The Story of Xiao Bai

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I came home one day to find Xiao Bai sitting outside my door and upon hearing my loud foot steps, she ran up the stairs and disappeared. She doesn't usually hang around my area, mostly outside her owner's house or floor (she doesn't really stay at home). But that day she did. It got me wondering, why was she there. Was she gonna die so she came to say good bye? I got so emotional I decided to go out and look for her. When I opened the door again, there she was, sitting outside my house. She led me back to her place where she affectionately rubbed her nose on my legs and I realised she was having a very bad skin condition. I tried to see if her owner was at home but she wasn't. I pat her and gave her the attention she wanted despite the nasty skin/fur on her. Then, I also realised Xiao Bai is not dying. She still looked active and very much alive, with most of its tiny front teeth intact (I know a dying cat's face. The eyes looked through you, dazed, lifeless, as though there is nothing more in them. And yes, old cats barely have any tiny front row teeth).

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After a while I decided to go back home and check back on her owner later but she followed me all the way home, right outside at my door step, refused to leave. And being the emo me, I sat at my door and wait for her to leave instead because there's something about "closing the door" on her that makes me feel so awful.

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So for about 30 minutes, we just stared into each other's eyes before she threw a cat tantrum and turned her back on me.

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I felt so bad and I really wanted to bring her to the vet. I thought, since she didn't come to say goodbye, perhaps she came to me for help? Perhaps her owner didn't take her to the vet hence her deteriorating skin condition?

I managed to hunt down see Xiao Bai's owner the next day and she assured me that she has brought Xiao Bai to the vet but because of the recent construction works on our block, the dust and what nots might have affected her recovery.

So.. latest update from the owner: Xiao Bai is doing so much better now, willingly resting at home and only going out on Sundays (off day huh?). I feel so happy for her. She's like one of my favourite cats in the neighbourhood.

Here's her story:

When I was young, like 10 or 11, I found a white kitten at my void deck. She was beautiful - all white fur and blue eyes. How rare to find a kitten like this? I liked her a lot, but I can't remember why I couldn't keep her for myself, so I left her in a box outside my neighbour's house, a cat lady who loves and care for cats. She is also the one who gave me my beloved cat.

So anyway, although she didn't know exactly who left the kitten outside her door, I'm pretty sure I was one of the suspects. But nonetheless, she kept her as her pet and named her Xiao Bai (literal translation for Little White) because she was all white. Subsequently, brown spots began appearing on her body and she's not so white anymore (haha).

Xiao Bai is a very affectionate cat who wants any attention she could get. If I hadn't "saved" her, I really have no idea where she would go. It's been almost 14 years and she's still so friendly and lively, albeit a bit deaf. She is one of my sister and I's favourite kitty.

Sometimes I have no idea why I am so attached to cats, but I just do. I will save them all and give them a home if I could.

In the mean time, I will try my best to help with these appeals from the Cat Welfare Society here. If you can, and if you love cats, you should too.

Life is better with a cat! Read: Duke Orange.

2 comments:

Estella said...

love love love the cat!!!
http://citygirltoday.blogspot.com/

Alex said...

How sweet!! I am also attached to cats in a huge way. I wish I could rescue them all :(

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