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Fri 10 Mar, 2006 10:25 am
Cat Comforts Grieving Orangutan at Zoo
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Tondalayo, a 45-year-old Sumatran orangutan, and T.J., a stray tabby cat, became an inseparable duo after a zoo employee introduced them late last year.
Stephanie Willard, Education Director at Zoo World in Panama City Beach, said Tondalayo was depressed since losing her mate two years ago.
Her age prevented her from moving to another zoo or taking another mate. The ducks and turtles swimming in a moat around her island were not enough, Willard told the Panama City News Herald for Thursday's editions.
When the sweet-natured orange cat wandered into Willard's life, the solution became clear.
"It's an unbelievable match," Willard said. "This has worked out a lot better than I expected it to. She's got brighter eyes now. He's brought a lot of light to her."
Zookeepers named the cat, T.K. - short for "Tondalayo's Kitty."
They play together, cuddle and sleep together each night. They have been together constantly for more than a month.
"He's perked up Tonda more than anything," Willard said.
FRIENDSHIP - KITTEN AND A CHICKEN
Interesting Oriental video of friendship between a kitten and a chicken:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7qb6brLIBs[/color]
That video is so neat!
I love the kitty trying to crawl under the chicken's wing even when the cat's too big to fit.
Good story too Reyn. Made me smile!
Hahahaha!!!! Awwwwww!!!! That video is priceless and I like the story with the cat and the orangutan :-D
Animals are so amazing. I find cats to be very therapeutic. I have one cat that when I am sick or especially if I have a migraine he will lay next to me and just watch me. I call him my nurse kitty. A lot of the nursing homes will have people bring cats and dogs in to visit the residents. Studies have shown that they help with blood pressure problems.
It seems when a cat (and I suppose other animals) bond, they bond pretty much for life. I've never seen a chicken and a cat though! That's awesome.
My cat does the same thing when I'm sick. She follows me around looking at me with this look that seems to say "Is there anything I can do?" and you can see her concern :-)
amazing creatures they are ;-D
Yeah really, I have this dog, Sally, and when I'm like sick and in bed Sally will bring me her food bowl and bark at me until I fill it up for her, I'm sure she just wants to make sure I can still get up and meet her needs.
That reminds me of Koko the gorilla and her cat, All Ball.