet, he stooped and picked the carrier up. He slowly extracted a neat blue parcel from it. The clinic did a very good job of wrapping JoJo's body, I'd say.What was left of JoJo was carefully packaged in bundle of blue surgical paper with surgical tapes criss crossing it neatly to secure the package.
Hilman held the package, and told me that its still warm. I could just imagine, it has been less than 30 minutes before his last breath. I nodded, can't find any words to reply. Hilman said, it might still be alive Mak, the doctor might have made a mistake, JoJo could just be sleeping only. I could not take it any longer, and broke into a loud sob.
Hidung dah sebesar ubi kentang, jangan cerita lah!
He tried to pry open the package, I stopped him. in between my sobs, I told him, JoJo is no more with us. He is in a better place, where there is no pain and suffering. He's in an animal heaven. He nodded. Slowly, he lowered the package into the hole in the ground, pushed soil on top of it and patted down the package into the deep. The finality of it all just came rushing at me, what more him, who was doing the deed. I turnede and walked into the house. Went up to my room and took a bath, solat Maghrib and said a very long
doa for my kids to overcome this grief. For them to be able to move on without grief.
Went down, had dinner with them. Hilman ate with glazy eyes, not exhibiting any emotions (I suspect he gets that from his father!), while Husna asked a lot of questions relating to death, heaven and sporothrichosis. After dinner, Hilman asked me for some Panadol, he said he did not feel well. I suspected so too, coz he wasn't eating much. Touched his forehead, yes it was hot. I guess all those pent up emotions is finally taking a toll on his young body. He downded the Panadols and went straight to bed.
It has been three days now. The sadness still linger. And yes, yesterday I cried a bit, still. But we also have 7 other cats with us, to fill the void that JoJo has left us with. Though no cat could ever replace JoJo in our hearts, special as he is, there are other cats that needs to beloved equally.
I don't even want to put JoJo pics here, it hurts too much. Have began compiling all of JoJo's pics in a folder to be saved on a CD and thumbdrive for the kids. Its the very least I could do for them and in rememberance of our JoJo.
Oh! By the way, a friend whose daughter is very sick, need all the doa we can make for her fast and speedy recovery. Please all, do pray that Nin's daughter, Humairah will recover from her illness soon. Read about her ordeal
here .
Semoga Allah menyembuhkan adik Humairah.
