What "present" did an owner give their beloved cat on its last birthday after it was diagnosed with a terminal illness?

A cat's birthday or "Gotcha Day" is a special day for any owner. Many cat owners have likely experienced a birthday so filled with memories that they feel, "I will never forget this day..."

For me, the one I will never forget is the last birthday my beloved cat, Gigi, celebrated. I will cherish the memory of that birthday, which she reached safely after overcoming surgery to remove a malignant tumor, for the rest of my life.

A Birthday Reached After Surviving a Rare Feline "Hemangiosarcoma"

My beloved Gigi was born on February 13th. She was born at the cute timing of one day before Valentine's Day.

I am sometimes oblivious to my own birthday or those of my family members, so I often inadvertently forget my cat's birthday or "Gotcha Day"... It is not uncommon for me to later apologize with, "Oh, I'm so sorry! It was your birthday!" and make offerings of toys, scratching posts, and treats.

Even as absent-minded as I am, Gigi's 11th birthday was one where I firmly decided, "This time, I want to celebrate with everything I have!" About a month and a half before her birthday, Gigi was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, a rare malignant tumor in cats, and underwent surgery.

Hemangiosarcoma is a disease where the cells that form blood vessels become tumorous and proliferate. It is a hateful cancer that progresses quickly and has a high probability of metastasis.

Related Articles

My cat suddenly couldn't walk... The cause was 35°C hypothermia! The day her life was miraculously saved

I occasionally hear stories of rescued kittens suffering from hypothermia, but in my house, my indoor cat once became hypothermic and teetered on the brink of life and death. Based on that experience...

In Gigi's case, the hemangiosarcoma had formed around her intestines. Although the tumor was successfully removed, the vet told us that because blood had leaked from the tumor before surgery, "There is a possibility that cancer cells have spread throughout the body via the bloodstream."

They also explained that "it often metastasizes within 2 to 3 months..." I was deeply shocked, but I was just truly happy that Gigi was able to come home for the time being.

If the days we could spend together were not meant to be very long, then I would make every day one where Gigi could feel "I'm glad I was born." Thinking this, I began leading a daily life that was more Gigi-first than ever before.

Struggling with how to celebrate her "last birthday"

In the midst of all that, Gigi's birthday was approaching. After the surgery, I monitored her progress while telling myself, "We can surely perform a miracle," but honestly, I had the anxiety of, "Will we be able to celebrate her birthday together next year?"

Perhaps this year would be Gigi's last birthday. If so, I wanted to make it a birthday where she would think, "Today was the best!" I started thinking about ways to celebrate that she would truly love from the bottom of her heart.

However, the more I wanted to do something special, the less I knew what to do. Even when I searched the internet for "cat birthday gift," the products that came up made me feel, "This is just for the human's own satisfaction."

Gigi wasn't very interested in toys, so I hesitated to buy anything, feeling that any new cat toy would likely end up as a gift for the other cats in the house. The more I felt, "I want to celebrate what might be her last birthday as much as possible," the harder it became to choose a gift.

You don't need a special gift for it to be a "best birthday"

At that moment, I found myself asking, "What is it that Gigi actually loves from the bottom of her heart?" Looking back on our daily life, it was always when she received treats that Gigi was excited.

Perhaps it doesn't have to be something special as long as it's something Gigi likes. Once I gave myself permission to think that, the gift was decided surprisingly easily.

That year, I gave her a tower of "Churu" treats—her favorite—and an LED light toy, the only toy she had never grown tired of since she was a kitten. Seeing how happy she was, I marveled at the preciousness of the time we had shared, realizing, "Perhaps only an owner who has spent a long time together truly knows what makes this child happy..."

That day, I didn't just give her gifts; I spent the day making Gigi my top priority. I realized that it wasn't just about "giving her favorite treats," but that "affection that makes her want to purr" was also a gift that only an owner can give.

Gigi would drool with happiness just from me touching her soft fur, and she would desperately headbutt me to rub against me. That happy expression from back then is still etched in my heart.

"Thank you for coming home to me once more. I'm so happy I can hold you again. I love you from the bottom of my heart." As I told her this, Gigi looked at me straight on. Her eyes seemed to see right through my secret, unspoken prayers: "I don't want you to die" and "I want us to be together forever"—prayers I had tried not to say out loud on her birthday.

HAPPY Birthday🍰
Happy 11th birthday, Gigi.
If the timing of any of the treatments hadn't worked out this year, it's highly likely we wouldn't have been able to celebrate today, so I am even more thrilled to have reached this day.

Thank you for being part of our family for over 10 years. Continue to live your own unique cat life from here on out, too. pic.twitter.com/rgVRZkKx6e

— Yua | Writer 🖊 (@yunc24291) February 13, 2025

I didn't want her to know how I really felt and feel like she had to keep fighting for me. So, I smiled and told her, "Let's spend your birthday together next year, too," but I'm sure my terrible acting was completely obvious to Gigi. That is why I think she spun out her life until the very last moment to stay by my side.

This February, we weren't able to celebrate her 12th birthday together. But I believe Gigi's final birthday was the day I had thought most deeply about "what my beloved cat truly loves."

Gigi, who traveled to heaven while remaining an eternal 11-year-old. When you one day change your clothes and come back to me, let me celebrate your birthday to the fullest then.

List of articles by this author >>

Related Articles

Going out to buy ice with a hollow body... The real situation & state of mind on the day my beloved cat passed away

Animals are not just pets, but members of the family. This understanding has been spreading recently, but the pain of "pet loss" is difficult to understand, and for those who have never lived with an animal, it is a difficult emotion to imagine...