Yasinee - My stray cats

My stray cats

(Under construction)

🔴 A Lifelong Bond with Animals *By Yasinee TONGSIBJED*

My love for animals began in childhood. Among my fondest memories is my beloved dog, **“Daang”**, a loyal and intelligent companion who stood faithfully by my side throughout my youth. He was not only a wonderful friend but also a devoted guardian of our home. I cared for him deeply until his passing at the age of fourteen. That bond taught me empathy, responsibility, and the silent language of unconditional love — values that have remained with me ever since.

Although I have always had a deep affection for animals, there were long periods in my life when I could not keep pets. My early career as a **government nurse**, the demands of raising two sons, and my pursuit of higher education required complete dedication. Later, my years working abroad made pet ownership impossible, though my heart never strayed far from the companionship of animals.

When I permanently returned to Thailand in **2010**, I purchased a condominium on **Rama Nine Road, Bangkok**. It was there that I began witnessing a heartbreaking sight — **abandoned kittens and puppies** left near the building by irresponsible owners. Despite living in a modest space of about 85 square meters, I could not ignore their suffering.

Together with other residents, I began organizing efforts to **rescue, care for, and rehome stray cats and dogs**. We used our own time, energy, and personal funds to ensure that every rescued animal had a chance at a better life. Over the years, we have successfully rehomed **hundreds of stray cats and dogs**, while continuing to care for many ourselves.

This volunteer work has become a meaningful part of my life — not out of obligation, but from compassion. Each rescued animal represents a small triumph of kindness over neglect, a reminder that humanity’s gentleness is measured by how we treat those who cannot speak for themselves.

Below are a few cherished photographs of the **stray cats** I have personally cared for or helped place into loving new homes. Each one tells its own story of survival, hope, and love.

Garfield and Markie

Garfield and Taeng Tai

🔴 (2025-Feb-08) The Stray Cats of Baan Rai Lakeview: A Journey of Rescue and Resilience

When the café and restaurant section of Baan Rai Lake View permanently closed, the animals who had lived there suddenly lost their caregivers. As someone who has been deeply committed to animal welfare for years, I made the decision to relocate the surviving cats to my condominium near The Nine in Bangkok.

Today, 14 cats remain under my care, each with a story that speaks to survival, compassion, and the lasting bond between humans and strays.

(1) Yaya

Yaya is the last remaining member of the very first generation of strays from Baan Rai Lake View. Her companion, Markie, sadly drowned in the pond — a tragedy caused by the carelessness of one of my former staff members.

(2) Minnie

Minnie belongs to the third generation. She was born to Mae Suay, a stray cat who gave birth beneath a tamarind tree during a heavy rainstorm near Rama III. Minnie’s siblings — Uncle Neck, Fai, Nadech, and Beauty — all passed away from congenital immune deficiencies, leaving Minnie as the sole survivor.

(3) Garfield

Garfield is one of the F4 gang, the fourth generation born to Som-Kud, a stray who found her way under the condo and insisted on giving birth on my bed. Five kittens were born, but only four survived. Later, when I was abroad in Hong Kong, someone from the condo adopted them and moved them to Nakhon Pathom. Unfortunately, one was attacked and killed by a larger stray.

The remaining three — Garfield, Coffee, and Cartoon — grew up at Baan Rai Lake View and became beloved “welcoming ambassadors” for visiting guests. They often slept beside guests each night. One day, Coffee and Cartoon disappeared. It remains uncertain whether they were stolen or wandered into the forest like their mother, Som-Kud.

(4) The “Three-Color Trio” — Taeng Gua, Taeng Mo, and Taeng Tai

This fifth generation came from a mother stray in Phichit who died of illness shortly after giving birth. Her three kittens were hand-raised at Baan Rai Lake View. Initially, they were followers of Beauty, but after her passing, they attached themselves to Boonrod.

(5) Boonrod

Boonrod, a sixth-generation stray, was abandoned near the village waterworks beside the reservoir close to Baan Rai Lake View, when he was barely a month old. Despite the danger of stray dogs, he managed to survive and eventually found his way to my kitchen.

When first rescued, he was covered in fungal infection, fleas, and ticks. Months of care and treatment brought him back to health, and he has since become my mischievous but beloved “son.”

(6) Kai Khao (Real name: Mochi)

Mochi is the son of Pui Fai, a Persian cat originally purchased for 1,500 THB by one of my staff members, but later rehomed because her family would not allow pets. Pui Fai was sweet and gentle, with no feral instincts whatsoever — so it was shocking when she ran away into the forest while in heat, leaving two kittens behind.

I once took both kittens to receive their first vaccinations at a veterinary hospital in Sung Men. Two families adopted them, but one kitten refused to eat and constantly cried for his mother until the adopter returned him to me. That kitten was Mochi — and he has stayed with me ever since.

(7) Mae Hoo-Bit (real name: Thong-Korn)

Thong-Korn, the seventh generation, was a stray who gave birth to three kittens under a car parked beneath the condo. Her surviving sons — Thong-Yib and Thong-Yod — still live with me. Her daughter, Thong-Muan, ran away while in heat, much like Pui Fai did.

(8) The RS Trio — Jiew, Tower, and RS

This final generation of condo-born kittens were rescued from beside the RS Building on Ratchadaphisek Road. They are the last batch of strays I adopted into the condominium. (Two additional strays were rescued at Baan Rai Lake View but remained there due to space limitations in Bangkok.)

Remembered with Love

Many others have since passed away or returned to the wild. Each had their own destiny, and I have learned to accept that every life carries its own karmic journey.

Uncle Som – the first to return to the forest after relocation from Bangkok
Garfield’s mother – disappeared shortly after giving birth
Coffee & Cartoon – presumed stolen or gone feral
Uncle Neck, Fai, Nadech, Beauty – succumbed to illness despite full medical care
Markie, Folk, Johnny – accidental drowning at Baan Rai Lake View.
Thong-Muan, Pui Fai – ran away while in heat
Chen Long – an elderly stray who lived peacefully with us and passed away just one day before my return from Canada.

Reflection

Over the years, each rescue has deepened my understanding of compassion, resilience, and the fragile balance between freedom and safety in the lives of stray animals. Caring for them is not only an act of kindness — it is a lifelong commitment to their dignity and their right to exist, no matter where fate has placed them.

Kai Khao (Real name: Mochi)

Mae Hoo-Bit & Thong-Yib

Thong Yod

Taeng Gua

Taeng Mo

Taeng Tai

Jiew

Tower

🔴 (2025-March-7) Yaya — The First Generation of My Rescue Cats

Yaya was the very first stray kitten I adopted back in **2010**, the same year I had just returned to Thailand after several years abroad — though I was still frequently commuting between **Hong Kong and Bangkok** at the time.

While browsing Facebook one evening, I came across a post from a kind-hearted rescuer who had taken in **eight stray cats (two mothers and their kittens)** and was seeking permanent homes for the babies. Moved by their stories, I decided to adopt two of them — **Yaya** and **Markie**. Sadly, Markie passed away several years ago after accidentally drowning in the pond at **Baan Rai Lakeview**.

Although Yaya and Markie were not biological siblings, they grew up side by side and shared a deep emotional bond. Yaya was the gentler of the two — nurturing, patient, and protective. Whenever given a new treat or type of food, she would always let Markie eat first. Her behavior reflected not only affection but also a remarkable sense of empathy rarely seen in animals raised without a mother’s guidance.

Now, in **2025**, Yaya has grown old. Her health has begun to decline; she falls ill more frequently, eats less, and has gradually lost weight. Watching her age reminds me of the passage of time — and of how the earliest rescues often teach us the most profound lessons about love, responsibility, and the quiet dignity of life shared between humans and animals.

Yaya - the big sister

🔴 (2025-May-27) Urban Strays and Daily Feeding Practice

Around the condominium complex where I live in **Bangkok**, there is a small community of approximately **twenty stray cats**. Every evening, I provide food at about **ten feeding points** across the premises, ensuring that each cat has access to at least one safe spot to eat. This daily routine has become a quiet but essential act of compassion — one that helps these cats survive in an environment that offers little stability or care.

The stray cats in this area exhibit typical **feral behavior patterns**: they are highly independent, territorial, and wary of human contact. Most will not allow people to come closer than **three meters**, making it extremely difficult to capture them for **veterinary treatment, vaccination, or flea control**.

This situation reflects a broader challenge in **urban animal welfare management** — the delicate balance between respecting the natural autonomy of stray animals and addressing their medical and nutritional needs. Regular feeding helps maintain their health and reduces scavenging behavior, but without successful sterilization or vaccination programs, long-term population control remains a complex issue that requires both **community participation** and **systematic intervention**.