The Beginning of Life with Cats

One rainy night, I met a kitten in a residential area, and we decided to live together.

I had previously lived with dogs, but this was my first time with a cat.

Although it was a new experience and there were challenges with the kitten's boundless energy, I began a life with this clever, somewhat stubborn, tiny, and adorable treasure that means so much to me.

There were times when the kitten was left alone, and it seemed lonely during my absences. So, I decided to welcome another black cat, and thus began our life with one human and two cats. The two lively kittens are always running around and having fun, while I, the caretaker, am a bit exhausted. But despite the fatigue, I was experiencing incredibly happy moments that are hard to compare with anything else.

The First Cat: Cocoa

The name of my first cat was Cocoa. She had a bit of a biting habit, but she was a friendly, energetic, and gentle girl.

One day, I noticed she was walking strangely and took her to the vet.

Initially, the diagnosis was just a watch-and-wait situation, but over time her legs became increasingly stiff and bent. It turned out to be cancer. She was only 12 years old.

Although she had the strength and continued to live as normally as she could, in the end, she crossed the Rainbow Bridge with a final meow beside me.

I wondered if she was saying "Goodbye."

While Cocoa was no longer moving, I petted her and spoke to her softly: "Thank you, you did really well. See you again. Goodbye."

Hallo, the Unflappable Cat

The second black cat, who lived with Cocoa, was Hallo. I met Hallo while searching for an adoptive home. Among a dozen kittens playing noisily in a cage, one kitten just sat still. There was something mysteriously calm about this black kitten. That was Hallo, born the day before Halloween. She was a very small girl, about the size that could fit into a coat pocket.

True to her initial impression, Hallo had a stoic and aloof personality.

During the Great East Japan Earthquake, I worried about her being alone at home, wondering if she might have panicked. When I returned home, I found Hallo calmly stretching and eating as usual, as if to say, "Is something wrong?"

However, five years after Cocoa's passing, Hallo was diagnosed with mammary cancer. We aimed for a cure with surgery, but unfortunately, metastasis was discovered, leading to palliative care.

Her appetite waned, and her breathing became shallow, so she spent her nights in an oxygen chamber rented from the vet.

One morning, I found Hallo unmoving inside the oxygen chamber. I had hoped she would pass away beside me as usual, sleeping by my bedside.

But perhaps Hallo wanted to leave gracefully, as if saying, "I'm just going out for a bit. See you later," while I was sleeping.

She departed at the age of 19, still the same aloof cat until the end.

A New Encounter

Hallo’s passing meant that the cats who had always been by my side for nearly 20 years were suddenly gone. Although I had prepared myself for the fact that cats, with their shorter lifespans, would eventually leave us, it was much more painful than I had imagined to be left without a comforting presence.

During this time, I had a new encounter at a cattery. In a house full of cats, where kittens were frolicking and running around while the adult cats were also actively moving about, one gray cat sat on the back of a sofa, staring intently at me. There was something about this cat that reminded me of Hallo…

Smart and Energetic Kitty

Feeling a sense of destiny, I decided to bring this cat into my home. As she would be the next cat after Hallo, her name is Kitty. Although Hallo’s name was derived from Halloween rather than "Hello."

Kitty was almost perfect at doing various things without any special training.

She has exceptional motor skills, and even when riding in a car, she would sit on the glove compartment between the driver and passenger seats, perfectly shifting her weight during sharp turns.

She loves playing with the fluffy part of a broken cat toy and enjoys hide-and-seek.

When she wants to play, she taps me on the back and then runs away, full of energy.

Zoe, the Innocent and Spirited Boy

A year later, we welcomed a white-coated male kitten named "Zoe" from the same cattery, as a younger brother to Kitty.

Zoe lives each moment to the fullest, pursuing his desires straightforwardly. He is an inspiration to live life in a similar way.

Although Kitty, who has a tsundere personality, sometimes seems to find Zoe's spirited and lively nature a bit troublesome, she licks him when he feels anxious. She is a good older sister.

Saying Goodbye to Kitty

Around the time Kitty turned 4, kidney disease was discovered during a check-up. This led to several visits to the vet each week, and there were times when her condition worsened, requiring hospitalization. However, Kitty always managed to make a comeback, showing her indomitable spirit.

After about six years of this routine, her health suddenly deteriorated one day.

Although we believed she would recover as usual, on January 13, 2023, she passed away at home in her bed after a week of decline. She was only 10 years old.

Even though she had lost the strength to stand, Kitty still tried to make it to the bathroom. I was watching by her side to ensure she didn’t fall from the bed, and when I stepped away briefly after she had settled down comfortably, she had already passed away.

She did not experience any convulsions, and she slept peacefully.

Kitty remained beautiful and dignified until the end. Thank you for enduring six years of illness. You did so well. It’s no longer painful, is it? Until we meet again.

Creating Products with Experience

After saying goodbye to beloved Kitty and feeling down for a while, Zoe has bounced back and is once again living energetically as the spirited boy he is.

With the farewells to the three cats behind us, I realized that decades have passed since I began living with cats.

I have constantly thought about what would be useful or enjoyable in various situations.

I want to create products based on the experiences of both the joyful and challenging times spent with cats.

I hope to bring joy to the cats living today through my skills in creating.

Driven by this desire, I have started making products for cats.

Animals, including cats, often seem to never give up on life until the very end. Therefore, our brand, "Neko to Guitar," aims to create products that ensure cats can live peacefully and healthily in any situation.