The Litter Box Diaries

Chinese cat lovers block truck shipping cats to restaurants - International Herald Tribune
Chinese cat lovers block truck shipping cats to restaurants
The Associated Press
Published: July 10, 2007

SHANGHAI, China: Chinese cat lovers mobilized online to save a truck load of cats from the cooking pot, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

Veteran Shanghai cat rescuer Duo Zirong started off her mission of deliverance on Friday when she called police to stop a truck stuffed with some 800 live cats, the China Daily said.

The standoff happened at a parking lot in a southern suburb of Shanghai. It continued for hours while cat lovers spread word of the incident online, eventually raising 10,000 yuan US$1,320; €966 in donations to buy the whole load.

They now hope to place them in homes after posting their pictures and profiles on the Internet.

“They were so frightened,” it quoted one of the rescuers, Huo Puyang, as saying.
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“Some bit people when they tried to let them out of the boxes. Some still hide in dark corners and will not come out for food,” Huo said.

Cat meat is considered a delicacy in southern China and cats are sold live to markets where they are slaughtered fresh for customers.

Cat Survives Nearly 3-Week Ocean Trip

The Associated Press
Friday, July 6, 2007; 6:34 AM

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — A cat that spent nearly three weeks crossing the Pacific inside a shipping container with no food or water appears to be just fine.

Pamela Escamilla lost sight of her 3-year-old calico, Spice, while packing a large container with household goods in Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. The container was shipped June 15 to Southern California.

Escamilla, 39, and her husband could not find the cat before taking their flight and asked neighbors in Hawaii to call if Spice returned.

As it turns out, Spice spent 18 days in the pitch-black container without food or water before arriving at the San Bernardino home of Escamillas parents on Tuesday.

“We really thought that cat was going to be dead,” said Edward Gardner, Escamillas father.

When Escamilla opened the container, she and family members noticed fluffs of cat hair on the floor. They started removing items, and Escamilla climbed into the container to search.

She said she saw Spice poke her head out from behind some bicycles.

“I started to scream,” she said.

Escamilla gently picked up the cat and took her to a veterinarian who said the felines prognosis was good. Spices kidneys had shrunk and her bowels were backed up, but she managed to get some food and water down at the vet, Escamilla said.

Escamilla said the veterinarian told her that calicos have a strong survival instinct.

“Its always a good day when the cats alive,” said Escamilla. “We didnt know what we would find.”

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