Prologue: The Cat Who Came Down From the Roof
In December 2024, during a cold season in Laos, for some time, a stray cat lived above the ceiling under the rooftop of my home.
She had clearly survived a difficult life outside. Thin, cautious, and alert, she listened intently and watched the house for several days before finally coming down.
When she did, it was with the quiet trust that animals sometimes extend when they sense safety.
I brought her inside.
I named her Jen.
For three nights she slept beside me, finally warm and protected. In that short time, a bond formed between us that was simple and absolute. She was no longer a stray—she was family.
A New Life
Not long afterward, Jen returned pregnant.
Months later she gave birth to three kittens:
- Ruby
- Garfield
- Tao Tao
The house changed overnight. Where there had once been quiet, there was now constant motion—three small kittens chasing each other across the floors, exploring every corner, filling the rooms with energy.
Those months were among the happiest of my life in Laos.
Loss
But the beginning of their lives was difficult.
The kittens became ill while they were still very young. Despite veterinary care and repeated hospital visits, Ruby became critically sick first.
I spent days at the clinic hoping she would recover. She did not.
Ruby passed peacefully. I buried her on land I owned near one of my warehouses.
Soon afterward Garfield developed the same illness.
Garfield fought longer. Even when weak, he continued to show affection and energy whenever I visited him at the hospital.
But eventually he also passed.
I buried him beside Ruby.
Two small graves remained there—quiet reminders of a brief life that had brought enormous light.
The Survivor
Only Tao Tao remained.
He had survived the same difficult beginning that took his siblings. He was affectionate, curious, and deeply attached to people.
At that point, I did not yet know how important that resilience would become.
The Temple Cats
Some time later, while visiting a Chinese temple in Vientiane, I found another group of cats that were struggling to survive.
There was a mother cat and four kittens:
- Prajna
- Bila
- Aether
- Cyan
- Rasa
They were thin and clearly needed medical attention.
I brought them to a veterinary clinic for examinations and treatment. Afterward, I took them with me to a quiet resort outside the city where they could recover.
There, for a time, the house was full of cats again—six in total including Tao Tao.
They were fed well, treated for illness, and gradually regained their strength.
For a while, the atmosphere returned to something peaceful.
A Medical Crisis
During this period my own health deteriorated due to a serious infection in my leg. Medical treatment required me to travel for several days, and I had to leave the animals temporarily under the care of staff.
When I eventually returned home, the situation had changed dramatically.
The house was in disarray, and Tao Tao had been left alone without proper care.
I immediately took him with me.
A Brief Moment of Freedom
At another nearby resort, Tao Tao experienced something he had rarely known before: open space.
He ran freely outside in the grass and sunlight, exploring a new environment without fear. Watching him recover his energy during those days remains one of my strongest memories.
Eventually I brought the other five cats from the temple to the same location so they could all stay together again.
For a brief moment, the entire group was reunited.
Separation
Circumstances eventually forced me to leave Laos.
Before leaving, I managed to arrange safe veterinary boarding for Tao Tao, and later transported him to Bangkok, Thailand, where he now lives in a supervised pet facility.
He receives daily visits, veterinary monitoring, and ongoing care.
Five cats remain in Laos:
- Prajna
- Bila
- Aether
- Cyan
- Rasa
Efforts continue to arrange their safe relocation.
Tao Tao Today
Tao Tao now lives in a quiet room at a pet hotel in Bangkok.
When I visit him each day, he slowly becomes more relaxed. He plays again, explores the room, and occasionally shows flashes of the curious kitten he once was.
Recovery takes time—for animals as well as people.
But he is safe.
What Remains
Two graves remain in Laos where Ruby and Garfield were buried.
Five cats remain there waiting for relocation.
One cat—Tao Tao—now sleeps safely in Bangkok.
Their story is the emotional anchor behind much of the work that followed.
Not because animals are symbols.
But because they are family.
And family, once found, is not forgotten.
For Jen.
For Ruby and Garfield.
For Tao Tao.
For Prajna, Bila, Aether, Cyan, and Rasa.