Chaos in the House of Cat

2007-02-15T21:57:00.000+08:00

House of Chaos has finally moved.

We're now located in http://chaosinthehouseofcat.wordpress.com/

See you there!

2007-02-15T15:09:00.000+08:00

I approached this acquaintance on the situation of her cat.

The cat still hasn't had any vet visits yet. And she told me she will be moving out of the current flat in April & her new flatmate is not a cat-friendly person. And the flat has too many expensive designerish furniture so it would not be suitable for her to take the cat.

For the other 2 flatmates - one is moving back to where she came from & the other is moving to LA. So where does that leave the cat? The consensus among the three is none is able to take the cat with them and none has managed to work out a solution on what to do with the cat.

She wants to talk to her circle of friends who have cats but she hasn't run that by her flatmates. One of her flatmates jokingly suggested leaving the cat in the hawker centre so that it won't starve. I told her my concern is more than just where the cat finds its next meal.

I offered to take over the cat. I will arrange the vet visits, a shelter & eventually find a suitable home for the cat. However, they will relinquish all rights to the cat (I think that is hardly an issue to them). She said she will discuss with her flatmates & let me know the outcome.
Whatever it is, she promised me that they will leave the cat out on the street.

Knowing her, I won't hear from her for at least another month or so.

Refreshed, inspired & a little burnt.

2007-02-09T15:19:00.000+08:00

Angkor Wat in the afternoon

Siem Reap is a charming little French colonial town but absolutely dusty. Walking the streets, we see constructions everywhere. It feels like the town is going to boon overnight & we will miss its growth if we blink our eyes.

But despite the hustle & bustle, the dust, the honking, the general madness on the roads, our entire visit is stress free. The Cambodians are very laid back. It feels like we are looking through a rose tinted glass but it is reality. Everything is easy, no problem, can wait, its ok. Don't worry, be happy. Really!

Siem Reap's claim to fame is of course the Angkor temples situated on the town's outskirts. One of the world's most significant ancient structures, the Angkors were mostly built between the 9th and 13th centuries and they are certainly one of the most breathtaking and amazing monuments.

But never had I felt more cosmopolitan than in Siem Reap. We are surrounded by the English, Americans, Spanish, Japanese, Dutch, Thais, Germans, Italians, Chinese, Singaporeans, Malaysians, Koreans, Russians, Greeks & Australians. A tour to the temples, I can hear simultaneous interpretations in different languages.

The main mode of travel is motorbike. During my stay, I've taken the van (tourist), the tuk tuk (backpacker) & the motorbike. I wish I had a little more time as I would love to hang precariously for my life off the rail of a public pickup truck bus.

Anyway, this is just brief introduction of my little travel. More to come.

Meanwhile I missed Chaos terribly especially in the mornings. It has been a ritual that Alex wakes me up in the morning, come rain or shine. The first morning I woke up at the usual time, waiting for Alex to lick my face. But of course, he wasn't there. Ouch. So you can imagine, how I excited I was when I landed in Terminal 2 yesterday. I practically sprinted out of the terminus to the taxi.

Back home, I was hugging all my babies so hard, so long. I can't to let them go. I think I frightened them, but I don't care.

2007-02-02T16:12:00.000+08:00

Chaos & I are taking a break ... away from each other.

Back in a week's time.

Ciao

2007-02-02T09:29:00.000+08:00

A good rebuttal on the call to ban cats & dogs in HDB.

2 February 2007
ST Online Forum
Writers' strong views on cat/dog ban in HDB flats worrying

I find the views of those like Mr Heng Cho Choon, 'It's not only the cats - dogs too must be banned' (Online forum, Jan 31), and Mr Peter Kuan, 'Why HDB should ban cat and dog ownership in flats', (Online forum, Jan 25), all too worrying.

Should they have their way, visually-handicapped Singaporeans who get by with the help of guide dogs and who live in HDB flats would have to find alternative accommodation.

From my research, a total of no fewer than seven articles on the usefulness of guide dogs to the visually-handicapped were published in Singapore's mainstream media, alongside the praise heaped on a multitude of government agencies for taking the proactive move towards making Singapore the best home for all.

While guide dogs are obviously suitably chosen and trained to very strict standards for their task, it seems rather inconceivable to Mr Heng and Mr Kuan that pet dogs can also be obedience-trained.

In addition, contrary to HDB's statement that 'cats are not allowed to be kept in HDB flats as they are nomadic in nature and difficult to be confined in the flats', the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) asserts otherwise.

According to AVA's 'Cats as Pets' brochure (available on the AVA website): 'Cats do perfectly well in a confined environment so long as all their basic needs (that is, food and water, shelter, a comfortable living environment and veterinary care) are provided. This is quite contrary to the popular belief that cats can only be happy and contented if they are free to wander outdoors.

Given that AVA is the veterinary authority in Singapore, it would appear that HDB officials are ill-informed.

Of course, objections to the HDB ban on cats (and Mr Kuan's proposed ban on dogs) are multi-faceted and cut across a range of issues.

One objection is that pets cause too much noise. Another, that cats and dogs dirty the environment.

While neighbourly concerns do need to be taken into account, I find that those who advocate such a measure as drastic as a ban on pets in public housing silly.

In the multicultural public-housing environment that Singaporeans have lived in for years (and will have to continue to do so); in the land-scarce polity that the Government wishes to pack more people into; in the proactive measures that government agencies have taken towards Mr Kua Cheng Hock who has lobbied for more than 20 years for guide dogs to be allowed, surely learning to accommodate another's differing way of life ought to be seen as a valuable lesson in empathic understanding?

If no, then well, here's just one more snippet from AVA's website:

'It is a misconception that pets cause asthma. Asthma is a genetically inherited condition... Recent studies also show that children living with a dog or cat at home are less likely to develop asthma. This research supports the current thinking among allergists that exposing a child to dust, animal dander and other allergens at a young age will help him build up immunity that will reduce the chances of him developing asthma.'

In other words: Are Singaporeans - in always wanting to ban this or that; in always expecting the Government to take the high-handed route; in wanting the Government to nanny them to the grave - simply a tad too pampered?

Soo Kwok Heng
Victoria, Australia

2007-01-31T17:26:00.000+08:00

This is a rant.

I don't understand. I don't understand how Singaporeans with all our affluence and education, are intolerant, inconsiderate and treats life 'below us' so flippantly, so disposable.

I am upset that people thinks that as long as a living being ceased to be of benefit to the society, it is alright to kill them off, as long as it is done humanely. First of all, to deliberately cause death to another being just because it serves no purpose is NOT humane no matter what method is employed. Second of all, what values are we teaching our young? That is alright to humanely 'off' us when we are old, useless and a burden???

I hope 30 years on, I won't become another death statistic just because I am old and useless to society. Not that younger Singaporean will care then.

I am upset that we think we can treat our domestic helpers and foreign workers with snobbery. They are looked down upon, shouted at, invisible to us all when all this time we know jolly well we can't live without them. Not that we care. They are disposable items in our books.

But don't forget, our grandparents and great grandparents were once the Amahs, Ahmads, coolies. They used to do backbreaking work under the hot sun. Just because we are privileged now, doesn't mean we should forget where we came from. Where is our humility?

The debate on the HDB's ban on cats goes to show how intolerant Singaporeans can be. So dogs bark and cats caterwaul. Humans are guilty of bigger crimes. We litter, scream, shout, laugh, sing, play out loud without consideration for our neighbours. But we generally tolerate these nonsense. Why? Is it because we are humans and therefore our lives are valuable and important and animals' are not? Or is it because animals are smaller & therefore we can speak against them but humans are bigger & therefore to save ourselves from a whallop we swallow the inconvenience in silence?

Just because we have a bigger brain doesn't make us better. Animals live on this planet longer than we have. And I bet they will be around after we humanely kill each other off.

I question our education. I bet most of us don't even understand the purpose of education. You may disagree with me but the way I see it, education is not about scoring good grades and making into the university and getting a well paid job. Education is about developing yourself, your mind and your character, to become a better person to serve the society.

A society with intelligent people but without kindness and compassion is not well served.

Yes, I am in bad mood. I'm sick & miserable right now. And I am probably not making any sense here. Hell.

Inspiring

2007-01-29T10:28:00.000+08:00

From Sports Illustrated, by Rick Reilly

I try to be a good father. But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.

85 times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.

Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back mountain climbing and once hauled him across the US on a bike. Makes taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?

And what has Rick done for his father? Not much - except save his life.

This love story began in Winchester, Mass., 43 years ago, when Rick was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.

"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life'', Dick says doctors told him and his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. "Put him in an Institution."

But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the Engineering Department at Tufts University and asked if there was anything to help the boy communicate.

"No way", Dick says he was told. "There's nothing going on in his brain."

"Tell him a joke", Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a lot was going on in his brain.

Rigged up with a computer that allowed him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? "Go Bruins!"

And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the school organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, "Dad, I want to do that."

Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described "porker" who never ran more than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he tried. "Then it was me who was handicapped," Dick says. "I was sore for two weeks."

That day changed Rick's life. "Dad," he typed, "when we were running, it felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!" And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.

"No way," Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few Years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway. Then they found a way to get into the race officially:

In 1983 they ran another Marathon so fast they made the qualifying time for Boston the following year. Then somebody said, "Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?"

How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick tried. Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii. It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you think?

Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? "No way," he says. Dick does it purely for "the awesome feeling" he gets seeing Rick with a cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best time?: Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992 - only 35 minutes off the world record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the time.

"No question about it," Rick types. "My Dad is the Father of the Century." And Dick got something else out of all this too.

Two years ago he had a mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries was 95% clogged. "If you hadn't been in such great shape," one doctor told him, "you probably would've died 15 years ago." So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass., always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day.

That night, Rick will buy his Dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.

"The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, "is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once."

TODAY's Voices

2007-01-29T09:04:00.000+08:00

Coverage on the 'cats in HDB' debate.
Read the letters here.

2007-01-26T20:50:00.000+08:00

Found blood in Wawa's urine this evening. Vegancat said it is FLUTD & recommended wet food with salmon & lots of water.

I think Beauty has it as well. Caught her urinating outside the litterbox twice over the last two nights.

So no more dry food for Chaos, only wet ones for now. Poor Ruby. She's gonna be hungry. She's not much of a wet food cat. She loves dry food despite being toothless.

Fast Food Nation

2007-01-26T16:49:00.000+08:00

Gives a good insight into the fast food industry and meat packing industries as well.

After this, you probably will think twice before sinking your teeth into that Big Mac or cut into a beef steak or chicken chop.

So if you are a die-hard meat eater, this book is probably not for you.

2007-01-24T11:21:00.000+08:00

Had another conversation with this acquaintance of mine about her kitten.

She insists that kitten is not really hers. It was her expat flatmate that took the kitten home & therefore the kitten should be the flatmate's. She just happens to live there & therefore happens to play with it.

However, she does sometimes buy the cat food because the 'owner' is a scattered brain. Just the other day, she was telling me they fed the cat bread because they ran out of catfood. I ended giving her the reserve I had stashed for Peanut & Sesame & some cans of tuna (originally meant for Tua Tao).

I asked her again, have they or has she plan for the future of the kitten? Still not vaccinated nor sterilised. No cat food in the flat. This arrangement is unacceptable. I told her if she is unable to care for the kitten, please bring it to my office. One more cat here is not going to be big difference to us.

2007-01-23T08:54:00.000+08:00

Alex is down with a very bad case of flu. He's a mess right now. He had been sneezing most of the night.

Suspected so. He was pretty down last week, losing interest in play, food & even free cuddles! Have put him on Vibravet & extra Vit C & monitor his condition closely. Looks like the trip to the groomers this Saturday will have to be postponed.

Picture's very out of focus - this is what happens when I operate without caffiene ....

Bathe Time

2007-01-22T16:38:00.000+08:00

The kittens got their weekly bathe today. The Auntie uses baby wipes & they got a rub down from their eyes, face, all the way to their little backsides. She was very thorough.

I have to give it to her. Auntie really has her ways with the kids. They didn't put up any fights whatsoever.

She used to bathe the cats with water & Dettol until I found out & gave her baby wipes instead. For her, Dettol is the cure for everything external. I had to use the word 'poison' to stop her from using Dettol ever again on cats.

First was Sesame.
Then came Peanut & Auntie finally captured on photo!

Grumps finally on YouTube!

2007-01-20T10:09:00.000+08:00

2007-01-19T20:52:00.000+08:00

Have you ever finished a day feeling rotten? I mean most days, I would finish work feeling good. Tired but good & sometimes accomplished. But not today. I am ashamed of myself, to be honest.

I had a late lunch today in Maxwell. As I was heading back to my office, at the cross road junction I saw an hunched back old man. He looks like a rag-and-bone, collecting soda cans from the rubbish bin. And he looks a little mentally-challenged to me. He shuffled very slowly to the traffic light, carrying 2 large bags of empty cans.

I was waiting to cross to another side of the road. Because he shuffled so slowly, he missed his green man & had to wait for the next one. In that moment when I saw him, a voice inside my head said 'help him, talk to him.' But my feet didn't move towards him. Instead, I turn to cross my side of the road.

During the walk back, I silently cursed myself. Why didn't I help him? I wasn't rushing for time. In fact, I had time to spare.

Then a thought struck me. I was embarrassed to be seen helping him. I started thinking of past encounters where I could have stepped in to help but didn't and it was pretty consistent. I was embarrassed & I did not want to be the odd one standing out. I want to belong, to be popular, to be able to blend into the group.

This afternoon I saw ugly me and I'm not proud of me.

Dim Sum's Fisher

2007-01-19T20:40:00.000+08:00

Fisher's family has finally sent me photos of him. This is the first I have seen him since he was adopted a year ago.

He is now called Nicky. According to his mom Shira, Nicky loves to look out the window after his meal. And he loves his snacks and it is the only 'bribe' he accepts.

But Nicky is smaller than the other house cat Zoe. From this photo I can only guess that petite & leggy are their family trademarks.

Even the beautiful can be 'ugly' sometimes :-)

2007-01-19T17:08:00.000+08:00

She was angry at Alex for taking up her 'Beauty' time with mommy ... Doesn't matter that she already had a full 15 minutes of mommy's undivided attention before Alex appeared. It is still his fault.

HDB's anti-cat policy is antiquated

2007-01-19T09:01:00.000+08:00

Simple & to the point.

ST Forum
19 January 2007

I AGREE wholeheartedly with Miss Elaine Neo Yan Ling's comment that cats make good pets in flats ('Don't ban cats in flats, HDB'; ST Online Forum, Jan17).

Over the years, I've written many times to the Housing Board to request that the policy on pets be updated to allow for cats to be kept. But each time the reply is the same:

'Cats are not allowed to be kept in HDB flats as they are nomadic in nature and difficult to keep confined within the flats. Due to the nomadic nature of cats, the nuisances caused by cats, such as the shedding of fur, defecating and urinating in public areas, noise disturbance, and so on, would affect the environment and neighbourliness in our housing estates. In view of this, HDB has a policy of not allowing cats to be kept in HDB flats.'

I have sent the HDB information on new breeds of cats that are suitable for apartment living, and have even disputed some of the dog breeds which have been approved as suitable pets for apartment living, with supported facts from pet review sites.

But each time, it has always been the standard reply from HDB.

HDB's policy on pets is antiquated and should be reviewed and updated based on the latest information regarding dog and cat breeds available now.

The Government is constantly telling Singaporeans that in order to progress, they must constantly review and update themselves according to the latest trends, but somehow I don't see government statutory boards following the same call.

David Tan Hee Tuck
Hong Kong

2007-01-18T21:46:00.000+08:00

"Human beings also kill animals not just for food. They take the animals' skin to make shoes and hats and clothes. And even that is not enough. They take these animals' bones to make necklaces or buttons or earrings. In short, they kill many, many animals in order to sell the animal parts for money. Because of these desires and this strong animal consciousness, human beings fight with each other, and destroy nature. They do not value life. So now this whole world has many problems; problems with the water, problems with the air, problems with the earth and food. Many new problems appear every day. These problems do not happen by accident. Human beings make each and every one of these problems. Dogs, cats, or lions, or snakes - no animal makes as many problems for this world as human beings do. Humans do not understand their true nature, so they use their thinking and desire to create so much suffering for this world. That is why some people say that human beings are the number one bad animal in this world. So human beings must soon wake up and find their original seeds, their original nature."

~ Zen Master Seung Sahn
The Compass of Zen

Ruby Getting Along :-)

2007-01-18T20:13:00.000+08:00

Lighter Moments

2007-01-18T10:03:00.000+08:00

Troop of One Hundred

Xiao Hei Enjoying Sun

2007-01-16T09:18:00.000+08:00

Tua Tao's Fresh Sores

2007-01-16T08:00:00.000+08:00

A new sore on Tua Tao's back. A few more small ones on his sides which he won't let me take pictures of.

The Auntie suspects he bites himself because his new skin itches. But it seems unlikely to me. The spot where the sore is (on this picture) is an unlikely spot where he can bite himself. I could be wrong. Tua Tao could be an acrobatic cat for all I know.

I have asked Auntie to cut back on the cod liver oil supplements to thrice a week & add lysine to all daily feed.

Meanwhile, the kittens are venturing into my end of the street.

2007-01-15T21:52:00.000+08:00

"We are all here on this planet, as it were, as tourists. None of us can live here forever. The longest we might live is a hundred years. So while we are here we should try to have a good heart and to make something positive and useful of our lives. Whether we live just a few years or a whole century, it would be truly regrettable and sad if we were to spend that time aggravating the problems that afflict other people, animals, and the environment. The most important thing is to be a good human being."

Junior's Mark

2007-01-15T20:00:00.000+08:00

Jr dashed out of the flat this evening when I opened the door. I picked him up & was about the carry him back when my neighbour's daughter-in-law came up the stairs. The boy clawed his way out of my arms to dash back home.

Ouch.

Vegetarian Evolution: A Case of West Meets East

2007-01-15T10:13:00.000+08:00

By Anna Mundow for Boston Globe
January 14, 2007

Tristram Stuart, a graduate of Cambridge University, has written for Indian newspapers, edited a book on Himalayan nomads, and been a project manager in Kosovo. "The Bloodless Revolution: A Cultural History of Vegetarianism From 1600 to Modern Times" (Norton, $29.95), his first book, is an astonishing examination of mankind's changing perception of its place in the natural world and of what it means to be human.

Stuart spoke from his home in London.

Q What was "the bloodless revolution"?

A It became a perennial battle as envisaged by vegetarians, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries, for justice to both humans and animals. This was particularly imagined by late-18th-century revolutionary vegetarians in the French Revolution who saw their fight as reaching back to the 17th-century radicalism of the Cromwellian revolution.

Q And Eastern philosophy influenced those early radicals?

A That was a revelation . I knew about the enthusiasm for Indian culture at the end of the 18th century, but what surprised me was the influence 100 years earlier, when Europeans first traveled to India in significant numbers and wrote travel books that became bestsellers . These travelers were fascinated by vegetarians they encountered, particularly in western India. As a result of those texts, vegetarianism as witnessed in India became a major subject of debate for philosophers and scientists, who discussed the moral and nutritional implications.

Q In that sense, is the history of vegetarianism also the history of philosophy?

A Absolutely. Of course the term "vegetarianism" was only coined in 1842, but the ideas that composed it -- the objection to killing animals or the belief that meat was bad for the human body -- go back through history. From the nutritionists who said that meat "furs the vessels," to the philosophers who said it's wrong to kill animals, to the religious believers who said that God made Adam and Eve to live in harmony with all the creatures in paradise. You can't separate any of those strands; they're all linked.

Q What was the heyday of vegetarianism?

A There were three heydays. The mid 17th century during the Cromwellian revolution, when dissenters protested against the elite, which was represented by the conspicuous consumption of meat. The second was during the Enlightenment, when nutritionists and anatomists began really to examine the human body and to argue that we were herbivorous by nature. Then at the beginning of the 19th century, radical thought, scientific inquiry, and the interest in India fused into one movement.

Q When did the idea of "the natural" as the fixed essence of our being arise?

A It was an Enlightenment idea that harked back to ancient Greece and probably beyond. Certainly it became a fixation that took many different forms. In the 17th century, biblical philosophy regarded paradise and the original state of the earth as nature. By the 18th century, that idea became more secularized as people strove to revive a utopian "state of nature" cleansed of the corruptions of society and civilization.

Q Tell me about Tyson's chimpanzee.

A Well, that was an absolute watershed in Western science, when the first ape was dissected by Edward Tyson in 1699. His drawings were extremely accurate and were still being consulted in Darwin's time. The experiment triggered a debate about whether this animal was herbivorous and, if so, were humans, who were almost identical, also herbivorous.

Q Do you have a favorite vegetarian?

A Yes, Thomas Tryon . He grew up in the Cromwellian revolution and in 1680 began reading about India, where millions of people were following what he regarded as the original law of God: Do not kill your fellow creatures. He extended that in so many ways that we can recognize now: lamenting deforestation in America; becoming antislavery well before his time; worrying about the pollution of rivers affecting fish and poisoning humans, about soil erosion and cash-cropping in Barbados, where he lived for a while. He is an astonishing character, yet there's no biography of him and virtually no research. I discovered a number of books which had been lost or not identified as his just sitting in library archives.

Q If Tryon's your favorite, I suppose Hitler is everyone's least favorite?

A That's something that haunts the vegetarian movement. What I try to tackle when describing Hitler's vegetarian ideology is the idea that because Hitler was vegetarian, vegetarianism has something inherently fascist about it: that argument is obviously false. So you get vegetarians who deny that Hitler had any vegetarian views, when the fact that he was vegetarian is no more relevant than the fact that Stalin ate meat. Gandhi, for example, had many of the same dietary ideas as Hitler, but his political views could hardly have been more different.

It's fascinating, by the way, that Gandhi was brought up vegetarian but was not convinced of vegetarianism as a philosophy until he came to England. Before that he rebelled against it. He took back to India the arguments for [it] that had originally come from there to Europe.

Anna Mundow is a correspondent for the Irish Times. She can be reached via e-mail at ama1668@hotmail.com.

2007-01-15T09:57:00.000+08:00

The kittens catch the opportunity to sun themselves
Ah Hua doing the same

I spot a few fresh sores on Tua Tao's back but he has become a distant with me again. He ran away before I could whip out my camera. :(

Maybe he is just a practical cat. Now that the holidays are over & Auntie has resume the feeding duties, I'm no longer of value to him ;)

A New Make Shift

2007-01-12T16:07:00.000+08:00

It has been raining long & hard the past couple of days. The Auntie worries that the current make shift we have is not big enough for the trio.

So she made this. Inside is a A4 paper carton box that sits on top of a large ceramic tile & then she lined the box with small piece of carpet. For the finishing touches, she covers it with the garbage bag. It is big enough for the kittens to snuggle up together & it keeps the cold wind out.

Genius! I say.

Tua Tao - King of His Castle

2007-01-12T10:43:00.000+08:00

Tua Tao has been hiding in this little make-shift shelter since yesterday.

He seemed to be happy to be in his new 'home' & is, I believe, a little possessive of it. But he still shares with home with the little ones.

He hissed at me a couple of times yesterday & this morning when I stick my hand in for him to smell & when I removed his stale foodbowl. But he remained calm & quiet when I spoke to him. He appeared to be listening & understanding me (rather that's what I like to think he is doing!)

I am happy that he now has the confidence to protect his territory & the kittens instead of running off to hide.

His skin is clear now. He looks like a new cat & he has put on a little weight. :-)

Some People Ignorant of Wildlife Around Them

2007-01-12T09:41:00.000+08:00

I love this! It is true is usually our unfounded fears that cause innocent animal lives to be lost.

Straits Times Interactive
ST Forum, 12 January 2007

THE Sunday Times article on Jan 7, 'Bee attack: Don't fight back, just run', is balanced journalism - educative and fair. This contrasts with previous fear-mongering reports on 'killer bees' which miscast unaggressive local species as their dreaded Africanised cousins in the Americas.

Competing literacies leave many 'bio-illiterate'. Recent giveaways include a Channel News Asia presenter who ascribed the film, Gorillas In The Mist, about Diane Fossey, the late mountain gorilla specialist, to Jane Goodall, the chimpanzee expert.

A local article referred to chimpanzees, which are apes, as monkeys. Another writer feared that monkeys on one of the Southern Island might throw stones - they don't, but apes might.

Another writer mislabelled the whale shark - a fish - as a marine mammal. Years ago, a reporter sensationalised the harmless, plankton-feeding whale shark as a potential maneater.

Some youngsters mistake the ubiquitous monitor lizard, which is much smaller and not life threatening, for the rarely seen crocodile. This may explain signs (still there?) at MacRitchie Reservoir that differentiate these animals pictorially - to obviate panic?

In the Dec 31 Sunday Times story, 'Korean study mamas', one of them complained: 'Singapore is so clean, so why are there lizards crawling on the walls of our apartment? We are really scared of them.' Why must non-humans always be filthy and threatening by default?

House lizards (geckos) don't smell, whereas - unwashed - we and our pets reek and exchange bacteria. That creatures exist to attack us is self-flattering. Gecko droppings show their pest-control role. Cleaning up after them after initially being startled when they panic at our intrusion. Admire their adaptation to our environment - don't fear or despise them.

American author Mark Twain said: 'The more I see of people, the more I like my dog'. We have no monopoly on human traits. Some wild dolphins, summoned by drums, herded fish into tribal fishermen's nets for mutual benefit.

Lacking muscles to access honey, the honey guide bird uses body language to lead animals or humans towards a beehive to share the spoils. Kamuniak, a wild lioness in Kenya, adopts several oryx calves for company instead of eating them which baffled zoologists no end.

Animals don't deserve short shrift. Bio-literacising ourselves via documentaries, and so on will outgrow a distrust of - overwhelmingly less dangerous - non-humans. Don't we owe our own species honesty, humility, edification and justice too?

Anthony Lee Mui Yu

Home Sweet Home

2007-01-11T17:09:00.000+08:00

Sesame is home! Auntie & I waited all day in anticipation of his return. He almost couldn't make it back today due to the heavy downpour here. Luckily the rain stopped in time & the darling boy manages to reunite with Peanut. He sprinted out of the carrier to Peanut. It was an adorable sight.

Now our darling spots a tipped ear. The picture's a little small - had to crop Vincent's & my feet out of the picture. :-)

Pity that Auntie has left for the day. She will be so happy to see him tomorrow morning.

2007-01-11T10:31:00.000+08:00

Conversation overheard on the MRT to work today

Mother 1: "My daughter has to audition for CCA (co-curricular activity) today. I told her to try everything & then she can pick & choose which my hubby & I is the best."

Mother 2: "Oh, I don't that. I told my daughter to audition for classical chinese music & choir. I hope she can be the next Sun Yen Tzi (Stephanie Sun)."

At this point, I hid behind my TODAY, biting my lip in hopes that I don't laugh out loud.

I didn't know students have to audition for CCAs these days. What is so great about CCAs anyway?

I remember I dreaded the ECA (that's what it was called in the hey-days). I procrastinated until the deadline was up & got a warning & then proceeded sign up for a club with the least members which turned out to be the brass band. I had to lug my trumpet home. I became the butt of the family's joke until I started playing the brass. I became the family's pain-in-the-you-know-where.

And what happens to what the kids wanted? It sounded like the CCA is more the mothers than the kids. Those poor kids, living with the pressure to fulfil their mothers' dreams!

My parents never harboured any dreams that I'll be the next Jeremy Monteiro. Well, they crushed that hope after I blew my first note.

Which Superhero Are You?

2007-01-10T15:42:00.000+08:00

Lean, mascular & feminine

Honest & a defender of the innocent

Saw this on M's blog & decided to give it go. Hey, what have I got to lose?

F-u-n-n-y

Find out which superhero you are - click here.

2007-01-10T14:51:00.000+08:00

I called Vincent today to check on how Sesame is doing post-operation.

But before I could say anything, Vincent's first words were "Sesame cried & cried when I took him back from the vet. He cried the whole night. Very loud some more!"

Oh dear ... So I asked him to bring Sesame back tomorrow afternoon instead. I had wanted Sesame to board with Vincent until Friday but from the looks of it, it wouldn't be fair to Vincent or his neighbours ...

Anyway, we miss him so. :)

2007-01-08T17:01:00.000+08:00

Vincent came by this afternoon & took Sesame away. As he was carted off to the vet, he let out a tiny whimper. For a split second, I almost shouted “Stop! Leave my baby alone!!” But of course I didn’t. I stood firm.

After tomorrow, Sesame will become a young lad, albeit an impotent one & sports a cool tipped ear. :-)

Cat Strangled with Nylon String

2007-01-08T09:28:00.000+08:00

The Straits Times Interactive
8 January 2007

THE Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is appealing for witnesses who might have seen the culprits who hanged a cat with a blue nylon string.

Residents at Block 245, Simei Street 5 called the police after they saw the dead cat hanging from the staircase railing between the sixth and seventh floor.

The incident happened on Dec 29, and it was the second time in a week that a cat had been tortured.

On Christmas Eve, a cat was found bleeding from the mouth and nose on the second floor of Block 171, Yishun Ring Road.

The SPCA was informed and the injured cat was taken to a veterinarian to be put to sleep. Said the SPCA's executive officer, Ms Deirdre Moss: 'It was in extreme pain and suffering from respiratory distress.'

The SPCA is appealing for witnesses and is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for harming the cats.

Anyone with information can call the SPCA at 6287-5355 during office hours.

Seng Chew & Twinkle

2007-01-07T08:35:00.000+08:00

Never heard of her but I love the fact that she sees the human side of her cat Twinkle & treats her like one.

"TWINKLE, a stray cat who's now nine months old, has provided me and my three flatmates much entertainment and many scares since she entered our household half a year ago.

Probably the most horrifying thing she ever did was to eat a lizard. It was as though she was very proud of her catch, and came to show off what she had done, with the lizard's tail and legs still sticking out of her mouth.

Being girls, we all ran into the nearest room and screamed. None of us dared go near her for the rest of the day.

She has a mischievous streak and loves to play tricks. When we have to wake up early in the morning, she'll plant a sink scrub in the corridor leading to the toilet.

Being groggy from sleep, no one usually notices the trap in the dark until it is stepped on. As it is a rough-textured scrub, it can be quite painful.

Twinkle will hide in a corner and jump out when her prank has been successfully carried out. She'll then take the scrub with her, and plant it back for the next victim.

She's also extremely agile. Once, she couldn't be found, and after looking everywhere, we heard a faint mewing sound.

It was quite scary, like a scene from a horror flick, hearing the sound but not knowing the source of it.

We then realised the mews were coming from a drawer and Twinkle was hiding in it.

Now we have to be very careful when opening drawers and cupboards because she's so quick and moves so quietly that we never know if she's climbed into one.

She's got her soft side, too. When she was younger, she learnt how to jump by aiming at an object and trying to reach it.

If she failed, my flatmates and I would laugh at her because of how cute she looked. But then she'd be very embarrassed and run away to hide.

Also, during our girl talks, she would pester us to include her in the sessions by mewing very loudly outside the room until we let her in.

Twinkle, like me, is a bit of a singer. When I play fast songs, she'll enter the room and mew along to the music, and leave once it ends.

Perhaps her love of music has to do with us singing her lullabies when she was still a kitten. My flatmates and I would replace the lyrics with 'meows' instead.

Sometimes I think we're a bit ridiculous for treating Twinkle as if she were human. But with her endearing personality, it's really hard not to."

Sing Chew, 25, was the runner-up in last season's Project Superstar. Her debut album, From Taipei To Beijing, is out in stores.

Source: The Sunday Times

Dim Sum’s Babies

2007-01-06T16:03:00.000+08:00

I visited two of Dim Sum’s babies this morning. The last time I visited was about 8 months ago, when Dim Sum was still alive.

Diyana (the babies’ mother) adopted Fitzgerald & Fargo in November2005. Then they were only a month old curious & precocious. She renames them Koko (former Fitz) & Kiki (former Fargo).

All of Dim Sum's babies 1 month old

Now they blossomed into 2 beautiful & well-behaved cats. Well, at least during the hour I was there.

Koko now at 1 year 2 months

Kiki now at 1 year 2 months

They remind me very much of Dim Sum – tall, leggy, slim & quiet.

The Day Tua Tao Initiates Contact

2007-01-05T21:06:00.000+08:00

This is the video which captured Tua Tao's first contact with me. I forgot to upload earlier. See how he weaves in & out with Sesame.

If you could only see my smiling face ...

:-P

Make Yourself Comfortable

2007-01-05T21:02:00.000+08:00

Whoever who said that, didn't anticipate our cats would really make themselves comfortable with our stuff!

Ruby has the habit of scrunching up the table runner under her before she snoozes

& Carma makes my bag her bed ...

2007-01-04T20:59:00.000+08:00

I took a mini-break from work this afternoon & went out to play with the kittens. The Auntie was there so we chatted briefly. She happily pointed to Tua Tao & said “He is yan-tau (handsome). So white now.” I smiled & nodded. She continued, “cod liver oil very good but very smelly.” I laughed. Yes, Tua Tao is handsome. Pity I did not have my camera with me.

I informed her that Vincent (pet transport guy) will collect Sesame next Monday evening for sterilization. He will return the boy on Thursday evening. She was nodded “good, good.”

She told me she saw a kitten (about a month old) outside the SGH last Saturday but it is no longer there. The kitten is a black & white with a crooked tail. “Very cute,” she said.

I explained to her there are a few possible scenarios. The kitten could have wandered off or rescued or … Anyway, I said if she does see the kitten again, please bring it here where it is safer.

As the sky turned turning grey, she looked wistfully at our makeshift shelter for the trio & said, “I worry. Don’t know if this is enough for them.” I can only reply, “This will have to do Auntie. This is best we can provide for them.”

We looked at each other, nodded & walked separately back to our offices.

2007-01-04T20:18:00.000+08:00

A few of the Buddha’s quotes that I am going to try live by everyday.

“Contentment is the greatest wealth.”

“It is good from time to time to think about your own faults.
It is good from time to time to think about the faults of others.
It is good from time to time to think about your own virtue.
It is good from time to time to think about the virtue of others.”

“Do not wish pain on another out of either anger or rivalry.”

“Just as a mother protects her own child even at the risk of her own life, so too, one should have unbounded love for all beings in the world.”

“Those who keep thinking ‘He abused me!” “He struck me!” “He oppressed me!” “He robbed me!” never still their hatred. But those who let go of such thoughts will. For in this world hatred is never still by more hatred. It is love that stills hatred. This is an eternal truth.”

Aussie Cat Swipes Own Credit Card

2007-01-04T10:58:00.000+08:00

MESSIAH Campbell was considered a good enough credit risk to be given a card with a $4200 limit - which was surprising, considering he's a cat.

His Melbourne owner Katherine Campbell wanted to test the limits of her bank's identity screening process and applied for the Visa credit card on Messiah's behalf.

She was amazed when it was approved.

Read the article here & the bank's apology here.

Ruby & Wawa (rated RA by the KMM Censorship Board)

2007-01-02T10:04:00.000+08:00

Ruby - a ragdoll with humans but a terror with the Chaos especially Wawa these days.

A Great Start to 2007

2007-01-01T11:07:00.000+08:00

Yes it is, at least for Tua Tao.

He was the first to greet me this morning. He came sprinting to me when I called out his name. Following close behind him were the kittens.

The Auntie is right. Tua Tao is almost healed now.

No more scabs on his face
Fine hairs can be seen on his back Only a few scabs left. His skin is no longer raw.

This cat that everyone call ugly has proven them wrong. He is a fine looking lad now. :-)

An Unlikely Friendship

The trio adopted a baby rat. It is very shy rat but I saw it nestled behind the trio’s makeshift shelter, nibbling on a kibble.

Is the beginning of an unlikely friendship? Hopefully the kittens’ instinct don’t kick in & start to view rat as their food.

Unfortunately I can't take a picture of baby rat. My camera’s battery went flat. :-(

Chaos' Wish for the New Year

2006-12-31T19:36:00.000+08:00

May all our community cats be able to sleep well & sound wherever they are.

May they not worry about the evil abusers, pest controls, the town councils & the AVA. Ever.

May we be able to hold our heads up high to live legitimately in HDB.May those humans learn to live together in peace, harmony & be kind to each other, regardless of creed, race or religion.

May the Chaos catch more zzzs & treats ..... & tum-tum rubs!

Happy 2007! *yawn*

Chaos

PS May Tua Tao get well really soon so that mommy can quit telling us about him! Hehehe :-p

Litterbugs Litterbugs Shame on You!

2006-12-31T16:13:00.000+08:00

This was taken with my camera phone. The rubbish bin is less than 10 steps from the lift & yet this is where some people prefer to dump their rubbish!

Story of a Goat & a Priest

2006-12-31T12:35:00.000+08:00

Once upon a time, there was a little goat and a priest.

The priest wanted to sacrifice the goat to the gods. As he raised his arm to cut the goat’s throat, when suddenly the goat began to laugh.

The priest stopped, amazed and asked the goat, “why do you laugh? Don’t you know I’m about to cut your throat?”

“Oh yes,” said the goat. “After 499 times dying and being reborn as a goat, I will be reborn as a human being.”

Then the goat began to cry.

The priest asked “Why now are you crying?”

The goat replied, “For you, poor priest. 500 lives ago, I too was a priest and sacrificed goats to the gods.”

2006-12-30T17:46:00.000+08:00

My friend G accompanied me to my office this morning. We hope to see the Auntie & the trio. As usual, the Auntie was walking her rounds, cleaning up after the cats.

I passed her the kibbles for the weekend, more canned food & cod liver oil.

She happily told us that Tua Tao is looking better now. The cod liver oil works! We didn't see Tua Tao but the Peanut & Sesame were there.

G commented how healthy & big Sesame & Peanut look. Although the Auntie stood quietly aside when we talked, I know she is happy that her love & care for the cats have paid off.

:-)

2006-12-28T18:08:00.000+08:00

I wondered how is Tua Tao today. The rain & the cold wind is back again. The poor fella has only half a body of hair, I reckon he must be feeling colder than the rest. I hope he seeks the warmth of the kittens & a decent shelter somewhere ...

I went back to see him yesterday and the Auntie said Tua Tao dislikes the Transfer Factor now & he wouldn't touch his food if she adds the supplement. So she stopped adding it to his food. Thankfully, he seems to like the cod liver oil.

I didn't take any pictures of him yesterday but the colour of his skin on his left side appeared a little tan now. I hope this means his skin is healing.

I know I have only mentioned in passing other cats in my area and focussed my attention on Tua Tao & the kittens. Xiao Hei & Ah Hua are very popular cats. Everyone dotes both of them. Elusive cats like Ah Wang comes & goes.

The kittens are growing up & out of their cuteness. The neighbours are starting to see them as another black cat & an ugly face tortoiseshell. Tua Tao is worse. Everyone finds him dirty, ugly & fierce. He is an outcaste, shooed away by everyone.

Just last week, a colleague was chatting with me on the phone & the cats came up. She made a remark that made me cringed. "I just realised Sesame has a mid-length tail. That spoils the whole 'look'. A black cat should have a perfect long tail. And I can't stand Tua Tao. He is so ugly & dirty. I don't understand why you would go through all these trouble for such a cat. He won't even let you touch him!"

It saddens me very much when I hear such ugly comments. At the same time I know it is futile explaining anything at all to someone like her. Sadly, there are many more like her in this world.

2006-12-28T17:59:00.000+08:00

I have a hunch Ruby either had a strict owner or she was abused before. But I could be wrong.

Last evening Ruby started a scuffle with Wawa despite my repeated warnings. The scuffle ended with Wawa screaming & she fell off the top of the fridge. Wawa never meows or purrs. She does make a sound, it will only be screams.

Anyway, I was going to spank Ruby for being naughty. The second she saw my raised hand, she cowered. All my Chaos either dodge or run away to hide but they never cower.

I ended up spending another fifteen minutes coddling her to calm her down.

A Break Through

2006-12-25T11:26:00.000+08:00

This morning, I went back to the office to feed the kittens & Tua Tao was there.

Luckily I had an extra can of tuna with chicken & a capsule of cod liver oil. While I was preparing their meal, Tua Tao joined the kittens, weaving between my legs, giving head rubs.

Tua Tao finally approached me! I know he is doing this purely for food but it is still a big leap for him to initiate physical contact with a human.

The good news doesn’t stop here. He looks better today than Wednesday. The scabs on his back came off. His left side looks better too. Although his skin looks raw, it looks like new skin to me. I hope his skin condition continues to improve. But I think I should change his name to Scar Face now.

After his meal, he came forward to smell my hand.

I was smiling all the way home in the train. People must think I’m crazy but I don’t care. I am happy. So happy.

:-)

2006-12-23T19:45:00.000+08:00

The Straits Times today reported that there will be heavy downpour over Christmas Eve & Christmas Day.

The Auntie & I decided to put up a make shift home for the kittens & the cats.

It’s not much, but given the resources we have, this will have to do. At least, their kibbles will kept dry, sheltered from the rain. And they will have something decent to eat over the long weekend.

While we’re putting up the make shift shelter, two almost forgotten cats came by – Ah Wang & B&W.

Ah Wang was watching us put up the shelter. But he ran away when I tried to take better picture of him.

B&W appears to be still lactating. Her nipples are swollen but we couldn’t find any kittens. The Auntie told me she had not once seen B&W’s kittens either. B&W is said to have given birth sometime in November. She was rumoured to be Peanut & Sesame’s mother. She too, ran away when I tried to come closer.

I think I really need to borrow a trap from Vincent & teach the Auntie to trap cats as she sights them more often than I do.

As for Tua Tao, I haven’t seen him since Wednesday. I went back to office every morning hoping to see him but no such luck. I spoke to Phyllis on Wednesday after I fed Tua Tao, hoping to seek her opinion on what supplements & food would be good for his condition. Phyllis suspects Tua Tao’s problem may not be as simple as mites & fleas. She suspects it could be a liver or kidney related problem. So she recommended that I take him off dry food & put him on canned chicken, supplemented with transfer factor & cod liver oil.

I have read that cod liver oil is good for the skin but apparently it is also good for the liver & kidneys. Transfer factor is a holistic supplement. It is made of cow colustrum, shitake mushrooms & other stuff. It is said that it be a immunity booster. The scientific benefits of transfer factor remains to be seen (when Alex was diagnosed with FIV +ve, the first vet I saw recommended transfer factor). But I am (or rather Tua Tao is) a desperate man clutching straws right now. Not the time to be a skeptic.

So yesterday, I gave the Auntie cans of chicken, capsules of transfer factor & cod liver oil. This morning, she told me Tua Tao cleaned up a whole can of food with supplements. So that's good. At least he's not picky about what he eats.

I haven't given up on catching him. I'd still like to get him to the vet but now, I feel better that he has nutritious food that is good for him.

2006-12-21T17:30:00.000+08:00

My friend G sent me this. Love it!

1. play with tinsel
2. test tree climbing skills
3. nap in the middle of Christmas cards
4. sample Christmas cookies
5. look cute and cuddly
6. whine for extra milk
7. shed on new Christmas dress
8. run away and hunt down suitable mouse for present

Wishing you all the little things that make your Christmas merry.

2006-12-20T11:41:00.000+08:00

I was lying awake in bed for most part of last night, wondering if my babies are doing alright despite the unrelenting heavy downpour. Wondering if Tua Tao's problems are aggravated by the damp.

Then I remembered Vegancat's recent blog entry on the Four Immeasurables. I recited to myself but it didn't calm my anxiety. When the dawn broke, I couldn't contain myself any longer. I made my way to the office. To my relief, the trio couldn't be better although the babies are little damp. And then I kicked myself for cancelling Tua Tao's trapping session.

Vincent & I agreed to trap Tua Tao today but given the downpour, I decided to abort the mission last evening until the weather improves. And this morning, the sun was shining & the birds were singing & I was kicking myself hard. Dang!

Apart from beating myself up, I managed to take a couple of pictures of Tua Tao. I don't know if his condition has improved or deterioriated. Now he has scabs on his back which wasn't there a week ago.
As for the babies, Peanut now sports a tipped ear. Hopefully this will keep her safe for a long long time.

I am a woman hear me RWOAR!!!!

I guess I can't call her a baby anymore. She's young lady now. :)

2006-12-19T10:28:00.000+08:00

Looking back, 2006 has been an eventful one for the Chaos & I.

January
Fudge was diagnosed FIP positive. Abby (my part time help) & I took turns taking care of her.

She passed away 2 weeks later, to be exact, in the early hours on the 2nd day of Chinese New Year. We were devastated but Alex took the worse hit. Fudge was a daughter to him. Abby too, cried for she loved Fudge very much.

February
Carma came home for the 2nd time. She joined the Chaos household sametime last year but she was returned to foster mom shortly because Beauty was big bad bully then. Poor Carma was badly traumatized. Carma’s second homecoming was a lot less traumatic however she wasn’t the most popular Chaos. This time, her arch enemy was Dim Sum. They hate one another.

But now, Carma has moved on and she has fully integrated into the household. She has formed firm friendship with Alex, Junior & Ruby.

March
Sanji Junior became the fifth addition. The youngest of the Chaos, Junior is boisterous and ever so full of curiosity which constantly gets him into trouble with Beauty. He & Alex clicked instantly & Junior became Alex’s little baby.

Now Junior has grown into a robust & rebellious young adult. Yes, he IS rebellious, he talks back when I scold him & bite me when I discipline him.

Sometimes when I look at him, I can’t help but wonder if Fudge would have been as naughty & lovable as Junior that if she had survived.

May
I became a vegetarian. It wasn’t painful or difficult although I did (& still do) falter time to time.

But it is painful having explain time & time again to people what being a vegetarian means.

June
Dim Sum was diagnosed FIP positive as well. She passed away three weeks later.

It was a very difficult period for us. I decided to care for Dim Sum myself & I finally knew what helplessness is.

Watching her dying & powerless to do anything for her was simply painful. I would gladly give up all that I have if that can make her better. But alas, it was not to be.

I still miss Dim Sum. I hope she is reborn now as human baby somewhere, to a wonderful family who loves her very much.

July
Dawa (nickname Wawa) became the latest member. Wawa reminds me of Dim Sum. Both quiet & hates Carma with a passion.

Junior & Wawa are partners in crime. The duo loves dashing through the house, breaking things along their way & sending Beauty into a fit.

Although her photos are few but she is really gorgeous. I was never a black cat fan until Wawa came into my life. And I love her quiet, unintrusive nature.

September
4 kittens was found near my office. 2 black, 1 tuxedo & 1 tortoiseshell. One of the black & the tuxedo were adopted the same day that they were discovered by a very nice lady who works in one of the offices near mine.

The remaining 2 are named Sesame (a black boy) & Peanut (tortoiseshell). They became an instant hit with everyone. Overnight, we found ourselves fretting over them & they are flourishing under everyone’s love & care. Peanut was sterilized last week (courtesy of my office neighbour). I will sponsor Sesame’s next month.

October
First sighting of Tua Tao, the alpha male stray. His was a difficult trapping. He put up a good fight but eventually Vincent managed to get him into the cage & off to the vet he went for a snip-snip.

Tua Tao has terrible skin problems. He needs medical attention. We are trying to trap him. Hopefully the weather improves soon & we’ll be able to do so.

November
Ruby is the last & final of Chaos.

Ruby is a puppy. She follows me around the house like a puppy dog minus the yapping. She is very quiet like Wawa & well-behaved. At the same time, she made it known that she’s nobody’s doormat. She doesn’t tolerate any nonsense from any of the Chaos, including Beauty.

She is perfect ending to the Chaos membership.

December
What else? It’s the holidays! Time to shift life back to the first gear, take things slow and enjoy the Chaos at home.

Happy Holidays!

Tua Tao's Skin Problems are Getting Worse

2006-12-15T12:36:00.000+08:00

Spotted Tua Tao this morning & his skin problems are becoming worse. And he won't let anyone of us treat him. Arrgh!

Tua Tao's back

Tua Tao's left side

Kitty Power: A Woman's Best Friend

2006-12-13T10:21:00.000+08:00

Six hundred years after Dick Whittington, dogs may still command the honorific, "man's best friend", but they can no longer claim to be companion of choice for the average, upwardly-mobile female.

Read the rest of the article here

Li

2006-12-11T17:53:00.000+08:00

Li is my good mate Sharon's little treasure & he will break girls' little hearts soon.

Well, maybe not as playboy bunny ...

But he is adorable!

2006-12-11T09:00:00.000+08:00

Spotted this black & white tux early at the foot of my block this morning on my way to work. A friendly female with an untipped ear but obviously a home cat as she follows every passer-by.

Ran out of cat food in my bag so I couldn't feed her. Will go back tomorrow morning same time & hopefully I'll see her again.

Atchoo!

2006-12-11T08:25:00.000+08:00

Ruby has a cold & diarrhea.

The cold started on Saturday & seemed to be persistent despite the Vibravet.

For the diarrhea, she has been passing soft stools since early last week. Initially I thougt it could be the new food but switched back to her previous brand - Avoderm. But it hasn't improve since.

I started her on GNC Multidophilus last Thursday which Alex is currently on, hopefully her situation will improve.

Goldie - A Part-Time Stray

2006-12-07T14:50:00.000+08:00

This is Goldie & I call her a part-time stray. At times, she would disappear for a week or two, only to reappear with no signs of dehydration or malnourishment. A friendly feeder once told me she belongs to a family in my block but she doesn't who is this family is.

Anyway, Goldie friendly to familiar passer-bys who would often stop & give her either a pet or a belly-rub. She is well-fed, she rejects my food most of the time. These days I stopped feeding her.

But whenever I don't see Goldie for more than a week, I'm not sure if I should panic or give her another week to show up.

No Chaos Anymore?

2006-12-07T14:34:00.000+08:00

I came home from work mid-day to find all 6 in the kitchen ... behaving.

Beauty as usual, wants to be part of everything & yet she keeps a distance from everyone as well

The bond between these three is growing stronger each day

Ruby likes Wawa & also Carma

She's Not Just My Cat

2006-12-06T12:54:00.000+08:00

Remember this lady?

She came to me this morning to complain that her kitten is stupid. Apparently, her kitten found her way up the cupboard & can't come down. Nothing unusual about that. Definitely not stupid & I said so to her.

I asked again about the vet visit. As expected, she hasn't done anything yet. She was in fact, quite defensive when I reminded her that she is responsible for her kitten's wellbeing.

Her retort was "for the record, she is not just my cat. She belongs to all 3 of us. I don't see why I should be the one to take her to the vet. The agreement we have is, my roommates pay for the food & litter & I pay for the toys."

"Erh, what about vet? Cats do fall sick you know?"

"Well we haven't figure that one out yet."

For a second, I didn't know what to make of that answer. I asked, "if all 3 of you love her as much as you said you do, then does it matter who takes her to the vet? You can split the bill three ways right?"

"I suppose so, let me have a think" was her answer.

I took a deep breath & walked away. I can't possibly answer her without slapping her.

Tua Tao's Battle Scars

2006-12-04T10:39:00.000+08:00

This morning, the first one who came to greet me was Tua Tao & he sports fresh wounds. Probably got into a fight sometime over the weekend. It doesn't look to be skin problems. But I could be wrong.

New scars on Tua Tao's right side

Old scars on his left

If only he lets me touch him, I could get him to the vet.

Then I spotted the siblings ... so cute.

Hugged both of them after I took this picture. :)

2006-12-02T10:37:00.000+08:00

Ruby is a precious.

On Thursday when I took Ruby home, I knowMei Mei (foster-mom's helper) was sad. She was telling me what a great girl Ruby is, how obedient she is & how easy it is to bathe her.

I was a little skeptical on the last bit. Bathing domestic shorthairs can be a challenge even if they were trained since kitten. Beauty, Carma & Wawa never did enjoy their bath time. They would wail so loud I bet my neighbours think I was skinning cats.

Junior is an exception. He loves water & he loves to play in his bathtub. I enjoy bathing Junior although it usually takes a lot longer because he moves & splashes about so much.

Bathing Ruby is like taking a walk in the park. She stood still while I rinse, soap & dry her.

She is starting to explore more of the flat & interacting with Chaos a little. The Chaos are still wary of her. Beauty for all her bravado didn't know what to make of this new girl who is not afraid to stand up to her.

Chaos fun is just beginning :)

6th Chaos Rules the House

2006-11-30T20:38:00.000+08:00

This is Ruby.

I met Ruby in foster-mom’s home about 6 months back. On impulse, I said I’d like to take her home. And now I did.

On my way to pick Ruby up this afternoon, I mentally prepared myself for the riot that is to start all over. The gang of five has just settled into a familiar routine and I am just beginning to enjoy the peace that I thought I’d never ever going to get back. So what the hell was I thinking, taking the 6th cat in? Then I tried to rationalize – well if Ruby proved to be a handful, I would have a legitimate excuse to return Ruby. Yeah I know, it is pitifully lame.

Ruby as it turned out is a marshmallow. Soft & mallow. Without resistance, she allowed herself to be put in a soft carrier where she sat quietly for the next 20 minutes while I try to locate a taxi. When we finally arrived home which was almost an hour later, she calmly stepped out of her carrier, explored the flat while Chaos just looked on. I think they are not DNA-ed for zen. After all, they are Chaos (even Wawa has her hissy moments with Carma every now & then!).

Ruby absolutely threw them off. Then again, a lot remains to be seen. This is only her first evening. But steady lah, girl!

Removing vocal cord?!

2006-11-30T08:47:00.000+08:00

I was amused when I read this thread in the Singapore Cats MSN Forum.

Going by this logic, can I politely my neighbour if he should consider removing his baby's vocal cords? After all, his baby does cause me many many sleepless nights & I am sure many neighbours' as well. And we all have very important work to do the next day.

What the heck, why don't we just demand the same treatment be metted out to screaming brats in shopping malls, supermarkets & cinemas?

But we don't because it is wrong. If it is wrong to treat humans in such a way, why would it be right to treat animals such?

If animals can talk, I'm sure the first thing they'll say is "Respect our rights!" At least the ones in Singapore.

Pet owners, ask yourself why you'd like to have a pet & be brutally honest in your answer. A pet is like a child. In fact your pet will always be a child. So unless you are prepared to be a parent to a child for the rest of its life, I suggest you stick your playtime to a stuffed toy.

2006-11-26T13:31:00.000+08:00

A Tender Moment

A Busy Sunday

2006-11-26T10:11:00.000+08:00

For the Duxton cats, that is.

This morning, I found Xiao Hei & Ah Hua in another confrontation. It is obvious to me now that Xiao Hei is a bully despite the popular belief that black cats are demure. She was clearly in Ah Hua's territory & yet she tried to pick fight with Ah Hua. Ah Hua ran to me to hide behind my legs (clever girl).

Another face-off between Xiao Hei & Ah Hua

Spotted Ah Wang (above) again this morning although he walked away once he saw me whipping out my camera.

As I mentioned in my entry below, Tua Tao is finally warming up to me. He calmly allows me to take this snap shot & the video. What's next, he lets me pat him?

Tua Tao has very small blue eyes & they are severely crossed. I think he is a Siamese-Cross.

2006-11-26T10:09:00.000+08:00

Tua Tao the Big Brother

Tua Tao has assume the big brother role to Peanut & Sesame. They share their meals together & he watches after them.

He is also warming up towards me :)

2006-11-25T19:23:00.000+08:00

Spotted 2 more males on Duxton this afternoon by the Auntie & me.

One was running after Patches (the elusive mother cat). We saw them from a distance & all I had with me was my mobile phone's camera. Took the picture anyway but it wasn't clear. When they saw us, they headed into the bushes on the left. Auntie thinks it is a male black cat.

Patches & Newbie heading into the bush ... for some jiggy action? Uh oh we're in trouble ...

The other is a ginger male. Although he wouldn’t allow us to come too close, he doesn’t appear to be too afraid of humans. We called him Ah Wang (which means good fortune in Mandarin). Hopefully we have the good fortune to trap him soon.

Ah Wang taking a siesta under a car

It is strange that in the space of two months, we have had the Peanut & Sesame & their 2 other siblings (fortunately adopted), Tua Tao, Patches & now Newbie & Ah Wang. Judging from their behaviour except for the kittens they are all wary of humans so that ruled out dumping. But where did these cats come from?

On the home front, lately Beauty has been rather chill. She was even hospitable. Recently she changed her sleeping spot to the kitchen bathroom & this evening, I came home to find her sharing her space with Alex & Junior!

Miracle in the House of Chaos :)

Face of a Killer?

2006-11-20T14:55:00.000+08:00

This article was featured on TIME's 20 November 2006 issue. Singapore made the list! Shame.

Kiehl's for Pets

2006-11-19T19:28:00.000+08:00

I was given a Kiehl's lipbalm a few months back but I only started using it a couple of days ago. Its great - as good as Vaseline - for cracked lips.

Anyway, I was checking Kiehl's website & guess what? They have products for dogs with a posh price tag. A good webpage though.

Check it out .

By the way, according to Kiehl's, they do not test nor have they ever tested their products on animals. Now I'm tempted to try their face lotions :)

Speaking of Peanut & Sesame ...

2006-11-18T09:44:00.000+08:00

Peanut & Sesame, the babies of Duxton are blossoming. They are actually pretty big for their age. Soon we can't call them babies anymore.

Tua Tao (below video) is very friendly with them & auntie is worried that he may 'take advantage' of Peanut. Maybe he sees Peanut as his future mate - she is a pretty girl, afterall. :)

I told her not to worried, he is sterilised now, so he's pretty much useless in that department. Although he will still think that he can 'do the job'.

As long as Peanut is neutered before she reaches puberty, we are safe.

The kittens' personalities are becoming more distinct.

Peanut is the social one, always ready for a pat while Sesame is more reserved. He reminds me very much of Wa-Wa. Maybe that's just the personality of black cats. Quiet & demure.

He does look healthy, doesn't he? Very glossy coat. He is a handsome cat.

Both kittens are scheduled for a vet visit around the Christmas period. Hopefully the vet will deem them old enough to be neutered. It shall be my christmas 'present' for them :P

This is Ah Hua, the arch-enemy of Xiao Hei. Ah Hua is a gangster. Very fierce, almost unapproachable despite losing her mojo yonks ago. She's been around almost as long as Xiao Hei & they've been enemies for who knows how long.

Like Mi-Ni, we suspect her tail was cut off.

When Ah Hua & Xiao Hei crosses path, it is A catfight. Spit, fangs, growls - hair raising moments.

But of late, Ah Hua has been friendly with me (after 3 years of remote feeding).

Something good does come out of patience.

2006-11-18T09:43:00.000+08:00

Black & White Mother Cat

Another elusive cat. Have been trying to trap her for a while now but she's always a step ahead of us.

Recently gave birth, looks like we have to leave her alone for the time being.

According to the auntie who works next door, she is the mother of Peanut & Sesame.

2006-11-18T09:42:00.000+08:00

The Elusive Tua Tao

Recently neutered, now sporting a tipped ear, Tua Tao is still very camera-shy. However, he is friendly with Peanut & Sesame

2006-11-18T07:18:00.000+08:00

Alex & Junior

My maiden attempt to capture my boys on video :)

2006-11-17T14:53:00.000+08:00

Just finished a strange phone conversation with this woman.

She is a friend of a friend of Fargo’s owner. Fargo was one of Dim Sum’s babies who got adopted last year. I’ve been in touch with her but I never recalled giving her permission to pass my number to strangers.

Anyway, from what I can gather from the conversation, she is a divorcee has 12 cats of her own & feeding another 6 strays. She has financial difficulties & personal problems which she didn’t elaborate & decides not to have anything to do with the cats until she sorts her life out.

She heard that I know people who run catteries & may be they can take the 18 cats in.

The catch is, none of the cats are sterilized because she doesn’t believe in sterilization & it is expensive. Also, she doesn’t want to pay for the cats’ boarding in the cattery because she can’t afford it.

I said I can help her on the following conditions:

1. She has to agree to sterilize all her cats. She has to apply to CWS for subsidies & I will pay the balance. I will pay for the transportation of the cats to the vet. And I will go to her home to collect the cats.

2. If she wants to put her cats in the cattery, she has to contribute a token amount for the cats’ boarding. If $20 is all she can afford each month, fine. I am happy to top up the rest. Otherwise, sterilise & release them.

I don't want her to dump the cats on me or the cattery just because it is convenient to do so. If she cares for her cats, she has to take ownership for them. I explained to her that she has understand there is no such thing as free meal - her cats (all 18 of them) need to eat, shit, sleep somewhere. Someone has to feed, clean & provide a roof for them. These things don't come free.

I insisted on going to her home because I want to know where she lives & to see if she is telling me the truth. And in the event she stops paying, I can take the sterilised cats back to her.

She asked what if she puts all the cats up for adoption. Maybe she doesn’t need to pay anything then. I told her she can try.

She said she’ll think about my proposal & will get back to me.

End of conversation.

2006-11-16T13:12:00.000+08:00

My good mate, Sharon's newborn prince & her tortoiseshell Mivvy in London.

2006-11-16T09:43:00.000+08:00

Someone I know picked up a stray kitten a couple of months back, took the kitten home to be her pet. That's good news, I thought.

Since then, she has been complaining to me that her kitten is a psycho - hyper, disobedient, loves to scratch & bite. I reminded her kittens are LIKE THAT. Even after they grow out of their kitten cuteness they'll still be hyper at least until they pass their 2nd year (Junior is now a year old & he is a Energiser Rabbit more than ever!). Disobedience - the IQ of the mature cat is equivalent to a 2 year old human child, so what more can we expect from a kitten. She needs to train the kitten & establish boundaries, simple as that. There is no magic pill. Even if there is, I really doubt she'll pay for it.

I found out the kitten hasn't had a vaccination since it came home, no vet check ups, no flea baths, no brushing. She said she's busy "has no time". The kitten feeds on Whiskers because "other brands are expensive". I was dumbfounded by her remarks.

Taking a stray home & giving it a roof is not the end of it. She's not doing any favours for the cat.

I am surprised by her lack of concern for her kitten's welfare. Doesn't she want to know if her kitten is healthy since the kitten was a stray? Isn't she concern about fleas & mites the kitten may carry into her home? I give her the benefit of doubt she doesn't know about hairballs & how food dye can ruin a cat's kidneys. I explained the consequences, gave her an alternative supermarket brand that doesn't contain food dye & hopefully she feeds something decent to the cat. Even gave her Beauty's old hairbrush & told her specifically that she HAS to brush her kitten at least 3 times a week unless she wants her kitten to throw up hairball all over her sofa & bed.

Two days ago, she came to me & wanted to take another kitten in (don't these people learn?!?!). She thinks her kitten is lonely & therefore is hyper & naughty. The only problem she foresees is she's currently sharing her flat with 2 other expat roommates who will leave Singapore for good next year. She's worried she maybe stuck with the cat. It is a valid concern, but why would she want to take a second cat in then? And what does she intend to do with the current one when her roommates leave for good? She hasn't answered me yet.

I see a big UH-OH coming.

2006-11-14T16:58:00.000+08:00

I was reading Calsifer's take on sterilisation, more likely the lack of sterilisation. I just want to put my thoughts down before I procrastinate further.

Fact is, the main barrier to the success of sterilisation is ignorance. There is still a population of cat lovers who do not see its health benefits and the killings that result in not sterilising their cats & strays.

And for those who are aware, there is always a fraction of them who are unaware subsidies made available by CWS. They are still think sterilisation is expensive - hence statements like "husband is a low income earner, already feeding a large family" etc etc.

Perception that sterilisation is bad goes beyond religious beliefs & financial difficulties. There are people who tells me that sterilisation as unfair, cruel, harmful & unnatural - "cats are animals ... it is cruel to curb their animal instincts ... they should be able to mate at least once ... blah blah blah" It is ignorance again.

I always asked them:

1. Do you know that neutering is not a cruel mutilation or just a means of preventing unwanted pregnancies but it is in fact beneficial to your cat's health?

2. Are you aware of CWS subsidies for sterilising your strays?

3. Do you know that taking care of kittens is hard work & it takes ages to find good homes for them?

4. Do you know how many cats are killed each year by AVA simply because there are too many of them on the streets? 13,000!

Education is the key & hopefully evangelising sterilisation will encourage more people to have their cats & strays sterilised & reduce the number of unnecessary destruction.

2006-11-01T20:36:00.000+08:00

Came across this blog by chance. A poignant entry by a teacher relating her encounters with the senior citizens who fell between the cracks of our affluent society. Her entry reinforced Anita Kapoor's article on 30 October.

I was further humbled when I read her entry. Some of these senior citizens survive on less than S$200 a month while I spend the same (& sometimes more) on Chaos. I feel so small & guilty right now.

However sitting here moaning & complaining is not going to change anything. Surely, there must be something I/we can do?

Alex's New Bowl

2006-10-30T17:42:00.000+08:00

Alex happy boy tonite :)

2006-10-30T09:24:00.000+08:00

Read this article in Today's on the MRT to work this morning. The author, Anita Kapoor struck a raw nerve in me & I’m sure amongst a few of my compatriots. But I have to admit I am occasionally guilty of few of the acts she wrote about. However, this is not a Singapore problem but it is a problem faced by developed nations.

You can read the article here.

The same paper also covered the upcoming government's efforts to help Singaporeans cope with death, particularly end-of-life care & how people choose to be treated in their final stages. Some years back, the government introduced the Advanced Medical Directive (AMD) allowing Singaporeans (adults) to refused extraordinary life-sustaining treatment to prolong our life. Since its introduction, approximately 4000 Singaporeans have signed an AMD & a third did so after a high-profile case of Terri Schiavo. The campaign (?) I guess is to raise the awareness of AMD.

My family & I made up of that paltry 4k figure. :P

Other Cats

2006-10-28T11:10:00.000+08:00

On Wednesday, we found Asha (Xiao Hei), our resident cat, with a huge larceration on her neck – should have taken a photo of it but forgot. Vincent was kind enough to help me take her to the vet right away. Her larceration was infected & she needs to be put on antibiotics & have her wound cleaned twice a day. We decided to board her at the vet until next Tuesday, just to be sure she is completely healed. Everyone is joking that Asha’s on holiday at the moment :) but I have a feeling she’s pretty stressed out in foreign land. Poor baby. :(

Sesame & Peanut (formerly known as Brownie) - the 2 siblings are growing up fast. They are big in size now although not still not old enough to be neutered. They are winning fans from all over. They are fed so many times a day (which explains their girth) by different people – the cleaning auntie next door feeds them in the mornings, afternoons & Saturdays, I in the evenings & Sundays, the owners of the pubs along our stretch in the nights plus the odd people who come & go who’d pet them & feed them.

People may be turned off by her looks but Peanut always win them over with her sweet personality

Sesame gave us a fright yesterday when he showed signs of fatigue & lost of appetite. The auntie was pretty sure one of the pubs had call in the pest control to kill the roaches & Sesame must gotten a whif of the repellent or something. There were a lot of dead roaches last evening, behind the alleged pub. Or it could a hormonal thing. Who knows. But he was moody, wouldn’t let either one of us touch him. Fortunately, he is alright this morning when I saw him on my way to the office. He is back to his playful self with a humongous appetite. Phew.

Sesame is still a little moody but he's eating & playing.

This morning, spotted a new tom-cat, white in color, very furtive, afraid of humans but friendly with Peanut & Sesame. He has a huge head & small beady eyes, no tipped ear - pretty sure he's not neutered. I only managed to take a picture of his bum. Will have to trap him soon.

And finally Goldie (above). She is a mature neutered female who resides the void deck where I live. I have a sneaking suspicion someone in my block feeds her upstairs because sometimes I do run into her on the 10th floor & sometimes she’d disappear for a week but always re-appeared (so far so good, knock on wood). But she spends most of her time sleeping in the bushes & on the deck chairs. She is a very friendly cat. She prefers a pet more than a feed most times (she definitely has a owner, I’m sure of it!). She is a sweetie-pie!

Finally! My New Passport

2006-10-28T09:15:00.000+08:00

Finally I collected my spanking new biometric passport from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) yesterday evening.

It’s pretty cool that we can apply for our passport online. It was pretty painless until I arrived at the ICA at 6pm yesterday, thinking that who’d except goondus like me who have nothing better to do on a Friday night but ‘hang out’ in a place like that. Like I said naïve. There were like 300 people in the room – 280 to be exact. I was the 281st – not counting screaming babes in their mommy/nanny’s arms & restless kids who decide to make ICA their playground.

My first instinct was to bolt but I decided to stick to it & collect the damn book. “How bad can it be? Singapore’s efficient. I should be out in no time.” I was so naive. I waited & waited & then I saw this disclaimer (which I didn't see when I first arrived - how can I be so blind??) on the waiting screen – “average waiting time is 2 hours”! Then I figured since I had waited an hour, what is another hour? Called my mom to tell I’ll be home later for dinner.

Right. By 8, there were still 60 numbers before it was my turn. But what am I supposed to do? I had waited 2 hours. If I leave, I would have wasted 2 hours of my time & I’ll have to start all over again when I return the next time. So, what to do but call my mom again to tell her I’m gonna take just a little bit longer… By 8.05, the waiting screen was switched off & the officers were shouting out our numbers – sort of like a fish market kind of scene. But suddenly the turnover was really quick & my turn came at about 8.30.

2.5 hours. Overheard a guy who was like 30 numbers ahead of me telling his friend he was there since 4.30! What!?!? Anyway, the officer imprinted both my thumbprints, I signed the papers & I was pointed out that I now have a new set of passport number (different from my IC) . Fantastic. As if there are not enough pin numbers & passwords in fill my life – my ATM, credit cards, internet banking, my Yahoo mail, my DVD online, my office door security, my office alarm system, my office PC & not to mention my office & intranet administrator codes.

I think my brain is going to explode. But I have my new passport :)

Say You Love Me

2006-10-28T08:54:00.000+08:00

How does your cat/s express its love to you? My bunch of 5:

Alex – wet sloppy kisses on my lips, hugs & cuddles

Beauty – always greet at the door with a ‘welcome home hon!’ kiss

Carma – love bites, kneading, cuddles & head rubs

Junior – head rubs

Wawa – head rubs & basically following me everywhere like a dog

Flea Market

2006-10-26T12:09:00.000+08:00

Where: Substation (near Old National Library)
When: Saturday, 28 October 2006 (6pm to midnight)

All proceeds will go to the Paw Pledge Cattery and the stray animal welfare program.

The flea market booth is sponsored by an animal lover and an Event Management Specialist - Alan Chua.

For more information on the cattery, visit their booth this Saturday or log on to: http://www.geocities.com/pawpledge

About the cattery
A non-profit, private cattery started by a passionate caregiver. PawPledge depends on donations and the goodwill of compassionate caregivers who contribute to the cattery's upkeep. PawPledge always welcome new volunteers, members and most importantly, good homes for their affectionate rescued cats from all over Singapore island.

2006-10-24T06:25:00.000+08:00

Its 4 months now since I am a vegetarian.

I admit it hasn't always been easy. There are many times I just want to sink my teeth into a juicy cheesy burger or a succulent kong bak pao . I try to ban these thoughts out of my head, sometimes I succeed & sometimes I fail miserably.

And when I do fall off the wagon, I fall with a BIG thudd. Believe you me. It became a gorging fest. Don't get me wrong, I'm not proud of myself, I feel like I'm a hypocrite. But I figured while I'm off the wagon, I might as well make the best of it. I know tsk tsk tsk *head down in shame*.

Anyway, met Rumah Kuching Kechil last Thursday at Ajahn Brahm's talk & she asked how my vegetarian efforts are coming along. I fessed up. She was sweet & reassured me that people do fall off the wagon every once in a while (but I'm not sure if people fall off & into a gorge fest!).

She recommended Bocca burgers since I LOVE cheese burgers. Bocca's available in most Cold Storage, comes in a box of 4 soy patties. Tried them on Sunday with sesame burgers, cheese, tomatos & lettuce & they are really very good. So thank you RKK!

Since I chose to be a vegetarian, I become even more animal or rather planet friendly - conscienciously recyling my plastics, metal & paper, avoid buying stuff that's leather, going for organic produce than the regular ones in the market.

The funny thing is, it costs more to maintain this lifestyle than living in the mainstream. Take the Bocca patties for example - it costs something like $7.50 a box as compared the Farmland chicken patties that costs something like $3.50 a box. This doesn't make sense does it? A non-meat-made-to-taste-like-real-meat food costs more than the actual meat itself. Sure, Farmland is bad processed meat. So make a patty from scratch with ground beef, it still won't costs as much. But I guess its the economics of demand & supply. *sigh*

The annoying thing I deal with on a regular basis is to explain what a vegetarian is, what I can & cannot eat & why I am one. You'd be surprise, people still offer me fish balls & say 'its fish not meat'. Or maybe, I just work with extremely dense people.

I have to explain 'any food that comes from something moves, has a brain, I don't eat them. I eat the green stuff called vegetables.' Good grief. Next question 'Vegetarian you Buddhist ah?'. 'Well, yes I am a Buddhist but was not the only reason I became a vegetarian. There is compassion & love for life.'

Compassion & love for life is not a concept my colleagues can understand. And what people can't understand, they categorise. I 'm now sometimes known as 'that Buddhist' (with slight tone of disdain) or 'that crazy animal lover' (comes with a tone of a little sympathy). Look on the bright side, I added 2 more labels to my belt (the other being 'the crazy cat lady'). I feel like a PETA in the office sometimes. Whatever.

Other than a few predicted bumps on the road, it is not that bad. I do feel healthier & more energetic (contrary to classic conditioning that without meat we will be weak). At the same time, accept the fact that I'm human & I do have my weak moments. The next time I do, I'm not fessing up! :)

Did You Know ...

2006-10-23T15:47:00.000+08:00

Persians & other longhairs are called "cobby" because of their stocky, rounded bodies & short, sturdy legs & rounded faces. Other features includes a broad head & big, round eyes.

When a domestic cat goes after mice, about one in 3 results in a catch.

A cat lover is an ailurophile while a cat hater is an ailurophobe.

A cat has a unique sense of taste - it lacks the ability to detect sweetness but it can differentiate the slightest variations in the taste of water.

Cats wrinkle their nose the same way humans do when they are puzzled or insulted. You have to look closely to see two or three wrinkles down the length of your cat's nose whenever a behaviour is beyond the cat's comprehension or offends his sensibilities.

One of a cat's most affectionate gestures is the 'love bite' - a gentle tooth-hold on her owner's hand or arm.

One of the most subtle movements in a cat's repertoire is the 'rocking horse' - an invitation to play that involves stiffening of all 4 legs and rocking slightly forward & back in quiet anticipation.

Every cat's nose pad has unique characteristics. Just as no two humans have then same fingerprints, its a fact that no two feline noseprints are alike.

Americans spend more on cat food than baby food! - over $3 million annually.

Many cats are partially white - a result of white-spotting gene that makes the cat's true color. There are special names given to the different degrees of white markings:

A cat with white paws are said to be mitted.
A cat with white patch on the chest is said to have a locket.
A cat with several small, white belly patches is said to have buttons.
A cat with roughly half his body surface white is said to be bicolor.
A cat with a predominantly white coat and a few color patches is a Harlequin
A cat with a white coat except for color on the tail & head is a Van.
A black cat with white legs, underside & chest is called a Tuxedo.
A black & white cat is called a Jellicle cat.

... & now I know!

Interesting Numerological Facts About Cats

2006-10-23T15:25:00.000+08:00

15
The human equivalent in years that a kitten will reach at the end of his first year.

0%
The chances of a human 'catching' AIDS from an FIV+ cat.

110 - 140
The average number of feline heartbeats per minute.

101.5 - 102.5
Normal temperature (Farenheit) of a cat.

244
The number of bones in a cat's body (about 40 more than humans).

35,000
The approximate number of kittens born in the U.S. each day.

32
The number of muscles in each ear of a cat.

34
The age of the oldest cat on record.

100
The number of vocalization sounds from an average cat

30
The number of permanent adult teeth in a cat's mouth.

2-3
The average life span (in years) of "unmanaged" feral cats.

63
The average number of days in a gestation period for felines.

26
The number of cycles per second in a cat's purr (about the same number as a diesel engine) -see "The Remarkable Purr of a Cat" for more.

13 million
The estimated number of animals euthanized in shelters every year in the U.S.

19
Record for the largest number of kittens in a litter.

1871
The year of the first formal cat show in the world in London, England.

80
The estimated number of known cat breeds.

295 million
The approximate amount (in USD) spent annually in the U.S. for kitty litter.

65 mph
The speed at which Cheetahs can run, in short spurts.

Source: www.cats.about.com

2006-10-20T13:22:00.000+08:00

Light A Million Candles

Light A Million Candles is an online petition to fight child abuse on internet pornography. They aim to light a million candles by 31 December 2006. So far, they have garnerd 700,000+ lit candles.

Give your support by clicking http://www.lightamillioncandles.com/counter.jsp

Crouching Tiger Hidden Kitten

2006-10-19T10:33:00.001+08:00

Making An Art out of a Regular Music Video

2006-10-19T10:33:00.000+08:00

A Hypoallergenic Cat Anyone?

2006-10-10T09:25:00.000+08:00

Allerca, a California biotechnology company is set to deliver the Holy Grail of the $35 billion pet industry: a hypoallergenic cat. At the start of next year, the first kittens will go home with eager owners who have been carefully screened and have been on a waiting list for more than two years.

Read more here

Amigos

2006-10-09T16:34:00.000+08:00

Why Don't You Do Something Charitable?

2006-10-03T16:33:00.000+08:00

An old acquaintance asked me this when I told her about Chaos & the strays I care for.

Charitable? Do I save more cats, be more vocal, work with SPCA more actively? No. What she meant is - why don't I put my time and money to something more noble like saving a tsunami victim or a one-legged orphan.

First, I don't believe one charity or cause is more noble than another. To be charitable is to be generous and helpful towards the needy and the suffering. It is extending one's goodwill towards humanity. A charitable act is noble as long as one genuinely wants to make a difference to the lives we help. Besides, I like to think volunteers volunteer because we believe we can make some difference to the lives we touch & not because we want to be recognised for our efforts, to praised or awarded.

I told her frankly, I don't give a rat's ass that people like her think I am a crazy just because I happen to choose a cause not many will adopt. I am very happy and passionate about the cats I care for which is a lot more than I can say for other people & their charities.

Life is Worth Losing by George Carlin

2006-09-29T09:42:00.000+08:00

His take on such subjects as extreme human behavior and America's culture is simply outrageous.

Click here to watch his performance

The AAA PetBook

2006-09-29T09:10:00.000+08:00

A travel guide for pet owners has more than 13,000 listings of North American hotels and other accommodations that allow pets.

Read this article

When will we join the club? In the next millenium!?!? Haha

So far, I only know of one 5-star hotel here that is pet-friendly. They don't advertise it but according to their inside sources they allow in-house guests to keep miniature dogs & cats in the room.