Kandy: A Farewell to My First Ginger
Kandy Illyas
On the morning of October 18th, 2022, my heart was shattered by the loss of my precious ginger-and-white tabby, Kandy. Her life, though brief, left an indelible mark on our family, and her absence is felt deeply every single day.
Kandy was more than just a pet; she was a cherished member of our family. We adopted her in October 2020 alongside our black-grey-and-white tabby, her nonbiological brother, Colombo. My parents, fond of their native country Sri Lanka, decided to name them after the cities they were born in—which I thought was perfect, as my love for my ethnic country is very strong. Kandy’s soft, sweet scent was unlike anything else and her warm presence was a source of comfort and joy to me and my entire family. Though she was just about to turn two, she managed to fill our lives with an abundance of love and happiness in her short time with us. The impact she left on us as first-time cat owners is something that will always guide us and linger in our hearts.
“We adopted her in October 2020 alongside our black-grey-and-white tabby, her nonbiological brother, Colombo.”
I wish everyone I know could have met her—my friends, my family in Sri Lanka, and my almost-sister-in-law, Sumaiya. When she came into our lives, though more reserved and slightly hostile, she was a light in the darkness amidst the lingering presence of COVID-19. Over time, Kandy grew to possess a gentle and loving nature towards myself, my brothers, my father, and especially my mother. As she grew more comfortable with us, her affectionate behaviors blossomed. She had a way of curling up next to us, butting her head against our hands with her soft purring a soothing reminder of her finally-earned trust and love. Her amber eyes, bright and curious, transitioned from wariness to endearment.
In the summer of 2021, we adopted a black cat, Trincomalee, or Trinco (notice a pattern), and our Kandy treated him like her own. She would groom him, nap side-by-side with him, and give him so much love regardless of his extreme scaredy-cat nature. We began to notice that not only did her presence elate us, but her two brother cats as well.
Kandy, Trinco, and Colombo
Despite her youthful age, Kandy's unexpected passing left us devastated. After running into my parents’ room, playing a typical game of tag with Colombo, she died with a loud, painful meow under my parents' bed. I woke to the heart-wrenching sound of my father's cries as he held her in his arms. I had never seen my father cry like that; his loud sobs pierced through the silence and stillness of the house so much so that I awoke in instant tears screaming confused to my mother about what had occurred.
To this day, the reason for her untimely death remains a mystery. The vet found no obvious signs of illness, leading us to speculate that an underlying heart condition might have gone undetected. Kandy had also been gaining weight rapidly for her age, which could have been a sign of something, though we overlooked it as her being our cuddly, chubby cat.
In the wake of her passing, the emptiness we felt was profound. I refused to miss school that day, being adamant about my attendance; however looking back, it was stupid of me. I cried the entire day during every single class, unable to focus on anything else but the longing to kiss my Kandy one last time. My parents and brothers wouldn’t stop crying for the following couple of days, and we all noticed a shift in emotion in Colombo and Trinco as well.
Colombo and Kandy
To cope with our grief and honor her memory, we welcomed new feline friends into our home. A week after her death, we adopted another cat, a female calico we named Cece after the original name of Sri Lanka, Ceylon. Resembling the colors and features of both Colombo and Kandy, we viewed Cece’s adoption as representative of the first cats we adopted and loved her for being the rainbow after the storm. A month later, we adopted a male ginger, Bentota (Benny). Though Benny’s adoption was unplanned, his gingerness keeps our family happy and amused in ways reminiscent of our first ginger. Each new addition to our family is a testament to the love Kandy brought into our lives and our desire to keep her memory alive through the joy and companionship of our new pets.
We chose to bury Kandy in our backyard, a place where we can visit and feel a connection to her. Her resting place is a comforting reminder that she is still with us in spirit. Though her physical presence is no longer here, her memory continues to bring us strength. We often find ourselves reminiscing about her playful antics and the way she made us feel loved, as well as her sweet scent which—breaks my heart to say—I’ve slowly forgotten what exactly it smelled like. Regardless, it will always be one of my favorite scents that I’ve ever known.
Kandy may have left this world too soon, but her impact on our lives is everlasting. We look forward to the day when we will be reunited with her; but until then, her memory will remain a cherished part of our hearts, in my heart.
I write this farewell on behalf of myself, my family, and Colombo, Trinco, Cece, and Benny. Rest peacefully, my dear Kandy. You will always be deeply loved and missed.
