HONG KONG – Actress and presenter Bowie Cheung shared an intensely personal reflection on joy and profound sorrow this week, revealing the passing of her long-time feline companion, Marky, just weeks after welcoming her second son, dubbed “Yuan Tangtang.” The confluence of life and loss has prompted the celebrity to publicly explore the complex emotional landscape of new motherhood coupled with deep grief.
Cheung, married to actor Benjamin Yuen, conveyed her heartache on social media yesterday, describing the sudden death of her beloved cat. Marky had been a steadfast presence in their lives, witnessing their entire relationship trajectory—from dating and marriage to the expansion of their family to include two young children. She poignantly characterized the cat’s role, stating Marky “accompanied this family from zero to abundance,” underscoring the pet’s integral place in their domestic evolution.
The deeply moving tribute revealed a struggle to find closure, as Cheung lamented the lack of a proper farewell. She recalled a moment of simultaneous new beginnings and endings, confiding that she was crying while breastfeeding her newborn, a stark juxtaposition of nurturing life and mourning loss. Cheung suggested that Marky, having witnessed the arrival of two children, may have felt its “mission was accomplished” before choosing to depart quietly when the family was not home.
“After persistent endurance, you finally waited until we were not at home to quietly leave,” she wrote, expressing regret over misinterpreting the cat’s recent behavioral changes. She speculated she might have mistaken Marky’s demeanor for resentment toward the new baby, admitting, “I’m sorry, I didn’t give you enough time to cherish our time together, nor was I able to say goodbye properly.”
The actress further explored the universal struggle with regret and the constraints of time. She noted the profound duality present in her current life: “One life arrives, one life departs. All the things in my world are so ordinary in the universe; the ability to gather together is truly a long-awaited destiny.”
Remarkably, she shared a poignant detail about a final, cooperative photograph taken between Marky and the newborn during the infant’s full moon celebration photoshoot. This photograph, intended as a milestone for her son, became Marky’s last captured image, symbolizing the intertwined nature of their family experience.
Concluding her message, Cheung sent a spiritual farewell to her passing companion, emphasizing that the positive memories would endure. “If your soul can hear me, I want to say that Mom and Dad are so grateful to have met you, lived with you, and loved you,” she wrote. She extended a wish for Marky to find peace and happiness in the afterlife, asking the cat not to worry about them and to only remember the beautiful moments they shared.
This public display of grief over a beloved pet highlights a seldom-discussed emotional challenge faced by new parents, where the celebratory demands of a newborn clash suddenly with the raw grief of parting. It serves as a reminder of the vital, often long-lasting bonds forged between humans and their animal companions, emphasizing that the loss of a pet can be as devastating as any other familial bereavement.
