Funeral

Wilbur and his chief carer, Hilary

Last Sunday I went to a funeral for a street cat called Wilbur. Actually, I didn't just attend I also took on the role of grave-digger, body arranger, flower arranger and mourner. There were three of us at the funeral ( plus Wilbur) as well as an endless array of other cats who rather excitedly thought we were digging them an enormous toilet hole. 

Wilbur had been a beautiful ginger boy who lived on the streets of Cihangir with permanently dislodged hips. He must have been in a car accident at some point but he was always joyful and loved his cheese. His death was sad but really he has been one of the lucky, loved ones. 

My beautiful lost boy Simit

I feel his funeral wasn't really just for him but for all the other street babies who lived such hard lives and struggle through the heat and the cold without a real home. In particular, I feel this funeral was also for my darling Simit who I learned on Christmas Day had also gone. O how I had loved him. The local emlak guy had rather helpfully suggested that poor Simit had died of a broken heart after I had gone to Australia.  Terrible. I was devastated to learn he had gone but I have to say the bitter cold of last week makes me glad he had not had to endure it with his terribly thin bones and his gorgeous fat heart. I wish I could have given Simit a burial like Wilbur.

Immediately after the funeral a tiny kitten with a terrible eye infection ran past and I grabbed it to take it to the vet. Poor thing bit my finger until it bled and then died later. Now I have to go through a course of rabies needles at the Government hospital which I have to say is an extremely grim place. I am not the least bit concerned that I have caught rabies. I am sure the kitten was fine but Turks are very afraid of such things. To be honest I am more worried about catching something else at the hospital every time I am there.  ( I have to have 5 injections!!!) The amusing thing is while I was waiting for my first injection I saw about three cats running through the hospital rooms - probably on their way to bite patients - ha ha!! The hospital really was  a mass of people and gurneys and dirt to be honest. What amazed me is that somehow, eventually, i was able to locate the exact room i had to go to in order to have my needles. It made me feel proud in an odd sort of way of my intrepid nature and my ability to navigate things all on my own.

Rest in peace, Wilbur.

Rest in peace, my darling Simit.