Cat vs. chants: Friendly feline tests Buddhist monk's patience

[rooster59]

Cat vs. chants: Friendly feline tests Buddhist monk's patience

By Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Jiraporn Kuhakan

 

A temple cat clings to buddhist monk during solemn Buddhist prayers for the new year, in Bangkok, Thailand December 31, 2019 in this picture taken from social media video. COURTESY FLASH NOPHAYONG SOOKPHAN/via REUTERS

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai temple cat's bid for affection during five-hour-long New Year prayers was enough to test the patience of a Buddhist monk as he tried to maintain his chanting concentration.

 

Video of the saffron-robed monk gently trying to push away the cat that crawled into his lap has delighted Thais who viewed the footage on a temple follower's Facebook page.

 

Respect for all living beings is a key tenet of Buddhism, practised by about 95% of Thailand's population.

 

After several attempts to repel the cat - who climbed up his saffron-coloured robe, kneaded his shoulder and blocked the view to his scripture book - the monk finally gave up and started petting the furry intruder.

 

"I was trying to read the book. But I was more focused on the cat," said the 25-year-monk, who uses the monastic name Luang Pi Komkrit Taechachoto.

 

 

The cat's antics also drew a stern side-eye from a more senior monk seated adjacent to it at Wat Udomrangsi, a temple on the outskirts of Bangkok where the cat is known to be a regular visitor.

 

Nophayong Sookphan, who took the video, said the cat jumped on stage at around 15 minutes to midnight and wouldn't leave until after the countdown to New Year's Day.

 

She originally posted the video on a public Facebook group named "Cats' Slaves", and it was soon reposted on different pages. The footage has gained around 300,000 views collectively and was also replayed on Thai TV.

 

Thailand has a tradition of free-roaming cats at its many Buddhist temples. Wat Udomrangsi is home to at least a dozen stray cats, who are fed by devotees each day, Komkrit said.

 

"They're all fat," he added.

 

(Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Jan Harvey)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-01-04

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[Chazar]

Ah the latest new moronic pet  craze........  CATS, just when you think its  too  much with the  dogs youll see  cats now spreading rapidly  along with pigeons due to the  amount of cretins feeding them, Hoping for some nasty disease to maybe bring them to their sense but i am sure nothing will change as they are too  dumb to realise or  care  about all the problems these unnecessary animals  bring.

Having once had to clear someones  house in the UK of pigeons it is  the most disgusting thing Ive ever  done....pigeon <deleted> about 12  inches  thick over the entire loft space flying  rats  no  less.

Then the cats  will of course decimate whats left of   the local wildlife that hasnt  been  poisoned by  inappropriate  use of chemicals.

Even more amazing are the stupid farangs who feed these  animals and theres  plenty of them

[George Bowman]

34 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand has a tradition of free-roaming cats...

Speaking of cats, there was an article in the local paper awhile back...

Edited January 4, 2020 by missoura

[Chazar]

45 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Respect for all living beings is a key tenet of Buddhism

Gawd  the nonsense they spout  is  incredible,  none  of them of  course eat  fish meat etc etc

[Dumbastheycome]

1 hour ago, Chazar said:

Ah the latest new moronic pet  craze........  CATS, just when you think its  too  much with the  dogs youll see  cats now spreading rapidly  along with pigeons due to the  amount of cretins feeding them, Hoping for some nasty disease to maybe bring them to their sense but i am sure nothing will change as they are too  dumb to realise or  care  about all the problems these unnecessary animals  bring.

Having once had to clear someones  house in the UK of pigeons it is  the most disgusting thing Ive ever  done....pigeon <deleted> about 12  inches  thick over the entire loft space flying  rats  no  less.

Then the cats  will of course decimate whats left of   the local wildlife that hasnt  been  poisoned by  inappropriate  use of chemicals.

Even more amazing are the stupid farangs who feed these  animals and theres  plenty of them

Given that there are many native variations of felines in the wild that are as likely to kill any domestic breed of cat I doubt the many domestic  breed that exist already pose much of a threat to wildlife. The number feral cats that are killed  by dogs in urbanized areas also limits any proliferation. Cats that are  domestic or feral also have a significant impact on rats and mice. IMO pigeons are somewhat irrelevant to the topic.

 

 

[NCC1701A]

3 hours ago, Chazar said:

Ah the latest new moronic pet  craze........  CATS, just when you think its  too  much with the  dogs youll see  cats now spreading rapidly  along with pigeons due to the  amount of cretins feeding them, Hoping for some nasty disease to maybe bring them to their sense but i am sure nothing will change as they are too  dumb to realise or  care  about all the problems these unnecessary animals  bring.

Having once had to clear someones  house in the UK of pigeons it is  the most disgusting thing Ive ever  done....pigeon <deleted> about 12  inches  thick over the entire loft space flying  rats  no  less.

Then the cats  will of course decimate whats left of   the local wildlife that hasnt  been  poisoned by  inappropriate  use of chemicals.

Even more amazing are the stupid farangs who feed these  animals and theres  plenty of them

"Hi."

[zydeco]

The Pope would probably have strangled the cat. 

[neeray]

A well trained cat can be easy to care for.

[ireckonso]

4 hours ago, Chazar said:

Ah the latest new moronic pet  craze........  CATS, just when you think its  too  much with the  dogs youll see  cats now spreading rapidly  along with pigeons due to the  amount of cretins feeding them, Hoping for some nasty disease to maybe bring them to their sense but i am sure nothing will change as they are too  dumb to realise or  care  about all the problems these unnecessary animals  bring.

What a sad angry person. 

[Nyezhov]

21 minutes ago, ireckonso said:

What a sad angry person. 

Yes over a totally cool video that should bring a smile to everyones face as just another cool thing happening the history of humanity.

 

Some folks would rather watch car crashes, I get it. My life is wonderful and that vid was funny. How are you all getting along?

[30la]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

 

Respect for all living beings is a key tenet of Buddhism, practised by about 95% of Thailand's population.

This is absolutely not true!

[Suua]

I much prefer cats to humans to be honest....

[Fred white]

I lost concentration on my drink when a girl put her kitty in my face ????

[RichardColeman]

Clever monk would have said it was the reincarnation of a famous deceased monk and asks for alms for the blessing

[Chazar]

10 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Cats that are  domestic or feral also have a significant impact on rats and mice. IMO pigeons are somewhat irrelevant to the topic.

nonsense https://gothamist.com/news/study-confirms-cats-arent-that-into-catching-rats

Cats just another  pest like pigeons, theres  the relevance, let me  guess Thai cats  are  different

https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms2380

Edited January 4, 2020 by Chazar

[Chazar]

7 hours ago, ireckonso said:

What a sad angry person. 

You  know  nothing about me,  keep  guessing.

[metempsychotic]

12 hours ago, Chazar said:

Ah the latest new moronic pet  craze........  CATS, just when you think its  too  much with the  dogs youll see  cats now spreading rapidly  along with pigeons due to the  amount of cretins feeding them, Hoping for some nasty disease to maybe bring them to their sense but i am sure nothing will change as they are too  dumb to realise or  care  about all the problems these unnecessary animals  bring.

Having once had to clear someones  house in the UK of pigeons it is  the most disgusting thing Ive ever  done....pigeon <deleted> about 12  inches  thick over the entire loft space flying  rats  no  less.

Then the cats  will of course decimate whats left of   the local wildlife that hasnt  been  poisoned by  inappropriate  use of chemicals.

Even more amazing are the stupid farangs who feed these  animals and theres  plenty of them

Cats are a new thing?

 

Perhaps it is time to check your sources.

[khaowong1]

8 hours ago, ireckonso said:

What a sad angry person. 

I was thinking the same thing.  

[khaowong1]

I cracked up the way the older monk was giving the cat the stink eye.  ha ha ha 

[Dumbastheycome]

2 hours ago, Chazar said:

nonsense https://gothamist.com/news/study-confirms-cats-arent-that-into-catching-rats

Cats just another  pest like pigeons, theres  the relevance, let me  guess Thai cats  are  different

https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms2380

Cats kill rats. They rarely  eat them.

Not sure where your attitude  is  derived from but  It is  yours.

Enjoy  your position of  negativity.

Incidentally I have no great liking for pigeons . But it is  remarkable that pigeons  breast feed their  young.  Were you  bottle  fed?

I also  have  3  very entertaining  house  cats. No pigeons.

Edited January 4, 2020 by Dumbastheycome

[Gee Ku]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, all the temple cats are fat. So also the temple monks.

[Chazar]

6 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Cats kill rats. They rarely  eat them.

Not sure where your attitude  is  derived from but  It is  yours.

Enjoy  your position of  negativity.

Incidentally I have no great liking for pigeons . But it is  remarkable that pigeons  breast feed their  young.  Were you  bottle  fed?

I also  have  3  very entertaining  house  cats. No pigeons.

They do the same with birds and amphibians but  cat  lovers  will  only  ever tell you  how  good  cats are, your  cheap shot at breast feeding is  just that but  being as Im 50 odd  you can work out if I was  bottle  or breast fed, negativity and facts, hard  to swallow for some........the  only good  thing is  your  cats are house  cats where they cant destroy  wildlife.

[Chazar]

8 hours ago, metempsychotic said:

Cats are a new thing?

 

Perhaps it is time to check your sources.

The  HUGE increase in cats IS a  new  thing in Thailand, they are  appearing everywhere.

[Chazar]

7 hours ago, khaowong1 said:

I was thinking the same thing.  

But  nothing to add except about me,  no mention of  the destruction excess cats  bring in Thailand to wildlife. anything............

[Chazar]

8 hours ago, metempsychotic said:

Cats are a new thing?

The massive "increase"  in the cat population is a new  thing hence the use of the word "craze".

You rarely  saw a  cat  locally by me years ago now they are everywhere,  like the dogs  they are the perfect lazy owners  pet although even the dog  owners  here are generally  bone  idle.

[RJRS1301]

14 hours ago, Suua said:

I much prefer cats to humans to be honest....

As long as they have been neutered, the cats I mean, although>>>>

[RJRS1301]

26 minutes ago, Chazar said:

The massive "increase"  in the cat population is a new  thing hence the use of the word "craze".

You rarely  saw a  cat  locally by me years ago now they are everywhere,  like the dogs  they are the perfect lazy owners  pet although even the dog  owners  here are generally  bone  idle.

I wonder how it would go if a bylaws required all persons with dogs or cats are required to have them neutered unless you are a registed breeder?

Probably like a lot laws in the Kingdom

Edited January 4, 2020 by RJRS1301

[RJRS1301]

30 minutes ago, Chazar said:

They do the same with birds and amphibians but  cat  lovers  will  only  ever tell you  how  good  cats are, your  cheap shot at breast feeding is  just that but  being as Im 50 odd  you can work out if I was  bottle  or breast fed, negativity and facts, hard  to swallow for some........the  only good  thing is  your  cats are house  cats where they cant destroy  wildlife.

Only if they never go outside unless contained in a cat run externally

 

[lamyai3]

21 hours ago, rooster59 said:

After several attempts to repel the cat - who climbed up his saffron-coloured robe, kneaded his shoulder and blocked the view to his scripture book - the monk finally gave up and started petting the furry intruder.

 

"I was trying to read the book. But I was more focused on the cat," said the 25-year-monk,

One of the greatest challenges faced by the monkhood during it's long history has been how to avoid getting distracted by pussy.

[RJRS1301]

9 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

One of the greatest challenges faced by the monkhood during it's long history has been how to avoid getting distracted by pussy.

????