“What greater gift than the love of a cat.”
-Charles Dickens
After Macky passed away at the vet clinic, I had him cremated immediately. The next day I collected his ashes and in memory of his cute, sweet face I had his ashes kept in a white cat shaped urn. I will always be reminded of how lucky I am to have Macky in my life even for such a short time.
Losing a pet is a devastating experience and it is quite difficult to move on from such loss. If you are grieving for a beloved pet, this article provides words of comfort.
My himmie cat Macky turned one year old last April 2, 2023. Truly a wonderful occasion since that means I no longer have to worry about finding kitten food in the supermarket. Now, I can finally feed him adult cat food which is widely available! As a birthday treat, I brought him to Iloilo River Esplanade 1 for him to experience firsthand the fresh morning breezes and the wonderful feeling of walking on soft grass as he is entirely an indoor cat.
Macky's little foray into Iloilo River Esplanade 1 comes just in time when Iloilo City Government issued Executive Order No. 042 series of 2023 or "An Executive Order Providing Guidelines for the Use of All Iloilo River Esplanades" allowing people to bring their pets (as long as the pets are on a leash and you have to clean up after them). The indoor cat that he is, he was reluctant to walk around and explore his surroundings and just wanted to sit on the grass. He is also extremely shy as he is not exposed to a lot of hoomans! I think we need more Esplanade 1 adventures to coax him out of his shell, err cat carrier. I'm thinking of getting a pet stroller so I can walk him around with ease, comfort and safety.
Iloilo River Esplanade 1 has a cute cafe that I always hang-out in al fresco when I get the chance. Since it was Macky's birthday, why not treat the hooman (that's me) to some super filling Full English Breakfast ? I'm a pescatarian but for the occasion I treated myself to beans on toast, 2 sunny-side up eggs, tomatoes and mushroom, ham, bacon and homemade sausage. Washed down with iced-tea (no hot coffee during these dry season months) for a satisfying breakfast experience. Afterwards, we headed home since the weather was getting warmer and the poor cat was visibly panting from the heat. Next time we should head out at the earliest cafe opening hour.
Iloilo City is a pet friendly city. Enjoy the open spaces with your furbabies. For more tips how to enjoy pet life in the city, click here.
Sepanx (separation anxiety for non-millennials) no more as the first pet hotel Yukimito Pet Hotel and Boutique in Iloilo City has opened last October 2022 to cater to furkids whose furparents have to go on business or personal travel. Difficult as it is to leave your pet dog or cat at home with no one to look after them, you have to resort to strategies such as paying/bribing family members (that happened to me) and friends to look out for your beloved cats and dogs. It's hard to enjoy a local or overseas vacation when all you can think about are your pets and the worst case scenario that could happen to them like starving or getting into an accident.
I'm really happy Yukimito Pet Hotel has opened their doors to accommodate furkids for errands care (1-4 hours), daycare (5-10 hours) and home care (overnight). I wish they opened earlier though (like years before) because a pet hotel service is really in demand.
The pet boarding rates differ based on the package and size of your pet. I went on an island trip just recently and true to form, I have no one to look after my precious cat Macchiato. Thank God there is Yukimito pet hotel!
So take that much needed and well deserved vacation as Yukimito will be there to take care of your precious furkids. Contact them on Facebook for a fast and easy transaction.
Yukimito Pet Hotel and Boutique
Winston Bldg., Q Abeto St., Mandurriao, Iloilo City
Contact number: 09155712695
Email: yukimito@gmail.com
My go-to vet clinic for my furbabies, Dr. Paws Veterinary Clinic (formerly Critter Care) located at the main road of Alta Tierra Village in Jaro district has just opened a bigger, brighter and and more comfortable space beside their old clinic. Designed in chartreuse, mint and white palette, the clinic is clean, spacious and definitely relaxing for furbabies and hoomans alike. Macchiato the cat approved!
At the helm is veterinarian Dr.Kenneth Posa who is known for his kind, compassionate and personal touch for animal patients. Dr. Posa's genuine care and love for animals is one reason that the clinic is wildly gaining popularity in Iloilo City.
You can also also purchase pet needs and supplies like premium pet food, vitamins and other essentials from the clinic making it a truly one-stop vet clinic and shop.
The clinic is a few minutes away from the main entrance of Alta Tierra Village. As I live nearby, I normally would just walk when my furbabies are due for their check-up and vaccination.
Booking for consultation is convenient via Dr. Paws Veterinary Clinic facebook page.
Dr. Paws Veterinary Clinic
5th Main Avenue, Phase 5
Alta Tierra Village, Jaro, Iloilo City
Clinic hours: 9 am-5 pm (M-F)
8:30 am-6 pm (Saturdays and Sundays)