Mr. Chin R.I.P.

lulu's momma

Coming home from Taqueria de los Muertos tonight I found a dead cat placed on the sidewalk of Washington between St. Marks and Bergen. The tuxedo tom was laying under a sheet someone had put over him, along with some flowers. To whoever did this, thank you.

This poor cat is Mr. Chin, a feral cat I've been feeding since December 2007. This past year he had moved from his original location, Bergen and Vanderbilt, where I had trapped and neutered him in 2007, and somehow found me three blocks away. I guess he knew I was good people, so he moved into my yard and began a life of constant feedings and shelter.

Because of lack of teeth, he could only eat wet food. The leader of the other ferals who share the space with Mr. Chin would watch over the bowl of wet food I put out daily for Mr. Chin and not let anyone else near it until Mr. Chin got his share. It's like they knew the patriarch was an elder and needed to be cared for.

In recent weeks Mr. Chin had shacked up with a younger lady, a black cat with a white patch on her chest, who would sun next to him in my neighbor's yard. Every day, if I saw one, I saw the other. Mr. Chin's other recent quirk was to walk from yard to yard yowling. I don't know if this was because if he was in some kind of pain or was calling out to his colony mates or GF.

I have a sneaking suspicion that my cat Gizmo, a trap from Bergen and Vandy, is somehow related to Mr. Chin. When the old man was outside, Gizmo would sit by the screen window or screen door and meow in this sad song type of melody, almost as if he was singing to Mr. Chin. It would make your heart break.

As soon as I found Mr. Chin, I got the car, picked up his still warm body and drove him to VERG on Warren Street where he could be properly cremated. VERG is possibly the best ER in New York. They treat sickness and death with respect and dignity, whether they're treating the family pet or a stray off the streets.

Mr. Chin, I will miss you so. Every day, you made me so happy when you'd mosey on over as soon as the Friskie's can opened. I hope you're in a better place in the catnip forest in the sky.

tonytofu

oh, how sad. Farewell, Mr. Chin....and thank you for taking care of him for so long.

MOD

so sad, at least there was an angel there to take care of his body

caseopele

Oh sweetie, that was beautiful. I just teared up reading about Mr. Chin. As awful as it is, it's nice to know that someone else out there cared enough to cover him and put flowers on his body. Mr. Chin lived as good a life as a feral can with you taking care of him, I know he appreciated it. xoxo

laura b

That is so sad. Do you know what he died from?

You've eulogized him beautifully. He--and all the other kitties you've helped--was so very lucky to have you!

darla

I am so sorry for your loss. I hope it was a quick death and not a painful one.

One of my ferals died last night as well. He was run over by a speeding car. I had a great day at a friend's wedding and came home to hear that he had had passed away.

I sobbed most of the night and starting to ball again as I write this.

Thank you for taking care of Mr. Chin and loving him!

lulu's momma

Oh Darla! I'm so sorry. Yesterday was a bad day for ferals. A feral kitten on State street also got hit by a car and died. His caretakers are absolutely heartbroken. We need to implant night lights on our ferals when they get TNRed.

jimmyreich

RIP all of the kittehs. Darla, I'm sorry you lost one too.

darla

Thanks lulu's momma and Flexi!

I would add a gps to the night light idea. Then if we haven't seen the cat in a day or two we can locate the cat to make sure he/she is alright.

stacey

oh noo. This is so sad. I will miss his cute face staring in at me from the window. I am glad he found a kitty family to love him and a two legged angel in you lulumoma.

caseopele

Oh darla, I'm so sorry! These poor babies, I just wish we could help them all.

tsarina

Thank God he had you to look after him. I;m crying too, its sad to lose a cat you have been taking care of. But look at all the caring people.
When you rescue you get to experience too many deaths, but the goddess sends us more kitties to give our love to.
mr mush is being babied on my lap after being attacked by the big boys in the house,after spending the day in the adoption van. The five- three day old kitties are down to four with another one circling the drain. new lactating momma from the 99 cent store is working out. got a sweet blind kitten dumped on me today. mr. mush is trying to be friendly to him.

caseopele

tsarina wrote: mr mush is being babied on my lap after being attacked by the big boys in the house,after spending the day in the adoption van. The five- three day old kitties are down to four with another one circling the drain. new lactating momma from the 99 cent store is working out. got a sweet blind kitten dumped on me today. mr. mush is trying to be friendly to him.

Oh, no. I'm sorry, tsarina.

brit princess

Subject: Mr. Chin

Mr. Chin was very lucky to have you love and look out for him. Thank you for your kind heart , and I am so sorry for your loss. R.I.P. Mr Chin.

rosweed

Well done, in deed and in words. We need more like you.

dakotas way

Subject: Mr Chin

Lulu's Mom, It is incredibly sad when a feral dies (or any other animal friend, for that matter.) But know that you made his life happy and so much easier than if he had been left on his own in the streets for all of his life.

And they do love you so for taking the time to care for them and love them. I was just discussing this with Caseopele this morning.

It was so caring of whomever found him to treat him with the dignity he deserved.

I'm sorry for your loss, but there are many more in need of your love as well. Be well and know that you are appreciated.

lulu's momma

Thanks everyone for your kind words. Last night I really missed Mr. Chin, as it was the first night I didn't have him meowing outside to remind me to put out the wet food. His GF and I had a talk and I think she knows he's gone. Poor mama. Hopefully the colony will take care of this new widower.

Laura, VERG looked at his body when I brought him in and said that the dishevelment of his insides hinted to a large impact, probably by car. Ironically enough, the person who found him and covered him is a friend of a vet at Animal Kind, so I'm waiting to hear if she saw what happened.

I'll update this post when I find out...

darla

lulu's momma, it will get easier with each day. i'm sure last night was very hard for you. i tried not to be sad for the sake of the other kittehs last night as well. but they were not themselves at all.

i am also choosing to get involved for my "stripes." i am writing a letter to the DOT to try to get a speed hump installed on the street. not sure if there is one where your kittehs are. i will let you know how far i get with this, if you are interested.

stacey

lulu's momma wrote: THis GF and I had a talk and I think she knows he's gone. Poor mama. Hopefully the colony will take care of this new widower.

Was she one of the existing cats or one that showed up with Mr. Chin?

Darla -
Im so sorry to hear about your kitty.

St. Francis has a special place in heaven for you ladies

lulu's momma

stacey,
yah, I think she came with Mr. Chin. It's hard for me to figure out though as if it's the same cat she's lost a lot of weight. I hear cats fighting every once in a while next door so I worry that they aren't as accepting of her as they were of him...

Darla, I definitely want to know what you find out. I'm thinking of designing some stencils for people to make DIY street signs out of that are a copy of the "slow children xing" signs, but "cats xing". We could make them and install them onto posts where cats have been hit a la the ghost bike project (http://www.ghostbikes.org/).

domino

I am so sorry you lost Mr. Chin - I am sure he is on the other side of the rainbow bridge rolling in catnip and chasing butterflies.

I hope you can get some sort of speed bump or warning sign to slow down the cars. I am soooooo tempted to come over and spray paint fake potholes or just lay down some yellow painted wood/cable covering. Almost want to resort to guerilla tactics to get something done.