Leila With Simba
Our company was founded by three, each sharing an unbreakable bond with pets. Here, we’d like to share the story of one of our co-founders, Leila, who join us in the middle of 2021, study in Western University in Canada, and her beloved pet, Simba.
- First time see Simba
Since I can remember, I've always been fascinated by animals, but my parents never allowed me to have pets. So, when I moved to a new city for university, I finally gathered the courage to adopt my first kitten and made a lifelong commitment to care for him. In fact, it’s better for young people to adopt animals after they’ve achieved financial independence and job stability, as it helps reduce abandonment rates. But I had confidence in myself—I knew I would never abandon them easily.
I began looking for kittens to adopt on Kijiji. Due to my inexperience, after paying a deposit and waiting for two months, I realized I had been scammed. Although the deposit wasn’t much, the disappointment after two months of waiting was hard to bear. Later, I came across the owner of Simba’s cattery. She told me Simba was the last one left in his litter and the biggest eater. I found this description amusing, but I believed that adoption is all about fate, and it seemed like Simba and I were meant to be.
When Simba was one month old, the cattery owner sent me a photo of him. He looked completely different from the kitten I had originally imagined. My roommate even joked about his small eyes, but once I had made my decision, I stuck to it and started preparing for his arrival. (Photo: Simba at one month old)
On December 2, 2018, after making all the necessary preparations and getting vaccinated, my two-month-old kitten, Simba, was brought to my apartment building by his owner. Wrapped in a blue blanket, he was the cutest kitten I had ever seen! When he first arrived, Simba hid under the bed, but as soon as I opened a can of food, he quickly emerged.
Hoping to cultivate the habit of sleeping with me, I didn’t buy him a separate cat bed in the first few months. As I wished, Simba stayed with me at night for a long time. The only trouble was that when he was younger, he often tried to wake me up in the early morning to play.
As Simba grew older, perhaps because I accidentally rolled over on him while sleeping, he gradually stopped sleeping with me. Most of the time, he would stay on the bed with me, but he occasionally chose to rest elsewhere. One night, I suddenly woke up and, upon opening my eyes, saw Simba’s little head resting very close to my face. It dawned on me that he had been quietly keeping me company while I was unaware. Simba’s companionship enriched my life in many ways. I began to learn how to take care of him, adapting to the routine of coming home from school and resisting hunger to prepare his meals first. I also got used to enduring the unpleasant smell while cleaning up after him when he had diarrhea. I remember the first time Simba had diarrhea after eating too much hairball gel; the odor was so bad that I skipped both lunch and dinner. But now, I have come to accept the fact that I sometimes get cat poop on my hands with ease.
- Urinary Retention and Urinary Tract Infection
The consequences of inexperience can be daunting. One day in September 2019, when my friend came to visit, I picked up my cat, Simba, so she could pet him. However, the moment I lifted him, Simba let out a cry, which struck me as very unusual; he never made a sound when I held him. A fellow cat owner suggested that perhaps Simba was unwell. Although I had never considered this possibility before, later that evening, after my friend left, I decided to take Simba to a nearby pet hospital that was still open.
Since it was getting late and I didn't have an appointment, the hospital recommended a 24-hour emergency pet clinic in the city. Upon arriving at the emergency clinic, Simba was immediately taken in for examination. A nurse came out with a serious expression and informed me that Simba was suffering from severe urinary stones and a urinary tract infection. The situation was critical, and he needed to be hospitalized for treatment right away. After I reviewed the treatment plan, she presented me with a consent form for the surgical risks. Although I didn't fully understand the situation, the seriousness of the consent form frightened me to tears; it seemed possible that Simba might not survive the surgery. The nurse reassured me that Simba was still young and that the surgery should go smoothly, explaining that signing the consent was merely a standard procedure.
Simba spent four days in the hospital, during which I visited him once. Aside from feeling heartbroken as I left, Simba received some teasing from the nurses about his “insatiable appetite.” The surgery incurred significant costs, so I strongly recommend that everyone purchase pet health insurance for their cats before they fall ill, in addition to vaccinations. When Simba returned home, he was in good overall condition, although a circle of fur around his wrist had been shaved for intravenous treatment. We then transferred to a pet hospital closer to home, where he needed to undergo a series of follow-up examinations every month. The doctor informed me that Simba could only eat specific prescription canned food from now on. But the issue was that the amount I was feeding Simba, as instructed by the vet, seemed to be insufficient. Over the course of a year, Simba’s weight dropped to less than 8 pounds. After that, I tried numerous ways to encourage him to drink more water, as urinary blockage is a condition that can easily recur. In fact, prior to Simba's initial episode, he had exhibited several clear symptoms of urinary blockage, but due to my lack of experience, I completely failed to recognize them until the situation became very serious. It's unimaginable how much pain Simba endured during that time. While children can express discomfort through crying or speaking, animals often suffer in silence, making it crucial for owners to be vigilant and detect any issues promptly.
- Separation During the Pandemic
At the end of the year when the pandemic broke out, I returned to my home country and was separated from Simba for over seven months. Prior to that, due to the pandemic, I had spent nearly an entire year living alone with Simba, relying on each other for companionship. For humans, seven months may seem trivial, but for a cat's lifespan, it is quite a significant period. Whenever I think about this, a sense of sadness washes over me, as I often find myself imagining how I will cope with the day when I must accept Simba's departure. Simba has a brachycephalic structure, which poses risks when flying. Therefore, unless I was to leave Canada for an extended period and not return, I hoped to spare Simba from the dangers of air travel.
Before returning to my home country, I entrusted Simba to a trusted friend's care. They also had a gentle Siamese cat, and I felt confident that Simba would get along well with it. My friend occasionally sent me photos and videos of Simba, which brought me comfort amidst my longing. I believed everything was fine until one night when I had a dream. In the dream, my friend and I were at the airport, walking in opposite directions with a wide distance between us. Simba fiercely wriggled out of my friend's arms, determined to return to me. When I woke up, I didn't think much of it, but two days later, my friend's boyfriend seriously informed me that after moving to Toronto, Simba had started to defecate outside the litter box, and their landlord was quite displeased, urging me to find someone else to care for Simba.
To this day, I find this situation to be incredibly mysterious, as if Simba's longing for me transcended the borders of countries and reached my heart. Prior to that time, Simba had never exhibited such inappropriate behavior, so I could not fathom the reasons behind these unusual actions. At that moment, I felt nothing but panic and helplessness as I desperately searched for someone to take care of Simba. Animals living under someone else's roof are like children in the same situation; I know that Simba must have endured a lot of grievances. Last year, I was very busy and often away from home, during which time Simba started to relieve himself outside the litter box again, perhaps as a way to express his anger at me. Fortunately, I returned to Canada about a month later. Just before we saw each other again, I felt a bit anxious that Simba might not recognize me, considering how long we had been apart. However, the moment I picked him up, I could feel that he remembered me.
In the days that followed, Simba would tightly cuddle my side while sleeping, something he had never done before. I have no idea how much he missed me or how many grievances he had to endure during our time apart. All I wish for is to never be separated from him again.
- The Bond Between Simba and Me
I find it hard to describe the bond I share with Simba. I treat him with all my heart, and he reciprocates in kind. He keeps me company while I eat, watch TV, stay up late, and sleep. When I study at home, Simba likes to lie beside my arm, even resting his head on it. During exam season, when I return home late from the library, the moment I open the door, I always see Simba waiting to greet me. My roommate told me that before I got home, Simba would lie in the dark living room, facing the door, waiting for me. When I went on trips, my roommate would say that Simba would stay on my bed, patiently waiting for my return...
Although I have a deep love for animals and there are so many adorable kittens in the world, the only kitten I truly cherish is Simba. For me, the most important cat will always be Simba. Just like the Little Prince and his rose, the daily nurturing we share has given him a significance that is entirely different from that of other roses. As we reach 2024, all I wish for is Simba's health and longevity, because I know that when he leaves me, a part of my soul will be forever lost and can never be reclaimed.