How Do You Say Goodbye After 22 Years?
On the morning of June 9, 2026, I said goodbye to my cat, Tiger. Even as I write those words, they don't feel real. Tiger wasn't just a pet. He wasn't just a cat. For twenty-two years, he was a constant companion, a source of comfort, a furry shadow that followed me through some of the best and worst chapters of my life. He was there through relationships, career changes, artistic projects, victories, failures, heartbreaks, and new beginnings. Twenty-two years is long enough that a pet stops feeling like an animal living in your house and starts feeling like a permanent part of the world itself. You begin to believe they will always be there. Then one day, they aren't. Image: 2026-05-29, Aslan and Tiger in front of bathroom mirror. [ ] The beginning of June brought the first signs that something wasn't right. Tiger started acting strangely. He became obsessed with water, drinking constantly and spending time playing with it. He began leaving an awful-smelling residu...
