A little animal was on the street while a Thai guy was coming from work. She recognized that it was a cat that had not been mute since she was born when she got close to him.
The man decided to take the cat home to care for him after seeing how defenseless and alone he was. The animal would not have been able to live on the streets by itself.
After bringing the kitten home, the man gave him milk from a bottle and gave him excellent care. The animal had made himself at home with the new owner and was happy there.
The kitten grew during the course of time. The guy started to understand that the creature he had raised did not resemble a cat.
As it developed, it became increasingly clear that it was an entirely other species of mammal.
After consulting a veterinarian, the guy learned that the creature was actually a fishing cat.
This ‘wild cat’ can grow to be twice the size of a conventional cat and enjoys marine life. The cat’s name comes from its love of hunting and eating fish.
“The fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia,” according to Wikipedia. It has been classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2016. Wetland destruction is threatening fishing cat populations, which have dropped dramatically over the last decade. Fishing cats prefer to reside near wetlands, such as rivers, streams, oxbow lakes, swamps, and mangroves.”
The fishing cat has smooth, gray-gray fur that is regularly spaced across its body. Its back is brown and covered in tiny, evenly spaced, longitudinal rows of black or dark brown markings that are of varying sizes.
An adult specimen has a tail length of 25–33 cm, a body length of 75–86 cm, and a weight range of 8–14 kg.
Legs are lengthy and taper to somewhat webbed toes, with sharp claws that are only partially retractable.
Fortunately, he is still alive and thriving, but it is critical that Simba continues to thrive.
According to the World Fund for Nature, “poaching and retribution killing were the major causes of a high Fishing Cat mortality of 84% in Thailand.”
So Simba’s survival is not just a miracle, but his existence is critical for the survival of his kind.
Here’s a video of some of the other cats that have been rescued. These aren’t fishing cats, but they are adorable:
Animals are living living things, just like humans, and their survival is critical for Mother Nature to thrive. If you agree, please consider sharing this article!
