Courtesy of Ginger Cat:
My life with Gaby became a pleasant routine, although it involved detailed medical attention because his lungs had been affected by being outside in his first winter and not hibernating as he would have been, had he attained the necessary weight. As he was born later in the year, he could not achieve the minimum weight, and he would have perished in winter. It was a rare stroke of luck that he collapsed outside my kitchen door, and that I noticed the “something muddy” outside in the nick of time before he could have died from cold and hunger. Gaby was left with difficulty breathing and to help him, every evening I put in his room, close to the bed but on a higher level, a container with warmed Olbas oil, used for humans with a heavy cold. It contains Calpol oil, Eucalyptus oil, Juniperberry oil, Levomenthol oil, Methyl Salicylate, and Mint oil, and having worked wonders for us, it worked for Gaby too. During the day, we would settle in a large armchair with blankets, Gaby on my lap, and I could write on my laptop placed on the desk. This routine was only interrupted by the necessary visits to a vet for a check-up, and to renew and buy antibiotics. Gaby’s health would be in danger without them, and as he was so happy to be alive, I had to do what the vet advised. He ate the best cat food well, and on his “feeling poorly” days, I would pulverize the wet cat food to help with his digestion, administered with a large syringe.
On warm summer days, we would go for a walk in the garden, and the long grass, the intoxicating scent of roses in full bloom, the singing/chirping birds, the feeling of being free and well, and with me by his side, was all he could wish for in his “pursuit of happiness.”
“Summertime” by George Gershwin (courtesy of 57francesca):
On the rare occasion, when I had to go out for a very short time, I would wrap Gaby in my nightdress. It would prevent him from worrying where I was and waiting for me by the front door. When I had to go somewhere for a longer time and travel by car, Gaby would come with me, comfortable in a basket lined up with a folded soft blanket, that was held on my lap. On one occasion, I attended a wedding at the college in Oxford, and checking the apartment I was staying in for a night, became Gaby’s great adventure. The same was true every time we went to visit, friends’ living rooms were open for an exciting adventure of smelling and discovering new things.
Looking back, that particular year could be regarded as one of the darkest periods of my life. Gaby almost died, and not once but twice. It started when I noticed at mealtimes that he had some difficulty in swallowing. I had ground up his food thoroughly, thinking that would help, but during one meal he started choking and suddenly he was gone. In an instant and to my horror, his body became floppy, his arms and legs hung loosely, his senseless eyes rolled upwards and his tongue become swollen and blue. There was no time to go anywhere for help, and so I thumped him a few times between the shoulder blades, automatically adjusting the strength of my hand movements. While my hands calmly performed the required routine, I screamed hysterically at him to come back. The combination of the treatment and the racket I was making worked because within a minute or two, he was back. As his breathing was strained, I rushed him to our vet who was based some 14 miles away. Gaby was X-rayed and then put into an oxygen tank to help his breathing. While I sat rigid in the waiting room for some four hours, that evening he had his back teeth removed since the vet suspected that was the reason for his choking incident.
Die tote Stadt, Act I: Marietta’s Lied by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, performed by Nicola Benedetti and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra:
Two days later, when the soreness of his mouth had subsided, Gaby was back to his old self . He ran around, played with me and ate well. My relief was overwhelming. A week later, Gaby got up one morning lethargic and grizzly. His nose was running with something I hadn’t seen before, a sticky, rubbery discharge. As he wouldn’t settle, refused his breakfast and insisted on being carried around, I took him to my study where I work every day. At midday the telephone rang and I put Gaby on the sofa amongst the folds of his blanket. After a minute, as I bent to pick him up, he gave a strangled choke, a colourless substance emitting from his mouth, and once again he was gone. Only this time he wasn’t fighting for his breath, but stopped breathing altogether. I grabbed the weightless, horribly floppy body, with arms and legs dangling outwards. His blue tongue protruded from his half-open mouth, and his glazed eyes already turning into his skull. Luckily, once again my instinct took over my panic, and hurriedly I spread-eagled Gaby on top of my desk. Holding his mouth, I gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, blowing air into his lungs. I then pressed gently five times his breastbone and massaged his heart. I repeated the procedure over and over again for the next few minutes, and by then my tears were dripping on Gaby’s face too. A combination of air in his lungs, stimulating the heart and my crying and in between pleading for him to come back must worked as suddenly his bright blueberry eyes focused on my face and he started breathing. I was beyond myself with joy and happiness! I could see some movement back in his legs, and although he was still spread flat out, within a minute or two he was at last looking alertly into my tear-smeared face.
Without even dressing properly (I couldn’t let go of Gaby), we dashed to the hospital by taxi. By now the mysterious infection, which he had caught from some other animal or equipment used during his stay in hospital, acquired the manic proportions of the Phantom of the Opera mask, half covering his face and closing one of his nostrils, but at least he was alive. The vet seemed as perplexed as I was. I was given antibiotics to be injected daily and a bottle of antibacterial solution. The first seven nights of Gaby’s illness I had to spend on the floor of his bedroom holding his feverish and immobile body in a comfortable position. He had to be given water via syringe at regular intervals to avoid dehydration, and although so weak that he was unable to move, he couldn’t sleep. The rubber mask that was covering half of his face had to be bathed regularly with antibacterial solution as was the rest of his body, to prevent the spread of infection. Every morning we would move downstairs and settle in a big, roomy armchair, which I had lined with a quilt for comfort and warmth. Firstly though, on my desk Gaby had to have his daily injection of antibiotics since he couldn’t eat or even hold down anything except water.
Luckily for Gaby and for my own sensibilities, I am a dab hand with a needle, thanks to expert tuition from my father, a surgeon. Whether dear Pa could ever have foreseen that I would use this skill to give injections to a hedgehog remains unclear, but I often offer him my silent thanks all the same. After the cleaning session, I would settle into the armchair with Gaby firmly wrapped up in my arms and into a fitful 10 to 20 minutes of sleep. As Gaby couldn’t move, I had to massage his tummy very lightly to help him expel whatever it was possible to get rid off. In between cleaning and sleeping, I would talk to him in the same way as one talks to unconscious patients, urging him to fight and telling him over and over how much he was loved and needed. I cried a lot too because poor Gaby looked so ill that even my 150 percent positive attitude was, in the worst moments, momentarily shaken.
“The Seal Lullaby” by Eric Whitacre, performed by VOCES8 and Christopher Glynn:
After one week of the treatment, Gaby was able to go to sleep properly and I could have my two-hour nap too. I could now see a slight improvement in the state of his face. By the end of the third week, I gently managed to peel off the hateful rubbery mask. At that point I was feeding Gaby with the help of a syringe filled with kitten food, which had to be pulverized in a small electric mixer, otherwise it would not flow easily through the nozzle. To finally arrive at the right technique took some time. The pictures and the walls in the feeding room had strange but fetching brown splodges all over on account of the more-often-than-not blocked syringe suddenly exploding when pressed too hard in sheer frustration. Six weeks on and most problems were solved. Gaby fully recovered, ran and played happily, talked his head off, his eyes bright once again like two blueberries after the rain.
The next few months were as if nothing happened, yet there were signs that this episode affected him. He was sleeping more, eating but mostly with the help of the syringe. And then one night his breath became louder and labouring I sat on the floor holding him and telling him that in the morning we would rush to the vet, and he must hold on! I could sense that he was in pain and would place him frequently on the big pillow by my side to help him rest. At dawn, I got up to go to the bathroom, after telling Gaby, I would be back in a minute. When I returned, Gaby had slid from the pillow into the place I had been sitting all night and was sitting upright, looking straight ahead with unseeing eyes, dead.
“Requiem, K. 626: Lacrimosa” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, performed by Academy of Ancient Music and Choir of King’s College, Cambridge:
We say that you can die of a broken heart, and I wished that I could because the pain and grief that hit me was something I had never experienced before. Grief is the price we pay for love, and it is a heavy price to pay. I cried every night for a very long time, and although I help any animal in need, the understanding and the bond I had with Gaby was a once-in-a-lifetime unique happening to be remembered forever. It isn’t important whether you are blood-related – the one that holds your hand when you need help is your true friend; Gaby held my hand and slept in my bed when the dog I saved died unexpectedly.
Gaby’s legacy was to inspire my nature blog, and he lives on as long as I publish posts about the importance of nature!
For those interested, here is an in-depth article about animal consciousness:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv223z15mpmo
naturetails 
Joanna, by the time I finished your post, my cheeks were damp too. The bond you speak of is priceless and irreplaceable. Your love for Gaby shines through your words. You did all you could for Gaby and in return you have memories of him that time cannot erase. Is your blog named after him?
Thanks for sharing this story of extraordinary resilience and extraordinary bonding. Sending you hugs.
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What an extraordinary frind and an extraordinary lose. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you so much, Punam, for your wonderful comments! I cannot find words to thank you for being moved by Gaby’s story! Yes, my friendship with Gaby inspired the creation of my blog, and it is his legacy as long as I write about nature.
Thank you again, Punam, your words are deeply appreciated! A big hug for you too!
Joanna x
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Thank you, Kenne, for your wonderful comments! Your kind words are greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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You are so welcome. It is heartening stories like these that make blogging so meaningful. What a lovely way to honour the memories you made.
My pleasure, Joanna. A hug is always appreciated. Xoxo
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Thank you, Punam, for being a friend, and for your beautiful words!
Joanna x
PS. A hug makes a difference in sad times!
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What a wonderful legacy Gabby gifted you and your dedication and love was amazing. Thank you for sharing this marvellous part of your life with us Joanna.
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Thank you, Peter, for your wonderful comments! Your kind words, Peter, are deeply appreciated!
Joanna
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You and Gaby were true friends to each other. It’s sad that he didn’t live for much longer than he did. Neil
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Thank you, Neil, for your thoughtful comments! Gaby lived for 5 and half years, while in the wild average life of a hedgehog is two years, and if he didn’t get an infection at the vet, he would live longer. I had a lovely little house with a pillow and a blanket for a hedgehog coming into my garden. He stayed and every night I left by, his house food and water, as I didn’t him to be killed on the road. He lived for over 12 years! By creating a blog inspired by my friendship with Gaby, I made sure that Gaby lives on in my readers’ memory.
Thank you again, Neil!
Joanna
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very moving, deeply touching❤️🙏🏼❤️beautiful honoring of Gaby’s life🌹❤️
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Thank you so much for your wonderful comments! Your beautiful words touched my heart, and are deeply appreciated!
Joanna xx
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❤️
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XXX!
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That is such a sad story Joanna. Gaby was lucky to have you around to make his days easier. I can see why you miss him so much. My son and his wife have become real vet experts as well trying to keep their rabbits and a chinchilla in good health. It seems to be an expensive all encompassing job at times. Have a great Saturday. Allan
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After all you went through together and your incredible dedication to this wonderful animal, I don’t wonder that you grieved. I read a book about a man who bonded deeply with a sparrow. He too was devastated. “Just a bird” some would say. How little they understand of feelings. My email is dedicated to my little cat Yeti. I thought I would never get over losing her. And there have been so many others. Each so important in their own way. It is our fate to outlive them and it is a hard price but we pay it again and again. Your story about Gaby is deeply touching. O know she is with you always in your heart. Thank you for sharing your story. XX
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Your love for Gaby continues to shine and inspire even after his death, Joanna. I’m so glad you had those happy years together – and you earned them by doing so much to keep him alive and happy. I wish I had had the chance to do something for my Punkin Puss, but he just disappeared. Like your Gaby, Punk was the animal love of my life and losing him really broke my heart.
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❤️🫂
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Joanna , your hearty atttachment with Gaby speaks volumes about the sense of passion & empathy you have for the lovely living being !The amazing audios & vedios you have shared are so very lively & refreshing !Enjoyed your post soooooo very much !Bahut khoobsoorat ,Joanna!Thanks for sharing !Namaste !
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Thank you, Allan, for your kind comments! We were both lucky because I learned so much about animal intelligence and adaptability. Did you look at the link at the end of my post to the BBC article about animals being conscious of the world around them?
Joanna
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Thank you, Carolyn, for your wonderfully thoughtful comments! I left at the end of my post a link to the BBC scientific article about animal consciousness, it is worth looking this up, as you might change your mind about animals thinking in a similar way to us.
Joanna XX
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Thank you, Harini, for your beautiful comments! Thank you also for understanding my loss, I wish you could write about your love for an animal that you have lost!
I think writing and remembering the animals that meant so much to us is important as it a proof that we are all part of nature.
Joanna xx
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What a touching story: it brought a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes 💓
Thanks also for suggesting the link to that article on animal consciousness, which I didn’t doubt at all
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Thank you, dear Luisa, for your wonderful comments! You are a marvel as you noticed the link! Next week I will add a little of Darwin’s thoughts on animal thinking.
Joanna xx
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Sometimes I wonder why I bother to blog, but your story about Gaby has shown me why. Not only have you had a wonderful bond with a wild creature Joanna, the way you’ve told us all about that experience has been nothing short of brilliant. I’m sorry that the outcome was such a sad one, but the life Gaby had with you was a miracle from start to finish. There isn’t a word in the dictionary that could tell you what I think about your compassion for Gaby, as well as all animal life and nature in general, so I’ll just have to say that you’re an absolutely amazing person Joanna x
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Thank you, dear Malc, for your wonderfully thoughtful comments! Now is my turn to say why blogging is so important to me, because of extraordinary people like you, Malc, whose comments lift my spirits! I feel lucky to be taught by Gaby that as we are part of nature we have more in common than is acknowledged. Luckily, there is a slow shift in scientific view on animals being conscious of the world around them as you can read in the BBC article, I left the link to it at the end of my post.
Thank you again, Malc, for your time and kind words, all deeply appreciated!
Joanna x
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I did write a post about one of our dogs, Lal Mohan. But losing Punk is still too close. I can’t find the words.
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Thank you, Dhirendra, for your wonderful comments! Your kind words and your time are deeply appreciated! Namaste!
Joanna
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I understand this, Harini, until now, I couldn’t write about Gaby’s death, and he died many years ago!
Joanna x
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My pleasure 🙏Kindly find time to comment on my latest blog as & when you can!
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When I got to the place where you embedded Marietta’s Song, I didn’t know why you included it. That became clear soon enough, and one line from the song came to mind right way: “Sterben trennt uns nicht,” “Death doesn’t separate us.” Here are the lyrics and an English translation, along with more information about the opera.
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It’s my absolute pleasure Joanna x
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Thank you, Malc!
Joanna x
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Dear Steve, I cannot thank you enough for your thoughtfulness, and your unique talent for seeing things that are hidden from many!
Of course, as always, you are right!
Joanna
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Joanna, this was such a moving story. I felt sad for Gaby, she suffered an illness, which made me think of cancer patients. I’m sure she valued the love and home you gave her, incredible really. I was touched by the mention of your father too, I’m sure he was smiling from Heaven and thinking, “Joanna did learn something from my practice, she’s saving a life!” Gaby lives on in your heart and now our hearts too. Have a beautiful day! 💕🌺
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Thank you, Monica, for your beautiful comments! Gaby would live longer if it wasn’t for the infection caught at the vet. Thank you for your kind words about my father! Your wonderful thought that Gaby lives in the hearts of my readers made me very happy!
Thank you again, Monica!
Joanna x
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I can’t wait to read them. dear Joanna!
Just think that at home, I don’t just talk to my doggie Sissi, but to the birds and squirrels that come to visit me, and, of course, the neighbors’ cats … and it seems to me that they understand perfectly.
Sometimes I even talk to bees, butterflies and even lizards
Those who live next door to me must think I’m a bit strange😉😉😉
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There is nothing even remotely strange about you, dear Luisa, you are a part of nature just as they are!
Joanna xx
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This story is truly amazing and deeply touching, Joanna. I couldn’t hold back my tears. You’ve perfectly expressed that grief is the price we pay for love. Your care for Gaby, reviving him twice, even using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, is simply incredible. As the capable daughter of a surgeon, you were able to do for Gaby what others couldn’t in such circumstances.
Despite your unwavering 150% positive attitude, fate had its way, but you did your part. I believe Gaby might have been connected to you in a past life, as your relationship, which began by chance, grew so profound over time.
It’s ironic that a patient visits a clinic to get cured but ends up returning with more serious ailments. Gaby’s infection at the vet highlights this irony.
Though Gaby may not be with you physically, I’m sure he lives on in your heart, just as his name remains on your blog site. I commend you for your kindness, empathy, and love for this small creature. Thank you once again, Joanna, for sharing this unique story.
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I don’t disagree. I often try to imagine seeing the world through the eyes of another species but we really can’t because their bodies are mostly so different. Are you familiar with Anna Breytenbach? I find what she says about other species fascinating.
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Thank you, Kaushal, for your wonderfully thoughtful comments! Until now, I wasn’t able to write about Gaby’s death, and so it is a relief to finally use the words that would not come. I am overwhelmed by the affection and understanding of my readers, and I am grateful! Gaby’s legacy is not only inspiring my blog but also making me determined to write about the changes in views of the science fraternity who until now would not allow the idea that animals can feel and think just like us. One notable exception was Darwin, but his views were largely ignored. I will expand on this subject next week.
Thank you again, Kaushal, for your kind words, your time and ideas are deeply appreciated!
Joanna
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Thank you, Carolyn, for your gracious reply! To my mind, body difference is of no importance, after all, we all look different in other parts of the world!
No, I don’t know anything about her views but I will find out.
Joanna XX
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To Carolyn: I found a lot about Anna Breytenbach but I will listen to her video when Felicity stops snoring by my side as she hates being interrupted!
Thank you,
Joanna XX
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Thanks a lot for your lovely reply, dearest Joanna 🙏💙🙏
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Dear Joanna, you are an inspiration! I cannot help but hold out my arms to you in a hug of warmth & gratitude for the caring & compassion you showed in this post. 🤗💓❤💕🌹💐🙋♂️
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Thank you, dear Ashley, for your wonderful comments! When you love and bond with someone as lovely as Gaby, it comes easily! Please, Ashley, look at the link to the BBC Science News at the end of my post. I learned so much from Gaby that it is me who is grateful for the knowledge acquired.
Thank you again, Ashley, your kind words are greatly appreciated!
Joanna xx
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You are more than welcome, dearest Luisa!
Joanna xx
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You’re welcome, Joanna! It’s my pleasure to go through your posts. Looking forward to the next post!
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Thank you, Kaushal! You are very kind!
Joanna
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