Cat Comforts Grieving Orangutan at Zoo

[Jon8503]

Fri Mar 10, 5:23 PM ET - By The Associated Press

(Just a nice pleasant read for you to enjoy).



PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. - 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.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060310/ap_on_fe_st/comfort... ;_ylt=AhC85Gu7wY2b86fO07qpxN2s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-

[Minnesota Libra]

1. That's so cute!!!! Too bad humans can't do the same thing. nt

[Warpy]

3. Au contraire!

Cats seem to be programmed to like primates, in general. I'm owned by two rescued cats who love to cuddle and sleep on my bed at night.

There are a lot of stories of cats adopting gorillas, chimps, and now orangs. They really are remarkable little animals.

[Sal Minella]

12. What do you mean? When my husband walked off with another

woman, my roommates and companions became two cats. They don't pee on the bathroom floor, they don't snore, they don't try to watch three different football games at the same time, they don't tell me I'm getting fat, they don't leave toenail clippings on the coffee table, they don't run up charges on our credit cards without my knowledge, and they don't steal all the covers at night.

If I had known what fine living companions were awaiting me, I would have kicked him out years before he left.

[Northwind]

44. *hurl*

"they don't leave toenail clippings on the coffee table"

*shudder*

[FreedomAngel82]

2. Aw

That's a sweet story. Thank you for sharing.

[skipos]

4. One of the reasons that I don't eat animals

They are much more intelligent and sensitive than many humans give them credit for.

[RC]

5. Too bad Human Beings don't fit that picture.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Reminds me of the story of Cocoa (Gorilla) and Allball (kitty).

Cocoa made the news by being able to communicate somewhat in sign language. She named the cat herself.

[undergroundpanther]

7. AllBall is the coolest name too

Cats are gods in little fur suits as far as i'm concerned.

[bobbieinok]

9. Koko and All Ball

http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20000905.html

(many links in text)

....

Back in 1984, Koko, an accomplished gorilla who understands and uses American Sign Language, asked her trainer, Dr. Francine Patterson, for a cat. So when some abanded kittens were brought to the Woodside, California, compound where Koko lives, she was awarded the pick of the litter. After examining the kittens carefully, Koko chose a tailless gray male that she named All Ball.

Koko proved a wonderful pet owner and mother. She was very gentle with the kitten and treated him much like a baby gorilla, carrying him on her back and trying to nurse him. When she was in a playful mood, she would dress All Ball up in napkins or sign to him suggesting that they tickle each other, her favorite game.

Unfortunately, their relationship ended abrubtly in December of 1984, when All Ball escaped from the gorilla cage and was killed by a car. Koko was extrememly distraught over the death of All Ball and spoke of it soon after:

When asked, "Do you want to talk about your kitty?"
Koko signed, "Cry."
"What happened to your kitty?"
Koko answered, "Sleep cat."
When she saw a picture of a cat who looked very much like All Ball, Koko pointed to the picture and signed, "Cry, sad, frown."

Koko's mourning attracted a great deal of attention from the scientific community. Debates raged over whether or not animals have "emotions" in the human sense.
All Ball was followed by two other kittens, Lipstick and Smoky, and a number of other pets.

[Maru Kitteh]

15. Yes, the blind superiority complex of some of our species is astounding

In the face of so much overwhelming evidence some "researchers" will continue to insist Koko didn't love and ultimately morn her kitty. What utter crap.

[solinvictus]

22. Animals love...

our dogs love us, there's no doubt at all. They love, throw tantrums, experience fear, frustration, boredom, and the entire range of emotions we do. It makes me edge ever closer to vegetarianism, but I'm a self-admitted hypocrite who loves pork. However, if I actually met a domestic pet pig, I doubt I could eat one again.

[Maru Kitteh]

33. I wish you well on your journey towards compassion at your plate

Everyone who goes veg or even semi-veg does a great thing for the environment, the animals and your fellow humans.

Pig facts:
Pigs are quite intelligent, on the level of a very smart dog up to a three year old human child.
Pigs can be very sweet and loyal, they seem to truly value their friendships with their own species and others.
Abraham Lincoln's favorite childhood pet was a pig.

I saved this from a book I had that fell apart but it is recounted in more than one work so posting this excerpt violates no copyright.

Lincoln said, "That pig was my companion. I played with him, I taught him tricks. We used to play ‘hide and go seek.’ I can see his little face now peeping around the corner of the house to see whether I was coming after him. After a while he got too heavy for me to carry him around, and then he followed me everywhere—to the barn, the plowed ground, the woods. Many a day I have spent in the woods brushing the leaves away and helping him to find the acorns and nuts. Sometimes he would take a lazy spell and rub against my legs, and stop in front of me, and lie down before me, and say in a language which I understood: ‘Abe, why don’t you carry me like you used to do?’
"There was talk about the house of the hog being fat enough to kill. At the table, I heard father say he was going to kill the hog the next day. My heart got as heavy as lead.
"The next morning … I slipped out and took my pet with me to the forest. When father found out … he yelled as loud as he could, ‘You, Abe, you, Abe, fetch back that hog!’… The louder he called, the farther and faster we went, till we were out of hearing of the voice. We stayed in the woods till night.
"On returning, I was severely scolded. After a restless night, I arose early and went to get my pig for another day’s hiding but found that father had arisen before me and fastened my pet in the pen. I knew then all hope was gone. I did not eat any breakfast, but started for the woods. I had not gone far when I heard the pig squeal, and knowing what it meant, I ran as fast as I could to get away from the sound.
"Being quite hungry, at noon I started for home. Reaching the edge of the clearing, I saw the hog, dressed, hanging from a pole … and I began to blubber. I could not stand it, and went back into the woods again, where I found some nuts that stayed my appetite till night, when I returned home. They never could get me to take a bit of the meat … it made me sad and sick to even look at it.
"The next morning I … saw the red place on the ground where the throat had been cut with the knife and, taking a chip, I scraped the blood and the hair that had been scattered, into a pile, and burned it up. Then I found some soft dirt, which I carried in the folds of my tow shirt, and scattered it over the ground to cover up every trace of the killing of my pet.
"The dirt did not do its work very well, for to this day ... my heart goes back to that pet pig …"

[Pirate Smile]

8. Awww. So sweet but, damn it, I want photos! Show me the kitty

and orangutan cuddled up together.

[Obamarama]

10. Ah, ah, ahhhhhh! Kitty pics belong in the LOUNGE!

just messin' with ya!

[BlooInBloo]

11. I was soooo hoping for video... lol!

Got too used to crooks&liars i suppose...

[Kadie]

14. Here is a photo of them...

Primate and mate: A stray tabby named T.K. nuzzles Tonda at Zooworld near Panama City Beach, Fla. The two have become fast friends since T.K. moved into the orang's quarters two months ago. Tonda had been lonely since losing her mate two years ago.

[Pirate Smile]

16. Awww. Thanks. Somethings just work better with a visual.

[enigmatic]

26. That's beautiful

That's what friendship/love is...

[Marie26]

27. Aww, thanks.

Sometimes you just need some cuteness!

[nonconformist]

31. Awwwwwwwwwwwww!!!! nt

[lonestarnot]

41. ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

[Maru Kitteh]

13. I'm always suprised tthat humans have a hard time understanding that other

animals besides humans form deep and affectionate friendships too. This is true of cats, cows, pigs, humans, dogs etc. and so on.


When will we stop insisting that animals other than ourselves are no more emotionally involved than potted plants?














Friends, not food.

[havocmom]

28. Program about elephants while back: there is a refuge in US

for retired/rescued circus and mistreated pachyderms. They brought one into the place and she was recognized by one who had been there a while. They were absolutely JOYOUS at getting to see each other again. The woman who owns the place showed that they had become inseparable and the one was helping the other to heal from some emotional trauma.

I love the elephants too. Such intelligent and emotional souls. Ever see films of their courtships? Can be most tender and touching.

We watched a show the other night about an elephant orphanage. Many of the babies witnessed poachers slaughtering their mothers. It was so sad with one little calf who was just so destroyed. Took her a long time to start to interact with the others.

The babies have blankets as it is cool and no mom's for warmth. One of the tiny ones got part of his blankie snagged on a plant. A slightly older calf was using her foot and trunk to try to free the blanket from the shrub. She was very diligent and sweet. A handler finally had to intervene to help, but it shows they have great empathy, critical thinking, problem solving and just plain kindness.

Have seen a lot of horse/cat friendships too. Animals can have tremendous bonds which are way beyond just getting along to survive. Hell, my dog starts looking for his toad friend as soon as the weather gets warm. All summer, at 'last call' when I bring him in for the night, he will have that toad sitting on the door mat with him, like they expect to be brought in together, or he will try to carry the toad in via his big ol retiever soft mouth. First thing in the morning, dog pees then goes to find the toad. (not poisonous toad by the way, just a very sociable one). He paces the garden in spring, waiting for signs that his pal has emerged.

[Marie26]

38. Love elephants too

There was a documentary recently about how elephants have their own ultrasound language to communicate w/each other; this language is actually very complex. Animals for sure can be life-long friends. When I was growing up, we had 2 cats who would constantly play & hang out together. When one cat died, the other cat became despondent & depressed. She would go outside and sit on top of the other cat's grave for hours. I don't know how people can say animals don't feel emotions. They feel the same basic ones we do, love, fear, joy.

[Cleita]

17. ...

[Hidden Stillness]

18. A World Full of Loving Animals

Dogs are very sympathetic, too, of course. If you have ever been sad and crying or almost crying around a dog, they get very concerned, come over to you, and comfort you. They stay right there with you, then when you feel better, they move away again. This has happened countless times to me over a lifetime, with many different dogs. Animals have sympathy and concern for those they love; they are our equals, our family.

[phylny]

32. When our now 11-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was a puppy,

I hurt my back badly. I was in such pain that I could scarcely move. Forget about simple things like taking a shower or going to the bathroom. The pain was excruciating.

One day, I just couldn't function and ended up curled up on the family room floor. My puppy laid down next to me, in the crook of my arm, and didn't leave me for HOURS. She was quiet and just cuddled.

No wonder that now, in her old age, we carry her up the stairs, medicate her, and make sure she's comfortable. I love her so much, and when it looked like we were going to lose her last week, I was inconsolable. She most definitely knows our emotions, and as we love her, she loves us.

[Vadem]

35. Aww, I totally understand your post! I also have Cavaliers....

They are my joy and my "children" and you are right that they are so sensitive to our pains and sadnesses. When my husband died, I walked the floor and cried for years. My babies cried with me! They sleep with me every night and go everywhere I go in the car. They love their car trips! People who say that animals don't have a soul or don't feel pain have never owned animals!

[Neil Lisst]

19. there was a tortoise and a baby hippo, too

Anyone else see this? It was in the news a few weeks back. Some 100 year old tortoise had taken up a friendship with a baby hippo.

[QC]

20. Photo gallery here:

This story ran in my local paper, and their site has more pix:

http://photos.emeraldcoast.com/nherald.showalbum.db.php...

[QC]

23. Also, pix of the bear who roamed my neighborhood for a while.

He's also adorable: http://photos.emeraldcoast.com/nherald.showalbum.db.php...

[fujiyama]

21. It's an insult

to compare Bush to monkeys.

Monkeys feel more compassion toward other living beings.

[barb162]

24. that is so sweet

[Swamp Rat]

25. kick and recommended

[Sugar Smack]

29. K&R. That is too sweet.

I love it. Thanks for that story.

[peacebuzzard]

30. ..

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

34. How beautiful! Then there is Owen and Mzee

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=47...

[Marie26]

39. So cute

"It sounds like a fable or a fairy tale. The main characters are an orphaned baby hippopotamus and a 130-year-old giant tortoise. The hippo was rescued from a natural disaster of biblical proportions, and the tortoise was meant to be dinner a century ago. But the story of Owen the hippo and Mzee the tortoise is absolutely true...

Exhausted, confused and extremely frightened, Owen immediately ran to the safety of a giant tortoise when we released him in Haller Park. Mzee, our 130 year old tortoise, just happened to be nearby and he was very surprised by Owen's odd behavior cowering behind him as a baby hippo does to its mother. Mzee quickly came to terms with his new friend and even returned signs of affection... Owen and Mzee continue to spend their days together in the pond, feeding and patrolling. Owen nudges Mzee to come for walks, and Mzee sometimes even follows Owen."

All together now: Awwwwww!

[Raine]

36. Ah those sweet

little pals it warms my heart.

[lies and propaganda]

37. Damn! I wanted a pic

It was sure to bring a tear to my eye!

[Jon8503]

40. Here, Kadie posted a photo of them.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[lonestarnot]

42. ahhhhhhhhh

[malaise]

43. Give thanks for our non-human animals

at least they give us hope and a few smiles. Now if we can do something about the most cruel species on the planet.