Ivan

[shanlung]

We were living in Hongkong in Saikung, a tiny fishing village in the New Territories in 1994. The apartment was tiny as were most of the apartments in Hongkong. However, the apartment opened onto a huge balcony as we were on the third floor and a seafood restuarant was below and their roof was our balcony. When apartments in Hongkong were priced as to whether you had a sea view or mountain view, when on the balcony we could look out onto a sea view or turn to the right and enjoyed the mountain view.

 

We then thought of having kitties. At that time, we were reading the Vorkosigan saga by Lois McMaster Bujold. Where the two key characters were Miles , a clever manipulative guy who happened to be a runt caused by a poison gas attack on his mother when he was a fetus. He had a big handsome cousin called Ivan who was kind of stupid compared to Miles. We went to this guy who rescued 2 kittens from municipal bin. One was a runt who appeared to be intelligent and the other was a handsome tabby. So that was how Miles and Ivan came into our lives. Soon we found that Miles was the idiot and Ivan was the very clever one. They took over our balcony and then our apartment. They would explore by jumping out of the balcony and running about the roof and into places I could not imagine. One day I tossed Ivan over the balcony and told my wife he would jump back. He disappeared and a couple of hours to our shock, there was this meowing outside our door. Ivan somehow went around the apartment block, walked up a few flights of steps , and knew the door of the apartment to meow outside.

 

Ivan was a killer. He would chirped like a bird hidden behind the balcony and leap 2 meters up to catch birds on the wing. He left presents for me by my bed. The head, with 4 small paws and a tail in the proper position and something ickky between them. Excuse me if I did not describe that exactly as I looked away while cleaning up the mess. He might leave a bird or part of a bird. He would climb up and pretend to be stuck in the roof eaves meowing away pitifully to be rescued. When I got up to rescue him, he crawled backwards. I realised he was never stuck when meal time came and he jumped right out.

 

One morning, we woke up to hear a strange sound. We then traced that sound to a tiny baby bat which could not fly. We were sure that Ivan must have taken the mother bat. I felt sorry enough to rush out to buy a bird cage so the baby bat be kept safe until it could fly again.

 

I fed it with bananas.

 

One morning I woke up to see that the cage door was opened, without Batty inside. I thought that was the end, especially in the apartment with Ivan the killer cat and two feisty kittens that my wife adopted a few weeks ago.

 

Then I heard the squeaks and saw Batty hanging upside down from the edge of a suitcase. Batty was in between Ivan front paws. Ivan was positioning his body so the 2 kitties could not get to Batty to 'play'. I could hardly believed my eyes as now and then, Ivan turned and spit at the two kitties keeping them away. Ivan saw me playing enough with Batty to decide that Batty was family. And went on to protect her.

 

Batty was placed back into the cage again. Her flights at the beginning was weak and erratic. Batty seemed to like me and hang about me when I did my thing. Her flight became more controlled and powerful.

In a few weeks time, Batty flew off my balcony. Never to return.

 

It struck me that Ivan knew who was family even if he was a killer.

 

That was the incident that prompted me to decide if Tinkerbell could live together with Halftail the Bimbo and Zorro the ferret in Taiwan.

 

And later decided that Dommie and Katie be introduced slowly to Riamfada.

 

Ivan was also kind of psychic. I reported that in

http://shanlung.com/ivan1.html

 

Miles was chased away by a vicious neighbourhood tom cat. I trapped that tom cat and released him in another village 20 km away who complained in the papers rock pythons were eating their dogs and cats. I did not like pythons to be hungry.

 

So that was why Ivan was with us and taken to Singapore where he lived with my mom in law periodically when we were living in Taiwan and other countries.

 

When he was with us and I in Singapore, you seen how I would cook and prepare his meals. You have seen the way I prepared the food for him, even better than what I prepared for myself or for my wife.

https://www.facebook.com/shanlung

We both love Ivan very very much.

 

Above is Ivan on my shoulder. That was during our return to Singapore in Oct 2004 after leaving Tinkerbell and Taiwan and fetching Ivan back from my mom in law. I thought he forgotten me but his leap up to my shoulder to curl himself around my neck showed me how much he love to have me back. That was the first time he did that to me.

 

A couple of weeks ago, my wife told me that Ivan might be getting blind, banging his way about and not noticing my wife waving her hands in front of him. She told me Ivan did not seem to be in discomfort and able to find his way to the food, his litter box and his favourite sofa chair that he taken over.

 

A few days ago, my wife told me Ivan seemed to be getting weaker and weaker.

Then two days ago, my wife said Ivan refused to eat even though my wife spooned the wet food to his mouth. And that he wedged himself into a tight space. I told my wife to carry him to the bedroom where he spend so much time with us.

 

This morning Riyadh time, and about noon Singapore time, Ivan was still alive. My wife did what I asked her to do. Scritch Ivan head and tell him that was from me and I love him very much.

 

She then went to work. I called her about noon my time when she was just getting back to the apartment. She told me that our Ivan was no more with us.

 

She told me a bit of her died. I felt a bit of me died too. They had been times I thought of leaving KSA and Ivan was part of the reason.

 

Even though I felt that was coming over the last few days, the ending was very painful to me. I am happy enough that Ivan was not in pain and was with my wife that he loved very much.

[neoow]

I'm so sorry to read this. I can't imagine what you must be going through right now. Losing a pet... a family member... is never easy.

My thoughts are with you and your family at this difficult time.

[BaileysPapa]

Shanlung...so glad to see you here. I have not seen anything new from you in a long time. I'm sorry about Ivan. You must tell us some of your Parrot stories, for many people here are probably not familiar with you or your success with African Greys. It is good to know you are well and still around, my friend.

[Greywings]

A great loss I am sad for you and your wife.

[Timbersmom]

So sorry for your loss!

[Greytness]

What a wonderful picture of you with Ivan. I'm so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to both you and your wife..

[Acappella]

So sorry for the loss of Ivan. He was beautiful.

[shanlung]

Thank you all for your kind thoughts.

From my Facebook posted below:

I was with Ivan from halfway round the world and separated by 5 time zones. Seeing him from photos taken by my wife and send to me via whatsapp. I suggested how to position him to make him comfortable on his favourite pillow and to roll up towel under his head for pillow.

You all know I am in Riyadh working a 66 hours week and up to 72 hours week on busy week.

We all have to get on with living even while close companion walks on. Ivan passing trigger a paradigm shift in me. That life is indeed very short was brought home to me in a way no words can convey.

 

I decided to get on with my life. The day after Ivan passing, I gave my notice of resignation. I agreed to stay on for 3 months to allow a replacement for me and for transistion.

 

I probably will resume on my interrupted retirement and checking out of likely country and places for me and my wife.

[Greywings]

Ivan still helping you move through life to you newest destination. A beautiful thought.

[Ray P]

We all feel your loss.

[Madi]

So sorry for your loss.

[shanlung]

Your thoughts and nice words very much appreciated.

 

Here he is in the better days.

You all know I go on periodic walk abouts, looking for place to retire in where Ivan was to join us.

Or just checking out sunrises and sunsets, for a few weeks to couple of months at a time.

 

After those long trips, Ivan would greet me when I am back by meowing me to stop for him to leap up to my shoulders to curl himself around me.

Should I be out for the day, or even a couple of days, and get back later, Ivan would ignore me entirely other than giving me a condescending meow.

 

Then over last couple of years, I found I need to be near a chair for Ivan to leap on to jump to my shoulder.

Then I found later I need to stand against armchair for him to jump up the seat and then to the back to make it up my shoulder.

 

 

 

Ivan is back home again.

Near his mom.

In a little white porcelain urn near the place that he loved to be.

 

He lives on in a place in my heart.

[bluedawg]

Very sorry Shanlung.

Respectful moment of silence...