Sayang

Last year I posted about a tailless black cat I met at my friend's HDB block in Eunos. I had an instant connection with him, as you do with some cats (and also with some people).

A few months later, from a post on a Facebook group which cares for community cats, I found out that he died.

The photo is by Ruth Sn, posted with permission. Here's the note she wrote:

Just to inform the eunos feeders in case you are looking for the short tail black boy with glue on his back. For 3 days since Monday he was not well & stopped eating, aunt managed to secure him yesterday. I wanted to rush him to the vet in emergency but very sadly he passed away just before I reached her home

Remembering black gentle cute boy with big eyes. You are always untouchable but I managed to sayang you when your body lay lifeless.

You are always friendly to the other cats residing there giving them head rubs. Still missing you 😢😢😢

Sayang (from Malay) is a lovely word – especially the verb form, which means something like showing love and affection through sweet words or gestures.

It's been more than a year, but I still think about him from time to time. I'm glad that Ruth and the other auntie cared for him in his final days, and he got a sweet inter-faith (Christian–Buddhist) funeral and cremation. And I'm glad I got to meet him, however briefly, and sayang him, receiving many head rubs in exchange.