Early this morning, finished preparing for today’s work, before going out of the house I did say goodbye to her.

Lying inside her shelter, she was only using her remaining breath.

I knew it from the very start, when I rescued Nai-nai from hands of rude kids (she was a kitten before) back in May 1999, she would become my favorite cat, friend and part of our family.

And also I knew it, day will come she will leave us with so much pain in our hearts.

Thinking of it, “pusa lang ito noh”, Im being too emotional, “panu pa kaya sa isang tao?”. Well I guess being a human, an animal or even a non-living thing, if that creature gets too attached, and left or disappeared, “masakit di ba?”

Nai-nai had a colorful journey, as I mentioned earlier I saved her from my fellow heartless kids (I was in elementary) from being drowned “kasi nilulunod nila si nai-nai nun sa kanal”, I dont know that time if they want to wash Nai-nai’s weak body with tubig-kanal or “trip-trip lang”. After that, they left her like a “basang-sisiw” out there, I finally had a chance to fetch her and I decided to bring her home to become my pet.

She was shivering that time I hastily brought her home so that I could feed her, yes indeed my prompt action to save her was to feed her with food not to dry her wet fur (elementary logic). I was so happy that she was eating my “Oishi” chichirya but so minimal, she was really hurt by what kids done to her.

That was not the end of her dilemma, though she was getting back her apetite, her “poop” got into scenario, it contained blood. We thought that she would not survive that time, but she proved us wrong.

To make the story simply, it was a miracle that she stayed with us for thirteen years despite of being weak and hated by my dad because of her “not being masinop of her poop”. There was an instance my dad ordered us to throw her away and we complied to that (do we have a freaking choice) but I assured that there would be a place for her to stay and that was in my aunt’s place. Even she was separated from us that time I always made sure that after my class I would have dropped to my aunt’s place to feed her, I did not skip a single day.

After three months of being separated, my dad back on his job, I decided to bring her back. And when she got into her real home, she was well trained keeping her poop. =)

I graduated elementary, high school, college, got my first work, second work, third work, FOURTH WORK and part time work, had a couple of ex-gfs, wow she really did a great job accompanying me. Me capable of buying whiskas/friskies for her food, I was very glad that she waited for me to become a professional. Sadly she was not able to meet my future wife, son/daughter =(

I didnt consider her as a mere cat, she was a part of our family, a real big part of my life, and that part has gone away it was like I was being robbed. “Siguro matagal pa toh bago maka-move on.”

A fierce cat, strong, an intelligent one, and she was so loyal serving her master, my family. I remember one time when I had to go work, she was like a dog accompanying me at the end of our street, and the time I got back from work she was there at the end of the street waiting for me. I thought “sa movies lang nangyayari yun, sa tunay na buhay din pala”.

She was a very fine rat buster (what do you expect from a cat), I couldn’t count them all, not only a “pipichuging” rat but a huge one, almost same size of her. Why was she doing that? Not for food of course because rats here in Manila I think are disgusting, but because she wanted to protect her little ones, her kittens.

Nai-nai has a son and daughter and a grandson on our side. I guess even when you’re gone now they will continue your generation. But no cat can replace you in my heart, you were and still the first cat I ever loved.

“Totoo talaga ang sinabi ng vet nya,” she was so lucky to have additional 3 years in her life, normally the life span of a cats/dogs is 10 years.

I am so proud of you staying with us. In the end, you still tried to survive, naiiyak ako kasi u felt again the pain of surviving, from the start that I took care of you hanggang sa kamatayan mo, you struggle to survive and this time we cant do a single thing, only to watch you struggling for life. BWISET na asthma yan, BULLSHIT!!!!!

Farewell to you my friend. I need to stop this, my tears now are flooding here in my post.

Nai-nai: May, 1999 to November 26, 2012.

Thanks for the memories, again can’t stop my tears from falling while typing.