It made me cry.  It made me mad.  It strengthened my growing conviction to make all future employment mean something more than just supporting an arbitrary and selfish corporation interested only in what it can do for itself.  It is this about a cat:

This Persian was dumped onto Sharifah by someone who said he found her in a lift in Marine Parade. The rescuer was uncontactable [sic] after that.
Phyllis took the cat in and the Vet said this was not a young cat as thought but a very old cat with just a few teeth left. She was given the name Paula by Sharifah.
Paula was showered with lots of tender loving care. A kind person called JM is sponsoring the boarding fees and the vet fees as well.
Recently she has stopped eating.
Dr Robin Au saw her and administered an injection. He felt she was nearing the end of the road as a result of her age and chronic neglect.
She is now sleeping most of the time and she is comfortable. She is surrounded by people who love her and the sound of chanting from a CD player. The loss of desire for food is natural during dying.
You can send her your love during your quiet time.
You may also visualize her in a meditation practice called Loving-Kindness or Metta Meditation.

See the previous post about Paula here from just after she was rescued.  It includes a video of her.

In addition, you can see photos of her here and here.

Go now.  Read the previous post.  Look at the pictures and video.  Do it, goddamnit!

Now let me express a few things.

This is why I saved Vazra.  He deserves better.

This is why Kako and Kazon are both rescues.  It didn’t matter how much work or money would be expended on them; they deserved at least that much.  To live.

This is why Grendel and Loki are the last of my adoptions.  I will only do rescues from this point forward.  Can anyone give me a reason why all shouldn’t be offered a chance?  To live?

It is by the response to things like this that I judge people.  Did it make you weep?  Did it make you pause and consider how you might make a difference for the creatures given far less consideration than humans?  Especially considering how little consideration is given to humans?  Did it make you feel something strong enough to be important?  Did it make you want to help, even if you already knew such help could not save this life?  Even if such help could only make the last few days more comfortable without any other reward for yourself?

Let me finish with the words of the Buddha as quoted in the first link above (Sutta Nipata I.8 : Karaniya Metta Sutta):

This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied,
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born –
May all beings be at ease.
Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings;
Radiating kindness over the entire world:
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense-desires,
Is not born again into this world.

And you wonder why Buddhism is the only philosophy comparable to and greater than any religion for which I have far more than just an appreciable level of respect…  It doesn’t focus on what is best for you.  It focuses on what is best.