A kitten’s death

^{by Phoebe}

My favourite kitten in our neighbourhood died. She belonged to our landlord, who is also living directly opposite our house. I named her Planin, a Thai name for “black tilapia”, because we fed her fish and she was grey with white socks. Planin was sweet and affectionate. Almost everyday, she would come over to our home and wait at our door for food and pats. 

One day, Jon and I were walking out for lunch and Planin was lying under our car. It was strange that she was out at mid-day as it was hot. I called out to her and she shifted in her position. She looked like she was taking a nap so we went ahead for lunch. 

Unfortunately, when we came back, she died on the other side of our car. I couldn’t believe it. We prepared water for her in case she was dehydrated but we realised that she had stopped breathing. We have no idea what caused Planin’s death. There were no visible wounds on her so it was unlikely that she got ran over by a car. We tried contacting our landlord but there was no one at home. So we made the decision to bury her in our garden.

I feel the loss of Planin’s presence. I miss having her come over to our house almost everyday. I cried over her death. I also felt angry at Planin’s owner for her negligence. When we first moved into our house, We had a short chat with her and she shared that she had about 20 cats in her house and she did not know what to do with them. My logical thought would be for the owner to bring her cats for sterilisation so that they would stop breeding. But clearly, that is not her priority. Many Thais whom we know pay very little attention to the wellbeing of their pets. It frustrates me to think that Thais are negligent and irresponsible to the little creatures under their care.

As I reflected deeper, I am reminded by God that these are the people whom He had called me to minister to, and to show His love and mercy. He has also made them in His image. But, how can I love them when they are so imperfect? Of course, this is exactly why they need His love, and this is exactly why I should love them despite their imperfections. Love is not only about loving the lovable, but also loving the whole person – taking it all; the good and the bad. Beyond this theological insight, I am reminded about the cross-cultural reality that Thais do not prioritise their pets’ wellbeing simply because many of them are living hand-to-mouth and many of them are struggling to survive with the small income that they earn. May God give Thais the grace to know Him as their Creator and Provider, and to help me extend grace to them.