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Strength in numbers, solidarity in loss — Don’t underestimate the power of a community.

How many times have you chanced upon a cute cat video on the internet and couldn’t resist sharing it with five other friends to relish in the cuteness together? Well, guilty as charged. Unless you’ve been living in the stone ages, you’ve probably done this at least once in your life.

To this day, domesticated animals have evolved beyond mere house pets. In the face of recurring stresses and challenges of urban living, we find that our cats are more than just animals sharing our living space — they are our steadfast companions.

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I’m sure most cat owners can agree that sometimes all we need to resolve a stressful day is to cuddle with our fluffy felines. Their presence is enough to anchor us down and provide us with some much-needed reprieve when the world gets overwhelming. Truly, the bond established between owner and cat is precious and unbreakable; they’ll always be there for us just as we’ll be for them.

But even so, they can’t be with us fur-ever. As with all living things, our pet cats, too, will one day pass on. When that time comes, it’s never an easy pill to swallow. Goodbyes are never easy, but that doesn’t mean that we have to endure this all alone.

The Vitality of the Cat Community

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As is with most pets on social media these days, the cat community is one that is thriving and strongly inter-connected. There are tens of thousands of cat Instagram accounts to follow such that our feed and explore pages are never deprived of cute cat content.

Everyone just wants a little bit of adorable animal content to get them through the day. That extra boost of serotonin from watching a cat navigate through a toilet-roll obstacle course or eating a suspicious (but feline-friendly) concoction made by its owner is more than sufficient to invoke a few hearty chuckles on our end. It’s a two-way street; pet owners are happy to share their fur baby’s content while we’re happy to consume it.

This sort of engagement between users within the community is deeply heartwarming. It’s a shared camaraderie that’s united by a strong appreciation of cats in their entirety. So obviously, when it comes to a loss within the community, the heartbreak felt is immense.

Only Share When You’re Ready; Or Don’t

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Take the time to process and grieve this unfortunate farewell. A pawrent’s loss is a shared loss; it hurts just as much as if it were our own. Everyone will miss the quirky and endearing moments together. However, don’t feel obliged to keep up the social media fur-sona.

Everyone has their own way of dealing with loss and grief. Some people might prefer to grieve in private while others prefer to share with friends or strangers as a coping mechanism. Whatever your outlet may be, we’re here to affirm you that your feelings are valid and you are entitled to express your thoughts and feelings in whichever way you desire.

Re-adjusting to the New Norm

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Don’t feel obligated to rush the grieving process. There’s no fixed, determined pattern for how one is supposed to internalise the loss of a pet cat. It’s like losing a family member. Take as much time as you need to acknowledge this unexpected change in your life.

At first, the absence of your kitty’s sweet meows will feel like the most deafening silence in your house. What you once found was a chore to clean up after your kitty’s fur ball would suddenly seem like little surprise gifts around the house that you took for granted.

Indeed, the energy and pace in your household will shift for the worse initially, but that’s the reality of the “presence of an absence”.

Keep the Moments Alive

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Although your cat’s story might have come to an end, memories are forever. When you’re ready, celebrating and memorialising the life and times of your fur baby is an excellent way to remember the happy moments. We don’t want your memories of your cat being overshadowed by bereavement, grief and hurt.

Revisiting past moments of tenderness shared with your cat through memorial posts or social media stories (e.g. Instagram and Facebook stories) can be a healthy avenue for expressing and consolidating more positive and uplifting sentiments associated with your cat.

#Hashtagging Our Support

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So from the perspectives of viewers and followers, how can we extend our care and support to our dearly-missed feline and its pawrent? Well, showing our love and concern through likes and comments is a good way to let them know you’re there for them. Although these likes and words might seem small compared to the gravity of the situation — trust us — every single act of kindness and comfort speaks volumes.

Additionally if you don’t mind, you can post a dedication on your personal account to honour the memory of the bereaved. Afterwards, using a commemorative hashtag in the caption (or creating one, if not already present) goes miles in generating support and remembrance for their beloved cat.

This might seem like another simple gesture; but again, this small drop in the ocean is enough to create a ripple effect in garnering the strength of the kitty community to stand in solidarity with one another.

In Loving Memory

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To end off, to say that the strength of the cat community is amazing is an understatement. We are all bonded by the unanimous agreement that we truly don’t deserve cats. Cats bring us so much joy and laughter through their mere existence alone; but in all the happiness they bring to us, the pain we feel when mourning their loss is inexplicable.

Unfortunately, this was the case for one of our Clubpets ambassadors, Hoji the Ragamuffin, that passed on in early March.

We will never forget the abundance of awws and oh my god’s that Hoji effortlessly elicited from us through his adorable pictures. The grandeur of his floofiness, softness of cheeks and his iconic white sockies will be etched forever in our hearts and minds.

Join us together to commemorate the life and times of Hoji.

If you’ve been a fan of Hoji like us, share a photo of your kitty dressed in blue on Instagram under the hashtag #welovehojitheqt to remember him by.

Source: @hojitheqt tagged photos

Source: @hojitheqt tagged photos

In loving memory of Hoji (@hojitheqt)

Gone too soon, but never forgotten. Rest in peace, Hoji.