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On a recent trip to Bukit Lawang, Sumatra as a working volunteer for the Orangutan research project, I was not only involved with the tracking and data of the Orangs, but also found myself drawn to the plight of the numberous domestic cats, which, although many of them would be deemed “feral” by all intense purposes, were friendly and approachable and secured themselves a home with a local family!

Three cats in particular, Jack, Merah and Mika who had themselves “adopted” at Coconut (the project headquarters) located in the middle of rice fields, were the focus of my attention.

Indonesians live a simple life; most families existing on 20 cents per family each day!....so animal care, pet food etc. simply does not happen!

Jack, Merah and Mika all had eye, ear and upper respiratory infections when I arrived: with limited resources (boiled water, salt, contact lens solution and 8 Q tips which I recycled) I cared for these kitties for three weeks.

There is a Veterinarian in Medan, a four-hour bus ride, who operates in the evening in his free time after getting home from his regular day job. The Veterinarian profession is not a productive way of making a living in Sumatra.

I committed myself to the care of these kitties by sending them a care package of medications and anti-biotics which I have already secured thanks to the generous donations from local Veterinarians.

I am also collecting monetary donations to send for the kitties, so that they will be able to get any necessary veterinary care including spay and neutering: Mika is expecting kittens any day now.

If you would like to help Jack, Merah and Mika (and her kittens-to-be) with a monetary donation, and denomination would be so appreciated.

Cash or checks will be collected and I will wire all the monies direct to the project headquarters. (Checks should be made payable to 100 Acre Wood Wildlife with a notation “Indonesian Kitties.”)

Hernando Today staff photo by BOB EAST III

Pooh, a white-tailed deer doe, reaches through a fence for an apple treat offered by Ashanti James, 4,

Friday at 100 Acre Wood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

Ashanti and 18 classmates visited the center during a field trip.

Hernando Today

Published: November 13, 2009

Updated: 11/13/2009 06:20 pm

Head Start students visited the center to learn about the variety of animals cared for by center director Linda Christian.

A day in the wild at 100 Acre Wood