Cats in Thailand - part 1

Since we started a cattery, Thailand was always on our list of places to see. This year Feline Veterinary Medicyne Congress was taking place in this country. We decided to combine “business” with pleasure and join learning and holiday in one trip. We had been planning this for couple of months before so we can go on our own and avoid travel agency. Thanks to that we were able to see more than a common tourist. We were curious if it’s true that almost every stray cat in Thailand looks like a purebred thai or siam. At last we had a chance to find out on our own and – here’s a spoiler – it’s not real.

First street cats we met in Bangkok late evening. It was a seal tabby point kitten, but it’s eyes were more green than blue. It was clearly afraid of strangers and when we tried to take a photo it run to a kind of backyard. But after a short while it’s head was out under the gate.

We’ve met another cat by one of the street shops. It was just laying there and staring on people passing by. This one was similar to most of stray cats back home.

First day in Bangkok we went on foot for a first walk to Yaowarat, Chinatown. That time of the day most of the shops was already closed except for few single stores, bars and food trucks with fresh fruits, juices, fried shrimps, soups and other meals.

On our way back to the hotel we’ve met another cat. It was a young male, friendly enough to cuddle. In color he looked like thai – seal point with very nice contrast and soft, short coat. But he had so serious flawn that his tail was kinky in three places. We only had a cellphone and because it was dark (and what’s more even in good light it’s not easy to take a proper photo of a cat) we didn’t catch it in the picture. But it can be suspected from the tail shadow in the photo below (I had to work a bit on contrast so it shows).

Next day we changed localisation to Erawan National Park to climb up 7 levels of waterfalls. When we reached the park by bus, we decided to have little look around before we go. On the table and on a chairthere were two cats resting. Both were grey tabby with white markings and had specific face shape. They looked a bit like oriental cats with a bit longer nose but a little more massive.

We’ve met next cat in Kanchanaburi while waiting for famous train going on a “death railway” from II World War. Around the station there was some shops and stores mostly for tourists. In one of them there was a girl and a red tabby kitten sleeping on her hands outside and as it showed it was influencing not only us. Kitten was so sleepy that you could do anything with it. He didn’t react when the girl passed him to us. I had trouble to wake him up to see his eyes for the photo.

After getting back to Bangkok we planned to get on a boat on Chao Phraya river (known also as Maenam). On our way to the dock we passed by a market with lots of local herbs, medicaments, figures and statues of Buddha, charms and other religious accessories. On one of those shop tables we met another two furry friends.

The same day we got to Chinatown on our way back (this time during the day). During our walk we got so far that….. we reached the end of the district. But the fact we got to the edge had it’s advantages. In one of the stores there we walked across another cats. First of them was similar to burmese but he slept so cool that we didn’t wake him to see his eyes.

On the porch of the same show there was also a kitten who reminded me about abyssinian cats despite the fact he wasn’t one of them. This one had an issue with third lids covering half of it’s eyes. Maybe this was due to internal parasites or infectional diseases(such as FIV or FeLV) that may cause this kind of symptoms.

A lady who was sitting in front of the shop was observing us with a smile as we took photos of (probably hers) cat. When we noticed more cats inside she smiled at us and allowed to get inside. We saw three cats – one of which was seal tabby point. Unfortunately it was afraid of us and we had to keep our distance for the photos, so it doesn’t run away. This one had a very short tail which was a result of deformation or congenital defect. In the back of the room there was another cat which looked like burmese. Third cat was all black but this one didn’t want to have any photos taken.

In the center of Bangkok (and also in other parts of the city) there are many flowerpots on the sidewalks. While getting back to the hotel, we’ve met another furry friend hiding between the pots. This one had pale blue eyes and partialy point pattern with white spots.

Before we left Bangkok for Phuket Island, where the cat congress was taking place, we visited Grand Palace. We were disappointed not to meet any cats there but maybe it was because of so many tourists. Only in the end of our sightseeing we saw a queen 🙂 Tortie girls with green eyes and tail kinked in few places (and therefore shorter than normal). She wasn’t really looking for friends but she let us take some shots. Sadly she turned out to be not patient enough for us to get many sharp photos for the page.

In Phuket we didn’t limit our time to the hotel and congress lectures but we also left for local market in Patong. After getting dome fruits for supper we went back on foot (to be honest we walked a lot in Thailan – nearly 13 km a day). It was a good not not only to get in shape but also for meeting cats. This time near the shops around few houndred meters from the hotel. Tricolor girl was very friendly and she even let us pet her . Her black little companion not only let us hold him but also felt like playing with us or a while.

In the further part of our trip we went to Khao Lak where we tried to catch a breath. During little shopping there we’ve met another cat in point color – it was blue this time. He just slept on the table in front of a supermarket. This cat was very fond of cuddling and he even asked for it by rubbing his head against our hands. When he had enough, he just walked in the store and sat on the floor. I assume he felt better inside air conditioned room than outside in the heat. ]

Another cat we’ve met while waiting for a bus in Khao Sok, near the National Park. It was a tortie girl who didn’t know what she wants. At first she was laying for petting, she let us stroke her fur for a while and then suddent got her claws out and try to bite. After a short while she felt like cuddling again.

When we got back to Bangkok, we’ve visited two catteries and cat shelter Paws (about all the in another posts). As we were traveling to Amphawa for one cattery and then in Bangkok for another, we didn’t meet any stray cats on the way. But when we walked to visit Paws, we got to meet another grey tabby kitten. It even allow me to pet him for a few minutes before leaving. 😉

Last day in Thailand we had some time as our plane was leaving around midnight, so we’ve spend the day very efficient. We went to see temples of What Pho and Wat Arun. About cats we’ve met there i plan to write a separate post. Why I write about the temples is because while walking from one to another we’ve met another two stray cats. One was on a couch in a restaurant by Chao Praya river, where we stopped during our search for shortcut to a ferry station.

The other cat was a girls in a very original color – a bit tortie and tortie point. It was also one of very few cases when with a little bit kinky tail (I got to examine it while I pet her) it had a quite normal lenght.

As you can see on the all photos above – saying that all stray cats in Thailand look like a thai or siam cat – is a myth. Of course you can meet cats in point color or blue eyes on the streets but it’s not a rule and these features are not that common. Unfortunately most of the cats we’ve met had issues with tails or it was residual.

to be continued…