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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / March 2006

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Cat Comforts Grieving Orangutan at Zoo

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Margarita Salt - 10 Mar 2006 02:53 GMT
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060309/ap_on_fe_st/comforting_cat

Cat Comforts Grieving Orangutan at Zoo
By The Associated Press

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.

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Margarita Salt

"...practically no one in the world is entirely bad or
entirely good... motives are often more important than
actions." -- Eleanore Roosevelt

Charlie Wilkes - 10 Mar 2006 10:56 GMT
>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060309/ap_on_fe_st/comforting_cat
>
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
>
>"He's perked up Tonda more than anything," Willard said.

Interesting.  Koko, the much-studied gorilla who can communicate in
English using a special typewriter, has also had a series of pet cats
to whom she has been devoted.  She named one of them "All Ball"

Charlie
Margarita Salt - 10 Mar 2006 21:04 GMT
Charlie Wilkes <charlie_wilkes@users.easynews.com> wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav:

>>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060309/ap_on_fe_st/comforting_cat
>>
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
>
> Charlie

She uses a typewriter now?  I thought it was strictly signing.  What
a wonder she is.  

Signature

Margarita Salt

"...practically no one in the world is entirely bad or
entirely good... motives are often more important than
actions." -- Eleanore Roosevelt

svendlho@aol.com - 10 Mar 2006 15:08 GMT
There are several cases of this in recent years if I recall correctly.
Also, over at Snopes.com they have several pictures of a dog and a deer
who bonded.

Carl in CT
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