Asoke Cat
Asoke Cat (Thai: แมวอโศก, Maeo Asok) is the name given to a cat which formerly lived as a stray at the Asok Station of the BTS Skytrain in Bangkok, Thailand. The cat gained online fame in 2013 as it became a popular subject for commuters and passers-by to photograph and post to online social networking sites, with a Facebook page about the cat receiving up to 48,000 "likes". Asoke Cat has since been adopted by the administrator of another cat-lover Facebook page.
Biography[edit]
Asoke Cat first became a subject of attention of Thai netizens in May 2013, when users of the online photo-sharing service Instagram began posting photos of the cat to the social network. It is yellow-brown and has been likened to the cartoon character Garfield. Asoke Cat appeared to be a stray and was usually spotted at the connecting walkway between the elevated Asok BTS Station and the underground Sukhumvit Station of the MRT.[lower-alpha 1][1] According to a local vendor and a security guard, Asoke Cat had lived there for around three years before it became famous. It used to live around the MRT station before taking up regular residence at the connecting walkway. Asoke Cat was one of several stray cats living in the area, but appeared to be the most popular as a result of its cuteness and friendly nature. Train passengers and passers-by would regularly stop to feed, play with, and take photos of the cat, which was constantly present at the walkway.[2] As Asoke Cat rose in popularity, it became featured in several online social networking sites. A Facebook page dedicated to the cat was founded in May and had received around 48,000 "likes" (as of November 2013), with many people posting and sharing photos and others actively seeking to meet the cat in person.[3][4][5]
In November 2013, Asoke Cat sustained several injuries in a fight and was taken by a good Samaritan to receive medical care.[6] The person was later identified as the administrator of another Facebook page, referring to herself as "Cat Slave". She eventually announced her intention to adopt Asoke Cat, viewing adoption to be in its best interest (it had previously required several visits to the veterinarian for treatment of injuries and illness, all of which had been sponsored by individuals). The announcement triggered debate among the online community as to the whether the cat should be adopted or allowed to remain a stray. The majority opinion appeared to support the adoption. Asoke Cat now lives under Cat Slave's care at her home, along with three other cats.[5]
Notes[edit]
- ↑ The cat is named after the BTS station. Spelling differences are the result of different methods of romanisation.
References[edit]
- ↑ "Photo: 'Garfield' cat in Asoke becomes Instagram celebrity". Coconuts Bangkok. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
- ↑ ""แมวอโศก" เหมียวซุป'ตาร์ "รายงานวันจันทร์"-จากแมวดังรถไฟฟ้าสู่โลกออนไลน์". Thai Rath (in Thai). 15 July 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
- ↑ Fernquest, Jon (19 July 2013). "Strange Facebook pages of Thailand". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
- ↑ Klangboonkrong, Manta (6 September 2013). "Cats make you crazy". The Nation. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Catnapped or rescued? Asoke Cat vanishes from his throne". Coconuts Bangkok. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
- ↑ "Asoke celebrity kitty loses cat fight". Coconuts Bangkok. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
External links[edit]
- ทูนหัวของบ่าว, Facebook page of current keeper of Asoke Cat (in Thai)
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