Love, Loss, and Life. Story of My Cats.

This is the story of my two cats.

Do you like cats? I didn’t until I got my cats.

I have a cat, and I’ve cherished his companionship for the past ten years. Growing up, my family was more into dogs. My dad, a true dog enthusiast, ensured we had delightful experiences with them — walking, playing, and creating beautiful memories. These childhood memories left me yearning for a dog as a companion.

During my adulthood, when I finally became financially independent, I wanted to fulfill that desire and get a dog of my own. However, I was living with my boyfriend (now my husband), who had concerns at the time. His father had severe allergies, particularly to pet hair and dust mites, which made him hesitant about having a dog. I searched for hypoallergenic dog breeds and showed him documentaries, trying to persuade him. But it didn’t work out, as regardless of whether he said yes or no, our flat didn’t allow us to have a dog.

So, I considered an alternative — getting a cat. In Korea, cats were often considered spooky or unpleasant creatures. My sister, for instance, was terrified of them when we were young and often cried when a cat came near her. However, after moving to the Netherlands, I encountered numerous cats on the streets. They would approach me, purr, and sometimes even flaunt their adorable tummies. I fell in love with these feline friends.

I began convincing my boyfriend to get a cat. Though initially resistant and concerned about allergies, he finally agreed to explore the idea. After in-depth research, we adopted a hypoallergenic Siberian cat, which I had always wanted.

We visited the breeder’s house multiple times, getting to know the parent cats and the kittens. Eventually, we chose an icy gray-colored kitten, which we named “Arthur.” He appeared a bit delicate but playful.

This is our beautiful Arthur when he was six weeks old

We finally brought Arthur home after waiting three months since his birth. It felt like having a newborn, and we gave him everything he needed.

However, after about a week, we noticed he wasn’t eating well, seemed weak, and had unhealthy bowel movements. We took him to the vet, but the breeder didn’t express much concern. We did our best to care for Arthur, giving him love and attention. Around three weeks later, we discovered he had colon cancer. He was only four months old and lived with us for only one month. We were devastated.

Arthur was too young for surgery, and the prognosis was uncertain. So, we made the painful decision to put him to rest. It was a heart-wrenching experience; I had never cried so much in my life, and my boyfriend was equally devastated.

We promised Arthur that if he were to come back into our lives in some form, he should be healthy and happy. We couldn’t bear to part with anything Arthur had touched, used, or played with.

Months later, the breeder contacted us about a different female cat with new kittens. We decided to visit. It felt like a way to heal our sorrow. When we met the new kittens, their brown fur resembled Arthur’s. We fell in love with one of them, who became a part of our family for the last ten years — our beloved cat, “Garry.” He was cute, playful, and reminded us of Arthur. The difference was that he seemed robust and healthy from the start.

Garry my cat — This is our Garry when he was four years old, a strong, sweet, loving, and happy cat.

The breeder regretted Arthur’s situation, suggesting that he might have been unwell even before we got him. Over the years, Garry has become an affectionate, friendly, and playful companion. He’s especially fond of children and eagerly follows us around like a loyal dog.

However, after several years, I discovered that I had developed a cat protein allergy, especially after experiencing a prolonged bout of COVID-19. I was exposed to Garry almost constantly while working from home during the pandemic, and my allergies worsened. Despite this, I couldn’t bring myself to part with him.

We considered finding Garry a new home, even drafting a post about it. We met people interested in adopting him, but ultimately, we couldn’t let him go. It felt impossible. So, he continues to live with us, and we’ve adjusted by keeping him out of our bedrooms to minimize my allergic reactions. While it’s sad that I can’t hug him as I used to or be as close, I couldn’t justify parting with him after ten years of joy and happiness. He was there when I married my husband and had two children, all significant changes in our family life. He is our family, and I’ll continue taking healthy measures to reduce allergy symptoms; I think it is OK as long as I am cautious, as my doctor doesn’t have serious concerns.