Stray cats fed by police in Perak
Stray cats practicing social distancing during Movement Control Order
Image adapted from: @iloveyouIPOH
With Malaysians being stuck at home during this period of Movement Control Order (MCA), the stray animals that usually roam the streets are left to fend for themselves. Luckily for them, there are still plenty of kind souls who are determined not to let anyone – human or animal – go hungry during this trying time.
One of them is a police officer from Telok Batik, Perak who was pictured feeding about 15 stray cats in a neighbourhood park. It wasn’t just his act of kindness that made these photos go viral online though, it was how he made sure to enforce social distancing on these adorable furballs.
Social distancing for stray cats too
A Twitter user named @iloveyouIPOH shared a series of photos of the unnamed police officer’s good deed. He was then hailed as a hero among Malaysian animal-lovers shortly after. The post quickly blew up in the Twittersphere with over 16,000 retweets and 15,000 likes in just a day.
Image credit: @iloveyouIPOH
The cats in the photos appeared to be 1-metre apart from one another as they formed one long line across the sidewalk. The police officer had strategically placed handfuls of dry cat food on the pavement, and the cats were compliant enough to stick to the 1-metre rule while they feasted.
The policeman stood by the side as he kept an eye on the cats
Image credit: @iloveyouIPOH
Netizens comment on the odd yet amusing sight
Most Malaysians have a soft spot for animals, which is why people feeding strays is a pretty common sight here. But seeing cats practicing social distancing during MCO is certainly a first.
Netizens were quick to comment at the amusing sight, and one of them was Twitter user @hanief_ramli.
His comment in Malay can be translated to “These cats are so disciplined. They’re being so orderly by keeping their distance. My cats, on the other hand, it doesn’t matter if I provide them with 10 feeding bowls because they’ll still insist on crowding the last bowl. They’re such greedy cats.”
Image adapted from: @hanief_ramli
This Twitter user called out the handful of errant Malaysians who weren’t observing MCO and said, “It’s difficult to teach humans, so might as well teach the cats instead”.
Image adapted from: @aiichiii
Stray cats practice social distancing
In a time like this when our social media feed is constantly flooded with worry and frustration about the COVID-19 pandemic, coming across heartening news can help us keep a smile on our faces until these tough times are through.
These cats are also a reminder that we should be practicing social distancing at all times. After all, if cats can do it, then we Malaysians shouldn’t be coming up with any more excuses for our behaviour.
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