Why do the cats on the Gilis have weird tails and tipped ears?

The cats of the Gili Islands (and other places in Asia) have funny tails: short, long, bended, curly… there’s no limit to the tail models here! You wonder who has done such cruel mistreat to them? Nobody! 

The cats are simply born with their weird tails, it’s a genetic weirdness they have. So no worries: Nobody is doing anything to the tails to make them look so strange, cut them or whatever! 

My cat Mila <3

But if you see cats with tipped ears, that means they have been spayed/neutered by the organisation called “Cats of Gili“ to get the breeding on the islands under control. A couple of times per year vets and nurses come to the island and treat the cats (and other animals in need) free of charge.  So awesome!

Mila with half a tail and Peachy are both spayed (tipped ear) thanks to Cats of Gili

Ivy with her broken tail

In addition to her broken tail Ivy also has a cleft lip which makes her look even more cute

It is necessary to mark all the desexed cats because this way people can avoid bringing the same cats to the next clinic as the mark in the ear can be easily spotted without the need to spend time catching the cats. This is a common procedure all over the world where this kind of spay/neuter projects are done. Cats do not suffer from the ear marking, they are sleeping/narcotized when it’s done. 

via catsofgili.com

 If you want to support this awesome project then please visit the cat shop next to Egoiste on the main road on Gili Trawangan. 
They are open Mon. - Sat. from 12:30 till 15:30 and you can buy cat food and also cute collars for your cat at home. As a non-profit organization they are happy about any kind of donations, like old clothes and books and of course money to buy medicine and food for the sick cat patiens during the cat clinics or at the Lutwala dive cat hospital where sick and hurt cats are treated free of charge all year round.

As a resident I am very glad and thankful for this awesome work. They helped me many times treating my sick cats, I could let them vaccinate here and they are always here for advise!
 
If you want to help out aswell and you are not on the island it is also possible to donate online over Paypal. Cats of Gili have more information about it on their website, so please klick here.

via catsofgili.com

 

This article was published in cooperation with Cats of Gili. Terima kasih and meeooow <3