Cats and Dogs

Pallas’s Squirrel is fairly widely distributed, with the styani subspecies found in the New Territories, and the thai subspecies found on the Hong Kong Island.

According to Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (https://www.kfbg.org/eng/) , it is an introduced squirrel; the first population may have come from abandoned or escaped pets that reproduced and established in Hong Kong to become part of the local wildlife. The pelage is brown above, and red to orange below, but paler underparts for the styani subspecies; the muzzle is short; eyes are large and protruded; the tail is long and bushy, and presence of black spot at the end for the styani subspecies; strong claws are present on the fingers and toes.

Yesterday morning, when morning sunlight filtered through trees and bushes, a couple of Pallas’s Squirrel were spotted at Bowen Road, eating nuts left by people passing by.

今早晨運後，行經灣仔石水渠街的陳廣記茶餐廳；看見一隻可愛的喵星人躺在門前享受溫暖的陽光，就走前跟牠玩耍了一會兒。可能今天是星期天，餐廳內祇見一個人在吃飯。

從外觀來講，陳廣記茶餐廳應該有超過二十年歷史吧，沒有冷氣，只有風扇。茶餐廳有點殘舊，加上膠圓凳，木摺檯，典型香港茶餐廳格局。

喝完早茶，再次經過茶餐廳見門已關上了，衹見喵星人孤零零的坐在門前，也就行近跟牠玩了一會才到菜市買菜！

On the second day that we stayed at the Silvermine Bay Resort Hotel, when we came back from an early morning walk, I spotted a ginger colour cat lying at the right-hand side of the pathway near the entrance of the hotel.  Out of curiosity, I sat down and meowed at him, he came forward to me with a wagging tail rubbing against my legs as if seeing an old friend and I teased with him for a while.  As he found his playmate appeared at the other end of the pathway, he ran away to join his friend right away!

Today when I visited the website of the resort, I accidentally found him, appears in one of the web pages, showing him sleeping gracefully on the top of a wall.   He is such a lovely and charming cat.  No wonder, he has become the iconic “cat” of the resort!!!

After feeding Ah Wong and the New Comer  for a week,  we are warmly greeted by wagging tails and the ‘Feed Me Now, Human’: “Meow! Meowww!” as we go up the Bowen Drive in the morning.  

自前天山竹襲港，已經有兩天不見亞黃出現在寶雲徑了。今天早上一上寶雲徑即牠從水務署門口走下來，喵喵叫過不停。馬上取出貓罐頭及乾糧，放在盆子上，送到牠面前。見牠二話不說，大口大口的吃起來。可能這幾天打風，躲了起來，沒有好吃的，饑餓甚了！

This lovely stray cat, used to live somewhere near Bowen Road Garden, recently moved to the hillside along the upper part of Bowen Drive.   Mrs. Lam, a cat lover who feeds the cats here every morning, asked me a few days ago to feed the cats on her behalf as she had to take a urgent trip out of Hong Kong. Here are photos showing the cats enjoying their breakfast this morning.

最近行經灣仔街市時，留意到有一間名為富榮的生果店養了一隻肥肥的小黃貓，樣子很可愛。今天經灣仔街市時，又遇見他懶洋洋的臥在檯上，拿起手機便把他得意的樣子影下來。

這是前天在店的一角影下來的另外幾張相片。

Today is the Flag Day fundraiser of The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(SPCA)!  Every penny that is donated allows them to assist animals that are abandoned, cruelly treated, injured or sick.  They can surely make a difference to countless lives!  So everyone do support this meaningful act and don’t forget to buy the SPCA’s flag day stickers today.

It is the 95th Anniversary of the SPCA, the first charity in Hong Kong to deal with all aspects of animal welfare.  

There used to be a number of stray cats living along the roadside up the Bowen Drive until in recent years, an Australian couple of a voluntary organization organising desexing of the cats here to prevent the breeding of unwanted kittens, and to manage cat-related problems humanely by returning desexed cats to their home territory or arrange adoptions that the number of strays decreases quickly.  At the entrance of the road, there remains a lonely cat we called him “Ah Wong” or “Ginger” as named by the Australian couple on account of the colour of his fur.  The couple usually feeds him at about 6 am early in the morning when we walk up to the Bowen Park for jogging or attending the exercise class.  We have seen “Ah Wong” living there for quite a number of years.   Why the couple don’t arrange adoption to find him a home as they did for other cats?   May be “Ah Wong” chose to be an arrogant lone ranger to safeguard this place!!!  Look at his keen and undaunting eyes.  Who knows what the answer is – he only meows to us when we greet him every morning.

Once a Vet told me that stray cats won’t live long out in the wild.  I pray that it is not the case for “Ah Wong”, the Lone Ranger of Bowen Road!!!

I used to see this kitten, who lived by the side of the Chai Wan Park, during the past few years when I walked up this path leading to the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital.  I could find water, cat food and a home-made shelter were provided by some caring people at her side.  Though miserable, it seemed that she led at least a basic life out there.  Sadly on a recent visit there earlier this year, we could find no trace of her any more.  The shelter was torn apart and no food or water was provided there. Where was she now?  Got adopted, moved to another place, or dead?   My old friend, if you are still out there, hope to see you next time.  But, if you are in Heaven, hope you will forgive those who had not been kind to you and remember those had happened to be your friends!   Sighed,  No more dumping of cats!!!