Pets in the City
Having heard that I wasn’t given a rabies jab before heading out to Thailand, my daughter gave the advice, ‘Just don’t go near any cats or dogs’.
Sage but pointless words. Both of us knew that.
As time has gone on, I've been missing two things; animals and the sea. I can't do much about the latter without a bit of a journey, so I decided to find out what animal lovers did for a fix here, which to non-animal lovers will seem like an insane activity, but I found I was far from alone in buying cat treats at the 7/11 as a shameless ploy for a cat smoosh.Chiang Mai is home to many stray cats and dogs, lean and wary, so getting close to one, as well as being ill advised, is also pretty difficult.
My first stop was the Cat Station Cafe, a place which - like so many of the best cafes - is down a tiny alley and hidden away. I figured that a sanctified house cat would be an acceptable compromise to potentially rabid strays...
Cat Station Cafe
Right at the end of Sam Lan Road, Phra Sing, I saw signs of fluff. A tortoiseshell splayed out on the hot concrete, flipping its tail irritably at the flies around it. As most of the cats I’ve seen to date are feral, unless you’re in the temples, where they seem to be a little more laid back and full of Buddha love, you’re unlikely to find catisfaction.
Regardless of creed or colour, I think you can tell a cat person - from the anxious ectomorph librarian to the larger than life stray-puller; they all share a certain cat something. (Clearly just an observation in the absence of an official taxonomy of cat-lovers) This lady had that something; a relief, seeing as there were a lot of them hanging around her ankles as I ventured in. She welcomed me warmly and we chatted in our shared broken Thainglish.
The cafe was - like many cafes here - more of a front porch to their house, with no doors or windows, just a roof, from which hung a constellation of bells and trinkets, all chiming in the welcome gentle breeze. I ordered an omelette and some Thai tea, wondering what would be an appropriate period of grace before making a beeline for her pets. Just then, a huge shorthair came out of the kitchen and that was that. The owner didn’t seem to mind, although the cat did. It was clearly too hot for a sweaty pair of palms on his head. I persevered though, and eventually he gave in. Bless.
A few more cuddles, a slurp of the last dregs of frothy milk and I was good to go.
As I took my plate over to her kitchen, I thanked the owner in Thai and made a comment which I hoped was that I loved her cats.
From her laughter, I’m guessing I suggested something a whole lot less wholesome.
Temple Dogs and Cats
If you’re looking for some creature comforts in Thailand, you don’t have to look for a Cat Cafe or an ethically run elephant sanctuary (although elephants aren’t really all that cuddly, to be fair). The temples have a great many dogs and cats who are fed regularly and are therefore pretty friendly too. They wander around the temple grounds, perhaps also sensing the peace that inhabits these buildings. It’s great to visit the temples for their own sake, but it’s an added bonus if you’re missing fluff.
Friends with Benekitts
Ok, tenuous subheading, but many people here who have settled have their own pets, some deliberately, and others inherited. Rachie, a teacher living here in Chiang Mai, has settled here happily with her little kitties and is typical of so many animal lovers here who know that a home isn’t a home until you can wake up to a head-butt and a ‘feed me naaow’ yammer. I’m not suggesting that you befriend people with pets - that’s just weird; I’m just saying that many who settle here have them, so if you’re thinking of settling here, you’re not alone in finding out about pet-friendly places to rent, or best pet stores in the area from those already in the know.
Strays in Thailand
Having now been chewed on by a stray dog, I would agree with my daughter (retrospectively) to err on the side of caution and stay safe. However, animals are pretty much everywhere here. Generally, the ones who put themselves in your way, are friendly enough. You’ll find many sit outside the 7/11 stores looking for scraps and are pretty laid back. Whilst it’s sad that there are so many strays, they do seem to be left to their own devices, and looked after in part, by the community, shown by the many bowls of food and water dotted all around the city in the evening.
There are charities here, set up to help the strays, but as with all things here, communities take things upon themselves as a collective. It's clear locals don't really interact with them, but they seem kind enough to them that they have their own sleeping areas, and many look as though they've had long lives, however hard.
Gongkaew Huen Kum - Pet Friendly Resort.
Finally though, I found the answer to anyone looking to stay somewhere which offers consistent cuddles in a superb environment. Gongkaew Huen Kum. It's a really laid back resort type place in the NorthWest of the city. They have everything from dorms at 200 baht per night to apartments and three bedroom houses for a pretty penny. But they also have Yon, a pug whose snorts for cuddles are irresistible, and several cats who live there and, as cats do, suit themselves about who they give their attention to.
The open canopied area with free tea and coffee on tap, books, microwave and fridge, extends your living space dramatically. It's so comfortable that it became the meeting place for friends in the evening, with cats enjoying the company on the sofa if you want them there. They also try to sneak into your room, which of course, never happened, as it didn't with many of the other people staying here...
The staff are also amazingly friendly, Cob (Yon's owner) and Mei, amongst others, who is there each day, carrying around her beautiful little 2 year old daughter, Nila as she works. During my stay, I listened to Mei bounce back and forth competently between English, Thai, Chinese, German and even Hebrew with customers; 'I learned it from Youtube' she told me one day.
So, for animal lovers, as long as you don't sit down close to stray dogs' food bowls (note to self, post rabies injection) there are plenty of ways to enjoy fluff during an extended stay in Chiang Mai.
As for me, I've found an apartment at Gongkaew Huen Kum - a monthly let which is where I'll stay when I go back. It's round the back, in a peaceful area, frequented by Pehpeh and Yulee often.
The name? 'Meow House'. Fate.
