My first meowster - Jyn
Jyn B (short for Jyn B Jyn B Jyn) - DSH (2011-2018). My very first meowster.
I became a meowslave in 2017…
Growing up in Hong Kong, I'd always been a city girl who felt very few connections with animals or nature. I actually had a phobia of dogs; I was once cornered by three angry stray dogs when I was young while my dad and my sister stood from afar to 'assess the situation.' I'd never warmed up to the idea of having any pets in our tiny home, a 400-ish square-foot, three-bedroom apartment shared by six of us.
It all started to change after I graduated and stepped into the adult world. At work, some of my colleagues would say, 'We're having a house party, and you're invited. By the way, we have two dogs and three cats at home. They're very friendly, so you'll be fine!' I couldn't say no to such a friendly invitation (and I also needed more reasons to get out of our tiny apartment and take a break from my parents and three sisters – you know how it is). So, I had to fib about my fear of dogs and my dislike of cats (geez, I could feel the cold stare from my meowster when I typed this). I guess exposure therapy did work its magic, and I soon overcame all my phobias. On the contrary, I became quite affectionate toward all those furry, friendly pets my colleagues and friends had.
But still, it wasn't until I moved out of the tiny apartment into a small one with my boyfriend that I started thinking about getting a pet. I knew dogs were known as humans' best friends, loyal and loving, and blah blah blah... but I've always been surrounded by the best human friends, and my boyfriend, well, he's quite loyal and loving too (it's our 9th year together, after all). So, I had my mind set on getting a cat – a pet that can pretty much clean and care for themselves, doesn't need to be walked, and doesn't get too clingy... Oh well, how naive I was...
After some discussions with my boyfriend, we decided to adopt a cat from SPCA Hong Kong. We never considered other options aside from adoption; it was just a matter of choosing the right organisation or shelter. In Hong Kong, numerous animal groups, shelters, and independent volunteers are dedicated to caring for abused, abandoned, and stray cats. However, most of them had stringent screening processes, including home visits and background checks, to ensure that potential adopters could provide the best care for these precious cats. I had read stories about applicants being denied kittens because they had jobs and might not have enough time to nurture the kittens. Others were turned down due to unstable incomes that might not support their meowsters! My boyfriend strongly disagreed with such rigorous requirements. It wasn't because we had anything to hide (we both had stable jobs and were willing to cat-proof our apartment on the 24th floor), but he believed these strict barriers discouraged adoption and led people to shop for cats. I could see points from both sides, which is why I suggested SPCA, as I had heard they were more relaxed about the screening process.
Jyn at SPCA Wanchai Adoption Centre in Hong Kong, July 2017.
It was love at first sight for us with Jyn. Well, we had our eyes on another kitten called Virginia (I was hoping to name her Gina after Gina from Brooklyn 99) when we first visited the SPCA adoption centre in Wan Chai. Gina was indeed a gorgeous kitten, and many visitors were interested in her. Right next to her cell was a seemingly empty one with a note stuck outside reading 'VERY SHY.' It wasn't until we almost made up our minds to apply for Gina's adoption that we saw a timid and very beautiful cat emerging from hiding. Jyn (My boyfriend named her after Jyn Erso from Rogue One... I actually forgot the horrible name she had been given at the shelter) was an adult cat abandoned by her previous owner. She was found in an empty apartment with severe stomatitis - they had to remove most of her teeth (she was left with three front teeth), and she had been staying at the shelter for six months after making a full recovery. She had just been transferred from a different centre, and hopefully put an end to her long-stay status at the SPCA. Although she was labelled as a very shy cat, she came up to us, sniffed our fingers, and allowed us to pet her for a while. At that moment, we knew that we were probably her last chance, and she was going home with us.
Jyn was the purrfect cat for us. My boyfriend had cats before, but it was my first time ever having a furry pet (We had some tortoises when I was younger, but let's say they didn't all live to a ripe old age). She was very quiet unless she was hungry, needed her litter tray cleaned, or wanted us to wake up and pay attention to her. She was affectionate, for about 3 seconds every now and then. She loved being petted, but no more than 3 strokes, or you'd risk losing a finger. She settled into our place quickly and soon became the centre of our lives. We filled our place with cat furniture and toys that she completely ignored after judging them quietly for a short while. We stocked up on various types of cat food, just in case she suddenly decided she was too posh for tuna or bored with lamb and duck. We sat on the floor while she rested comfortably on our 3-seater sofa. She could do no wrong, and we simply adored her presence.
We were so blessed to have found Jyn, but our time was unfortunately cut short... We brought her in for an annual check-up in April 2018, and everything was great, except she was slightly overweight (just like my boyfriend and me). 5 months later, after returning from a short business trip in late October, my boyfriend said Jyn seemed a bit down when I was away and wasn't eating much. I tried giving her some treats, which she usually loved, but she still refused to come out from the corner to eat. I sensed that something was wrong, so I took her to the vet the next day. I thought it might be a stomach bug or that she ate something she shouldn't have (I had limited knowledge of cats' health issues at that time), but the vet told me that things didn't look good for Jyn. Her lungs were filled with fluid, and her heart was really weak... It all happened very quickly, from admitting her to the emergency clinic to approving surgery to drain the fluid from her lungs. I was asked if I wanted them to resuscitate Jyn if her heart stopped during the surgery. I couldn't even say 'yes' but just nodded helplessly to the nurse. My boyfriend rushed to the clinic after work and managed to see Jyn after the surgery. We were sent home as Jyn needed to be hospitalised for the night. And then, that phone call at 3 am... Jyn was gone, just like that.
"I'm not a person who lives with many regrets, but this is definitely one of my biggest regrets. After Jyn's passing, I beat myself up for being a failed cat mum – I should have read more about cats and their behaviour, should have understood more about their health, and what to do when things don't seem right. Since then I've spent loads of time researching about cats, took courses on feline psychology and behaviour, and joined hundreds of cat groups and communities to keep myself as informed as possible. And that's why I'd like to start this My Meowster blog to share my experience, my findings, my thoughts (and, of course, fun cat videos 😛) with my fellow cat lovers, aka cat slaves.
There is no amount of 'should-haves' that can bring Jyn back. We only managed to spend a year and a half of great time with Jyn, and I hope she enjoyed our service, companionship, and love.
Jyn’s forever resting place - behind her favourite Lego ferries wheel