My Cat Poppy Came Back As Mango

Do you believe in reincarnation?

9 years ago, I had a maine coon mix cat called Poppy. I saw him at a pet store for many months and he looked pretty miserable in the small cage. I already had a cat at home (his name was MeowMeow) and was not sure if I should get another one. However, every time I saw him sitting in his cage, my heart went out to him and wanted to set him free. I hated seeing animals in cages.

So, I bought him and he was such a character. To Poppy, no means no. He did everything on his own terms and I loved him to bits, despite his stubborn personality.

Happiness did not last for long. Poppy was diagnosed with kidney issues by the time he was around 4 years of age. Despite going to many vets and even the head of vet who trained my vet, the diagnosis was grim. Within 5 years, my Poppy received his wings and went to heaven. His body shut down so quickly and the last I saw him was in an oxygen chamber at my vet's clinic.

I never got to say goodbye as he passed away in the oxygen chamber, all alone. My vet notified me whilst I was at work and it took a huge effort not to break down in front of my colleagues. My Poppy had left and I didn’t even get a chance to say a proper good bye.

Few months later, as I was walking towards my apartment’s parking lot with my husband, I heard a tiny meow. It grew louder and that was when I realised a tiny kitten (about 3-4 weeks old) was walking towards us from across the street, meowing away. The kitty stared right at my face as she walked towards us, ignoring the apartment guards and a family with 3 kids. She just walked past them all, not caring about the kids who were pointing at her.

When she reached me, I must have look so gigantic to her, yet she looked up at me with total calmness. It was as though she was looking for me and she knew me. I reached down and scooped her onto my palm, she was so tiny. She just lay down on my palm and tucked her paws underneath her chest. It was in her face. I was the one she chose. She was incredibly dirty, covered with ring worm patches and didn’t look cute at all. But I needed to help her.

On the way to the vet’s clinic, she sat on my lap and just stared at me throughout the journey. It was such a weird yet magical feeling. I forget many things in my life, but this part stays vivid in my mind till today. I named her Mango.

As Mango grew up, she displayed same mannerisms as Poppy with the same ear wispies he had. Only thing she didn’t have was his snaggletooth. She was incredibly naughty yet smart at the same time, she understands our words. Over time, I caught myself many times thinking “this is so like Poppy” or “so naughty like Poppy”.

Mango is almost 10 years old today in 2021. I am so grateful to have been given a second chance with Poppy via a different form…5 years was too short of a time, he had been taken away too fast. I hope I will get another 10 years with Mango and when it’s time to go, she will go without any pain that Poppy had experienced before. We all want that for our fur babies.

This reincarnation story is dedicated to all parents who believed that their fur baby came back or has led them to a new fur baby that just helped them heal through the dark times. When it happens, you will know, you just know.

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