Not unexpected but still very sadly we had to say goodbye to our sweetheart Zaina.

We knew winter would become very difficult for her because colds are influenced by the seasons, and it was clear that Zaina’s problem increased again since autumn started. In my last post I wrote that we would hope for the best, but inside I knew better…

Over the course of October, we saw further deterioration in her well-being and it became increasingly clear that we had to let her go soon. As the antibiotic treatments early this year did not, or only briefly, help and at the same time were quite taxing for Zaina, restarting with it was no option. She also started to lose some weight, for the first time since we arrived in Sweden.

In the last week of October we contacted the vet in Hogsby to help Zaina. Unfortunately euthanasia here is only done in the clinic. That made me very sad because we prefer to let our animals go in their familiar environment, but there was no choice. On Friday 28 October we drove with Zaina to the clinic where she breathed her last at 15.00 pm. I consoled myself that she had felt me untill her last moment.

Zaina was born in my hands, and she died in my hands. 15,5 years were in between….We are very sad but also grateful she was there for such a long time, and most of the time in good health.

She wil be remembered as the most social cat we have had. Zaina was social with everone; congeners, the kittens who were born here, the dogs, visitors….Zaina had no problems with anyone, and nobody ever had a problem with Zaina. When a kitten from outside the cattery was introduced Zaina immediatly cared about the new resident to make them feel comfortable.

Zaina was also our cuddliest cat ever. Of course all Somali’s are very people oriented but Zaina was VERY people oriented and cuddling was one of her first necessities. Untill she was about ten years old this cuddling was also during the night when she insisted on sleeping half over my face. I finally had to stop this because it was just too much. Finishing my diner beside her was also impossible, she just couldn’t wait to ‘attack’, she just had to cuddle…

Dear Zaina, a few days ago you returned home, as ashes… We reunited you with your beloved mother Yara who left us much too soon in 2011.

Dear ones, we will never forget the two of you. You have brought us so much, we could never have imagined when we decided in 2006 to adopt a Somali female, Yara.

Rest in peace sweethearts ❤ ❤