If someone has been with you for almost 17 years and suddenly, he is gone, it is bound to leave a gaping hole in your life. More so, if that someone has only given nothing but unconditional love to you, is non-judgmental of whatever you do, and only lived to love you.
That someone is our Bunny Bun Buns.
I woke up in the middle of the night, out of habit, to check on Bunny but I know he’s not here anymore.
Bunny only needed nursing care for, all in, seven days. Before that, he could still be on his own, but he was getting weaker by the day.
And now, he is gone. It wasn’t unexpected, of course. I knew Bunny’s days were numbered. There’s just so much you can do. Not everything is possible. Not everyone can heal. Bunny had already lived out his life and there had been so many times when I thought he might not make it to the next day, but he did. So I’m not in a rude shock, I’m just sad and missing him so much.
When Bunny’s condition deteriorated and the vet said it is likely to be brain lymphoma, I knew there was no turning back from that. During those few days, I wanted to discard his Cisapride and Lactulose because I knew he would not be needing those anymore. He hadn’t needed those since October last year when the chronic constipation became loose stools. But I did not have the heart to do that. That action just seemed a little disrespectful. It would have been practical, but it was still disrespectful. What if Bunny recovers and becomes constipated again, the heart asks. Keep them.
I did not discard anything at all.
I bought this new solid stainless steel cage for Bunny because he likes being in the old iron cage that was placed here. He would sleep “downstairs” while Indy slept on top in the “penthouse”. I’m glad Bunny got to enjoy a few weeks of this new cage. Even though he was blind, it didn’t take him long to figure out the step up to this new cage. In fact, he figured it out in a matter of 1-2 hours. When Bunny was laterally recumbent, he spent his days in this cage. No other cat went up to the higher platform. Indy would sometimes lie on the lower platform to keep Bunny company or use the penthouse above.
After Bunny passed away, Indy went up to the higher platform. There is more to the tussle for the ownership of this new cage in the next post.
This was Bunny’s chair. And that’s Bunny’s red box and red tray. The roof above his chair leaked a little, so we made another roof with a big plastic tray to make sure his chair was shielded from the rain. Bunny loved this chair.
Sometimes, to get some sun, Bunny sat on these black chairs too.
This is the famous Blue House. It was Bunny’s Blue House. It used to be in the patio and every morning, after breakfast, Bunny would ask to come out to the patio and he would make a beeline for the Blue House. He’d sleep there all day until the next meal.
And Bunny’s scratching post and morning sunbathing perch. He loved this little bench. Every morning, he will perch on it and sunbathe for hours after breakfast.
This morning’s breakfast didn’t need me preparing Bunny’s medication anymore.
Still maintaining four bowls at the pantry.
When Pole passed away, I maintained five bowls for a long time. Now, it’s still four bowls, including Bunny’s bowl. Maybe we can use it as a spare bowl.
Unexpectedly, the cat most affected by Bunny’s passing is Cleo. I thought it would be Cow, but no. On hindsight, Cleo bullied Cow and Indy, but she never bullied Bunny. We always thought it was because Bunny was blind, so Cleo spared him. But now, we think it’s because Cleo was really close to Bunny.
Yesterday, Cleo stayed by Bunny’s side on the bed even while the Pet Memorial staff were here to put Bunny into their box. Normally Cleo would run away as far as possible when there are strangers (she trusts no one), but Cleo stood her ground.
We must have misunderstood Cleo all this while thinking that she did not care for anyone but herself and she always acted in her queenly ways. Maybe in her own silent ways, she cared deeply for her uncle, Bunny.
I woke up at 3am this morning and found Cleo awake, sitting alone in the garden, staring into empty space. Cow and Indy were asleep. Later in the morning, I saw her sitting in the garden again, doing the same thing.
Poor Cleo. We will mourn and grieve together, Cleo. And in time, all that we have would be the sweet memories of Bunny, memories of his antics and the funny things he did.
P.S. Remember that it was Cleo who looked transfixed at the ceiling after Bunny passed away. Jackson Galaxy says the same of his cats. A cat would look and follow “something” leaving the body of another cat who has just passed away. It’s probably some energy leaving. If the energy leaves instantly (it makes sense that it does), that’s good.