The Straits
Times
Mind Your Body
Feb 21, 2007
The cats out of the
bag
Six cats under the same roof have provided a family with
companionship and brought relief to a sick man.
By Shelagh Mahbubani
Mr Lu, struck with
ALS, finds it comforting to have his cats, like Sparky, rest on the
bed. SHAHRIYA YAHAYA
Most people would think that six cats taken in by a loving family
to be getting the better end of the deal.
In fact, the Lu family feels that its the other way round.
The six cats that live with them have blessed them in more ways
than they imaginable, said the Lus.
They are especially thankful of any blessings they have received
since Mr Edgar Lu was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrigs disease,
in 1993.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that causes the
death of nerve cells and hence the paralysis of voluntary
muscles.
In 2000, Mr Lu, 54 and a former IT consultant, became completely
bed ridden.
Three years later, Mr Lu and his wife Gina got their first cat,
Gandalf.
Though they bought Gandalf to help their son Kevin, who was going
through depression, they found that having a cat helped
everybody.
The cats also help Mr Lu deal with his condition.
He is unable to move, except to smile and speak in a voice
incomprehensible to everyone but those who know him. He has to be
constantly under watch, as theres a risk of him choking on his
saliva.
Prior to the arrival of the cats, he was more focused on his own
problems, said his wife, Mrs Lu, 47, a systems analyst.
Now, Mr Lu can watch the cats while he lies on the bed placed in
the living room.
Its very comforting to have them lie on the bed, he said through
his wifes translation.
Aside from providing emotional comfort, they even help to reduce
his physical pain.
A cat lying on his hip can be more effective at relieving the pain
than a hot water bottle, said the Lus.
The cats have also helped the whole family bond in a way that they
couldnt previously.
Mrs Lu said that because of her husbands illness the family wasnt
able to spend as much time together as they wanted.
As the two sons grew older, they had less in common to talk
about.
The cats indirectly serve as a link for the family, said Kevin,
20, a student at LaSalle-SIA College of the Arts.
Perhaps most important of all, the cats have helped the rest of the
family get through hard times.
They really are, in their own way, members of the family.
Having Gandalf around helped Kevin get out of his depression, which
hit him just around his O levels.
Gandalf is like a pal to her son, said Mrs Lu.
Kevin prefers to call Gandalf an animal version of a
soulmate.
We understand each other, he added.
Both mother and son say the cats understand orders.
Its uncanny, said Mrs Lu. For example, they will go into a room
if she asks them to.
And whenever they are asked to do something they dont like, the
cats will respond with an indignant look.
And while one would think that keeping six cats in the house would
create a mess, Mrs Lu said the opposite is true.
Theyre very clean and well behaved, she added.
All they need is for fresh water and food to be left around the
house and their litter boxes cleaned. Thats not much to ask.
