Pet Blog | Cats | Rabbits | Hamsters

I’ve seen several Binturongs or Bearcats in wildlife sancturies and came to know that some people kept these exotic animals as pets.

The Bearcats are gentle creatures and can be tamed from young, to become friendly to humans. I’ve read somewhere in Wikipedia, that the Orang Asli in Malaysia kept the Bearcats as pets.

Well, as one of the endangered species, perhaps its better that these animals are kept in their natural habitat. Dogs, cats, hamster and rabbits are domesticated animals and are not in danger of being extinct, but these exotic animals like he Bearcats could become extinct soon, so perhaps it’s inappropriate to keep them as household pets.

Unless, you have a large wildlife sanctuary-like land, where you keep them to conserve them, not for the sake of showing off your exotic animal.

I hope that the Bearcats will flourish and not be extinct, but their home, the tropical rainforest, is being cut down everywhere. If these amazing animals become extinct, then we’ve truly lost one of the greatest wonders of the animal kingdom.

My friend, M, emailed me today to tell me the sad news that her cat, Lucy had passed on. I was shocked, saddened, as Lucy was an active cat, rarely fell sick, but in the end, God loved her more.

I will post photos of Lucy here, when I find them.

So, how do we grieve for a lost pet? Some folks keep quiet about it, grieving in silence. Some may tell their close friends and families.

But one thing for sure, the emptiness will be there. Even now, as I type this, I can see Lucy in my mind’s eye, her thick, lush gray fur, the way she wrinkled her face when annoyed.

I feel very, very sad for the loss of my friend’s cat, a cat we all had grown to love and cherish. I think everyone will mourn in their own way. But when it happens to someone close to us, we have no words to describe the pain.

Well, I’ll keep this posting short. Typing this brings tears to my eyes.

We will miss you, Lucy! We love you and we hope you are happy, where ever you are!

Here is a short pet tale I wrote in my free time. I hope you guys enjoy it.

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Story: The Captive
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I am bored of staying in this prison. My back feels sore and I find it difficult to stretch my feet. I glanced at the solemn man as he peeked through the cage, chucking pieces of lettuce between the bars. Good. Today he is feeding me vegetables instead of those bland pellets he seems to think I thrive on. I sniff at his fingers as he wiggled them at me. Turmeric powder and salt. His wife must have cooked fried chicken again, for the umpteenth time. I don’t have to be near the kitchen to detect the aroma of cooked fowl. Gratefully, I thank God I’m not that man. At least I don’t have to eat fried chicken every day. My diet varies each day, though not gourmet stuff.

My ears perked up as the man left. I heard him carefully closing the door that led to the room where my cage was in. His heavy footsteps could be discerned for a second before silence prevailed. Once again I am alone to contemplate my fate as a captive to these people. I can’t remember how it happened, I must have been drugged or was too frightened to recall that fateful day when I became their captive. All that I knew was that I was jolted from my sleep and thrown into something dark. The world shook around me and there was a buzzing noise in the distance. I blacked out for a while, maybe longer and awoke to find myself imprisoned, in this very cage that I have been living in for the past two months.

I have tried several times to escape. I know that every day the man will open the cage door, to let me exercise for a while. He would leave the room and lock the door behind him. Once, I leapt onto my cage and some boxes to get to the grilled opening that appeared big enough for me to go through. Unfortunately, the woman was checking up on me at that time. When she saw me near the grilled opening, she let out a banshee-like shriek that really scared the ‘bejeezus’ out of me, that I frantically scurried back into the cage. Of course, after that, I was only allowed out with the strictest of supervision. Another time, I tried to rush out of my cage towards the open door, when the man came to feed me, but to no avail. He slammed the door shut just as I thought I’d made the threshold. Another foiled escape, I might as well be in Alcatraz.

I am bored of staying in this prison. There is no possible route to freedom and the dank air stifles me. The only great benefit I derive from my situation is that I no longer need to work to find sustenance. Twice a day, early morning and late evening, food is served. Water is plentiful, with fresh draughts replenished every three days. It is a lonely life without companions but I am treated well by my captors. Oh well, what can I complain about. After all, I’m only a cute, little bunny rabbit!

My step mom got a pet bird recently. I can’t remember what type of bird it was, perhaps a budgie. Unfortunately, she forgot to lock the bird cage last week and the tiny bird flew away.

Caring for small pet birds can be quiet easy as you only need to:

1.) Provide them with bird feed and fresh water every day.
2.) Clean the bird cages every 3 days or so.
3.) Make sure your birds are healthy and happy.

Most cages for small birds are not more than 50 cm high and wide all around. Some can be even as small as 10cm, but it is better to provide plenty of space for your little bird to exercise and hop around.

Some small birds are relatively quiet and can be put indoors to prevent cats, dogs and other animals from disturbing them. Of course, you should ventilate your home during the day as sometimes the smell of pet faeces and urine can be overwhelming if your house has poor ventilation.

If you keep your pet bird indoor, keep it away from noisy washing machines, dish washers, radios and TVs. Birds can become distressed due to excessive loud sounds and may become unhappy and fall ill. Keep your bird in a warm but dry place, with plenty of ventilation.

If you plan to keep your bird cage outside, do ensure that it is sheltered from rain, snow and wind and also bright sunlight. Keep your bird cage high and away from prying paws and hands. Make sure it is sheltered from the weather.

Whether you plan to keep your small pet bird indoor or outdoor, please remember to LOCK the cage after feeding your pet bird. It is quite heart-breaking to see a pet you love fly off.

Nowadays, not everyone can afford a house with a big garden and most folk, especially in the city, would have to be content with staying in a small condominium, apartment or flat. This living arrangement makes it difficult for these people to have pets.

Some building regulations do not allow pets at all. If this is the case, the most you can have is a small fish bowl with one or two gold fishes or smaller animals like a hamster. If your apartment does allow pets, you can opt for a dog or cat.

Most apartments don’t allow large pets because of the noise they make, disturbance to the neighbors or due to the exclusiveness of the place you’re staying in, like in a serviced apartment or condo.

If you do intend to keep your beloved pets in an apartment, do ensure that:

• You’ve read the building rules and regulations regarding pets. You do not want to be fined for illegally bringing pets into the building.
• Your pet is not too large or noisy that it disrupts your neighbors.
• If you live in a high-rise building, do make sure that the lifts can accommodate your pet, cages and other accessories you bring for your pet.
• It is advisable to keep a maximum of two dogs or cats in your apartment. Keeping 20 cats and 5 dogs in your home might cause the neighbors to complain.
• Make sure that your home has enough area for your pet to live comfortably in.
• Always clean your pet area each day to ensure there are no nasty odors in your apartment and beyond.

Well, even if you can’t keep a dog or cat in your new home, you can always get a gold fish.