Thailand's Royal Cat Park

Khao Manee Cat

It may not be as exhilarating or dangerous as the Tiger Temple near Kanchanaburi, but cat lovers will probably love this highly unusual attraction west of Bangkok in Nakhon Pathom province. The history of these rare cats is as fascinating as the animals themselves, as reported today in the Horizon travel section of the Bangkok Post.

Cat lovers cannot resist calling mieo mieo when they encounter the feline animal at the Royal Cat Park. This cat sanctuary is located on Pin Klao-Nakhon Chaisi Highway close to Salaya District in Nakhon Pathom Province.

"It's not a museum as many people tend to think. We don't have stuffed cats or dead specimen," Mr Namdee quipped. On a 30 rai area some 177 cats are kept in a traditional Thai house. A majority of them are the 'Khao Manee' (White Jewel) species that are sheltered in decorative cages.

Before moving to their new home here, the cats were raised in a large enclosure that allowed them to roam freely. Mr Namdee, who inherited the cats from his aunt, decided to showcase them in cages, the standard practice, which makes it easier for visitors to admire them.

He stressed that while the park sheltered several species of cats, it was the Khao Manee breed that mattered most because it was also the choice of King Rama V who had nine of them.

That was 150 years ago. The king wanted to keep this breed pure so when he handed over the pets to his son Prince Chumphon Khet Udomsak he insisted to him that they were not be sold to anyone and if the prince failed to raise or breed them he shall return the cats to the palace.

The king must have been impressed by Khao Manee cats because they are the only species in the world whose eyes radiate two different colours. The prince succeeded in raising their number to 18. After him, the baton passed on to his daughter Princess Roengchit Charaeng Aphakorn who took their tally to 40.

Recalling his youth Mr Namdee, who is a nephew of Princess Roengchit, said his aunt had the habit of giving ang pao, the red envelope containing cash that elderly Chinese hand out to children every new year. While other children immediately ripped open their envelopes to find out how much money was in them, he kept his safely locked in a cabinet.

One year his aunt asked Mr Namdee how much money was in the envelope and he replied that he didn't know because he still hadn't opened it and that he was keeping it as a memorabilia. That perhaps was the reason why his aunt put him in charge of the cats.

"Actually my aunt preferred dogs to cats," he said.

His fondness for cats grew after he took charge of her aunt's pets. Mr Namdee was a pioneering film director in those days. Often he had to be away for weeks and there was no one to look after them, so he would take his pets with him, he reminisced fondly.

Colleagues in the film world and movie stars often fell for his cats. They liked their snow white fur and eyes that shone with colours emerald or golden yellow and blue. Some even offered to buy them, but Mr Namdee wouldn't oblige because that would have meant going against the wishes of King Rama V.

On his travels overseas people urged him to enter competitions after learning about his cats. And so he did, winning several of them.

"These days I'm not excited about competitions. They are not a challenge any more." he said.

In 1998 when the government launched the Amazing Thailand tourist campaign, he knew it was time to give his pets a higher public profile. He asked the Tourism Authority of Thailand for support, fittingly got it and built them a new home.

The Khao Manee population has now grown to 400 and they are all true to their breed, just as King Rama V had wished all those years ago. The conditions the monarch laid down for Prince Chumphon became his guiding principle.

Lately, he has split his stable of cats in three different locations, fearful that an outbreak similar to bird flu could wipe out his stock. Only 177 of them are on show at the park.

Every day they are ushered out of their cages for a walk under the watchful eyes of attendants to make sure they don't mate with cats other than their own breed and contaminate their lineage.

Cats are prone to cold and pneumonia. They can even be infected by humans, by their touch. Visitors want to touch and pat them but we don't encourage that. Human touch can induce stress which can lead to infection.

From experience he can handle most of the ailments that usually afflict cats, but when matters get serious he consults vets with a reputation.

"I do not hesitate to see a doctor, no matter how expensive his fees, if a cat gets sick and needs medical attention," he said.

Asked what he plans he has in store for his pets in the future, Mr Namdee said: "I have already pledged them to His Majesty."

Fitting enough. They will be returning where the first chapter of the Khao Manee saga was written 150 years ago.

The Royal Cat Park is a private cat home. Take elevated road on Pin Klao-Nakhon Chaisi route. Drive to the end of it and look for a U-turn. When you can get back to Pin Klao Nakhon Chaisi on the other side. There will be a big sign of the Royal Cat Park on your left. Follow the sign which will tell you to turn left soon. After making a left turn, the park is located on your right. It is open daily from 10am-5pm. Unfortunately, Thai and foreign visitors have different entry fees. Thais pay 50 baht while foreign tourists must pay 300 baht.

Call 09-765-6697 for more details.

Bangkok Post Horizons Link