Oh, she's beautiful, Markus! It looks like you maybe saved her life when she was a kitten? That can develop a strong bond.

Becoming a cat sitter is a wonderful idea.

I hope you wait a while before getting a cat or kitten of your own. The urge to compare will always be there, but may lessen in time. Maybe a new companion will find you!

My friends saved her life when they picked her up from a gravel road between farms on new years eve 5 years ago. Looked as if she was hit by a car, not sure, and where they found her there was no house close by.
My friend's wife insisted and they took her to a vet. She recovered but the split in her gum remained and the one tooth was missing till she passed away. She was also smaller than other cats and when sleeping her little tongue always hanged out.....so cute.
The other photo was when she had a skin disease and my friend's wife put this ointment all over her body and she recovered from that as well. Shortly after that (about 4 months old according to my vet) she was given to me.

Wow! You were so blessed to be chosen to be the one who got to share Minki's life! Your friends sound like great people. Animal lovers seem to gravitate towards each other and together they can manage to make huge differences in the lives of pets.

She is indeed beautiful. I am glad you had this baby in your care. I had scruffy at 4 weeks, until 21 years old.
You bonded with Minky in the best possible way. There is also another way to think about this too. WE and every living thing is composed of energy, energy never dies, it transforms. I do believe in the here after, and that we will see these friends again. I hope this days finds you peaceful. I care. ginnie

I could not be with scruffy either when I left him to be put to sleep. This was not for my benefit, but for the woman who put him to sleep. She could not bear my grief, as I am her friend. I left scruffy for HER, so that she could do this and not come unglued. I was already unglued. I felt guilty too Markus, but Minky would have been upset, seeing you upset. They feel that. In that respect, from the cats viewpoint, it is better that they do not feel your sorrow at that time, can you kind of see that? I didn't want my cats last minutes, full of frantic sorrow. All was calm, all was OK, all was peaceful. You gave minky a gift. ginnie

I do get that Ginnie. One thing is that she new her last moments were spent with them and that they are causing her pain and not me because I was not there. Now I will share what really bothers me much from the experience at the vet. She was clearly in pain from the morning already and she did not eat at all. She was moaning when I tried to move her. I knew I had to take her.
A week prior to this specific Sunday I also took her to the vet as she was really irritated with itching around her neck area. She kept on trying to scratch and she was shaking her head in an attempt to get to the itching. Both of us were not sleeping well anymore. When I got to the vet (a week prior to her putting down now) he took a syringe and squirted something into her mouth. She was getting upset and growled at him. He was then going to give her another injection in the neck. She was at this stage already getting the antibiotic injection every 2-3 weeks for several months now, so she knew what was coming, but this time she went mad when he tried to inject the needle into her neck. He then took a blanket and wrapped it around her and I had to hold her for the injection, but again she went mad and came out of the blanket. She was scratching me in the process and then did something she never did before. She stood upright on the table and put both her front paws around my neck. I asked him if she was going to attack me but the doctor said it is her way of asking me to take her away from him. She was not aggressive to me anymore. He then gave me the stuff he was going to inject her and I was told how much to squirt into her food which I did. Apparently he was putting her on hormone treatment. Anyway back at home she ate her food and the stuff seemed to make her better. She was still scratching and shaking her head. I went onto the internet and saw that I had to get an anti histamine medication which will help for the itching in cats with the feline aids virus. So I got something we have here called allergex, and for the first time both of us had a better night sleep. It was then that I noticed these massive sores (like open wounds) on her neck and between the shoulder blades and one on her head. Over the next day or so they just spread and almost became one. I then realized why she was not allowing any needle to get to her neck at the vet.
Then that Sunday morning when she just sat on the chair without wanting to move and not eat. Now for the upsetting part and this is what I regret and I am simply not impressed by the same doctor. He knew her well and her soft nature. I was never forcing her to do anything at anytime. When I took her, a lady who stays in my house (she rents a room in my house) came with.
When I walked in I was told that he was going to first give her a tranquilizer and then after about 15 minutes he would then come and give her the final injection. I started to loose it already and asked if there was a quicker way. I did not want another injection and then she might vomit etc and she could not get another injection in her neck anyway because of the sores. He told me that he could inject her directly into her chest which will be quicker. By this time I could not bear anymore and handed Minki to the lady who went with me. I had to get out and was crying intensely. After a while I went back in and they both came out telling me that she passed without a fight and that it was peaceful.
Off course I started asking the lady about the event and she told me that they wrapped her in a blanket so that she could not see the needle......off course she will associate the blanket now with pain and do not tell me that injecting her directly into her heart is not at first painful to her. Had I known that they would do this, I would have stayed and insisted in a more gentle approach at least try without using a blanket. I could not think clearly when I was there as I have never done this. I think the doctor should have calmed me, explain that for Minki's sake it would be better to go the tranquilizer way or at least try to get a vain in the paw etc. but just because he is scared she might fight they did the blanket thing and my mind can only think what she experienced during her last few moments. The only thing I think gives me hope is that Minki was already in so much pain that she might not have felt the needle......Anyway I just wished that I was not loosing it like that and that I could have created a more peaceful passing over. "Ek het jou baie lief Minki" saying "I love you very much Minki" in Afrikaans.

I so understand your heartache in the mannor of Minkys death. I believe that the injection to the chest would have happened so quick, Minky would not have even recognized it. She was more upset about the blanket and was focused on that, not expecting what occured. Cats as all animals in extreme pain, act so very different than what is their usual disposition. I do know for sure that this vet, would have made it as quick as possible. They don't want them to suffer either. When I left my scruffy with Gail, (animal rescue lady) my last request to her was to "make it quick" She did the same thing. Scruffy didn't fight at all. He was to weak to really move much at all. He also knew her, and the facility. We had visited many times to her sanctuary.
My belief is that these babies are so upset with how they hurt, that this final thing is not realized. My scruffy had a back end reoccuring infection that could not be cleared up. He had the infection 3 times before and was in pain like Minky was.
I know that it is hard for you to except that Minky had to have his last minutes without you. You were crying uncontrolably just like I was, when I handed scruffy over. I believe your Minky knew that you loved her. We will see our friends again Markus. Energy never dies. Markus, with humans, our own deaths are often much more painful in some cases, than what we allow our animals. We arn't allowed to decide really what is for us the time of our own release. I wish that humans would be as kind to each other, as we are with our friends and animal companions. I wish we had the same kind of choices that we make for our friends. They are blessed to be able to have this kind of peaceful ending. Minky didn't suffer long Markus. She is still with you in spirit. That part never will go away. I also loved how your language sounded. How beautiful! Where is your home? I am in Florida on the west coast. Let me know how you are doing. I wish I could give you more comfort than what the PC allows us to do. Our cats are having a good time together, think of them having fun again, just like when they were kittens. ginnie

My home is in Cape Town South Africa. The city is on the extreme most south western tip of the African continent. We have winter now and as I am writing it is cold and raining outside. We get those typical soft rains sometimes for days.
My city offers a lot to the tourists. The drive down to the tip of the Peninsula have spectacular views. We also have a lot of wine farms and then we have the west coast with the smaller towns.
I have a website you can look at. Unfortunately one of those free websites therefor the long address www.wix.com/markuspienaar/guidedtours I am yet to register a domain and then it will be shorter. There are some photos of my trips and my city. Maybe one day you can come visit.
Thank you for the support with Minki's death. It is so nice to talk to someone who understands. I still feel sad but I am now getting better, thanks to the support and advice.
I am also on facebook and have more photos there of my home, Minki etc. should you want to look me up there and I will accept you as a friend. Look for Markus Pienaar in Cape Town. If you do, how will I know it is you or are you known there also as Ginnie (I do not know your last name)
One last thing, I see your mood is "stressed". What is causing you to feel this way? Only if you want to talk about it. Have a nice day,
Markus

I did look at a map to see where you are. My son was in the Navy and he said of all the countries he saw during his tour, South Africa was the most beautiful. He never forgot his time in your country.
Markus, I would very much like to keep in touch with you. Of course... One thing I can't do is go to face book. I have so much I am doing these days in my life, with NT, and things on the home front, I have very little time to learn to use a new site. I am not that great on the PC. However I can PM you my e-mail, and perhaps through that I could see your pictures. Drop and drag, and learning new things is my weakness. I do use any extra time I have for NT. I am here because of my own medical problems. No I don't mind telling you. I have multipal auto immune problems, had 2 cervial fusions, and a bunch of other surgeries. PN, which may now be RSD. So medically I am indeed stressed. Emotionally stressed also. I had no health insurance in this country when I got all this stuff. I was denied insurance as I had pre-existing conditions from a young age. In responce to that my folks saved for me in a trust. This trust was to keep me in my paid for home, to cover my property tax. I was not allowed to keep these funds, or I would not have been granted disability. So I am loosing my home, all because I got sick. My folks tried to protect me from this happening but the gov.did not care what the trust said. Their rules took the cake. So I am not real happy these days, and I have no idea what to do, or how to sustain myself with the very little I receive. I had to retire early, which gives you less to live on. The house market is terrible as you have probably heard from the news. This is true.
I worked for 30 years, and I find it very sad to be in this position. This is the root of my stress. I come to NT for comfort, and to get through the tramua with my medical conditions. I have found such compassion here, such good people from all over the world. After my last fusion, I stayed, and wanted to give back the kindness I received. I feel blessed to be a part of this site.
It helped my own grief, with my scruffy too....
Sometimes in life, you just need others. People need people to get through the hard times. I sure feel for you, as you go through your grief with minky.
When you know how that "feels", you can empathize with another going through that same hurt. Grief is something all humans have in common.
PM me and I will send you my e-mail. I hope you are OK today Markus, and that for a little while, you can dry your tears. Thank you for asking about me and caring. ginnie

I did go to your web site. South Africa looks just beautiful. Glad to see what you look like too. Thank you for sharing that. Hope others will take a look too. Would have loved it if I could have been a tourist and have you guide!!!! ginnie