Oyen Shares Rescue Stories: 7 cats and The Rescue Duo

Featured today with us - we have Riana and her 7 cats! 

Riana, a proud owner of 7 cats, had just gotten her kitties insured with us. And we are excited to welcome her to our Oyen fam! 

So excited that we had decided to feature her and her cats in our community story. And turns out, she’s also a pet rescuer! 

In this article, we’ll get to know more about Riana, her cats and also her journey as a pet rescuer! 

‍Tell us more about yourself, your cats and how you came about rescuing them?

One day my sister and I found a kitten trapped in the roof drainage hole at our apartment. We called JPA to come and rescue it. 

We then realised the cat was so traumatized that it was scared of any strangers and cats. So, we decided to take him home. Yes, he’s a boy! We named him Pusslu and he was only 5 months old back then.

From that day onwards we started to google and engage with vet doctors asking for various information in order to care for him. 

Then, we also started noticing strays around our apartment. So, we began feeding them too and slowly getting them TNR. (Trap-Neuter-Return). And that’s how we came about rescuing more cats! 

Share with us some interesting quirks about each of your cats and how you spend time with them.

Initially, we planned to have only Pusslu but after we started rescuing more kittens, they became very much attached to us. So, we decided to keep them too. 

Each of them is very special in their own way. They love to play and run around the house all the time. They are fully indoor pets, so everyday we allocate some time to play with them. 

Sometimes, they even like to play hide and seek in the middle of the night. Basically they are like our full time bosses!

‍What has been the toughest case that you had to manage being a rescuer?

Our toughest case was when one of our strays fell and we could not find a foster parent. So one of us had to move out to another house temporarily to treat her and provide her good care.

Have there been moments where you felt like quitting? How did you power through those moments?

Yes, many times we thought of quitting as we couldn't manage our time, budget and our own 7 cats. However everytime we encounter cats that need our attention we will straightway rescue & provide them all the necessary attention without thinking any further.

Furparent’s instinct I believe?

‍What was something that you did not expect to do as a rescuer?

To catch the strays and get all the bruises & scratches sometimes! But it is nice when they eventually become pampered and cuddly with you.

‍The best thing that came out from your rescuing journey / fondest or most memorable moment throughout this journey?

The moment when they are adopted by a lovely home. And knowing full well they are getting taken care of. That will forever be our happiest moment.

What is something that you’d like more people to know about the life behind a rescuer?

We are working full time so whenever we rescue sick cats, we have to manage our vet visits, administer medicine and feed the cats on time.

We too have bad & sad moments with our rescues.

Can you share any of your current fundraising efforts that you’d like us to spread the word about? And is there anything additional that the pet community can do to help rescuers?

We don’t have any fundraising effort for now as we handle all the expenses ourselves and sometimes with the help of our close friends. 

However, we do hope more people will come forward to rescue stray cats, contribute financially or even volunteer to foster the cats. 

It will be helpful for rescuers like us. To those who are interested to contribute or be a volunteer, feel free to contact us at @therescue.duo

What would your advice be for those who are keen to start rescuing pets as well?

Please do not worry about your time, budget or whether you are capable of being a good furparent. Everyone can do it and you’ll just need to start from somewhere :) 

Here are a few tips for you to begin with:

1. Firstly, feed the strays as they will depend on you for food. 
2. Then, bring them to the vet if you find out they are not well. 
3. Get them vaccinated or neutered if possible. 
4. If you encounter any issue or need more information, just google it or get in touch with other furparents. Or contact your vet for advice. 
   

We would also like to humbly share a few messages below: 

1. Please do not abandon your cats by the street after buying or adopting them. Do find them another home if you can’t afford to take care of them anymore.
2. Please spay/neuter your cat. If you are planning to become a cat owner, please look out for pet adoption pages or shelters near you.
3. Lastly, we hope that there will be more pet rescuers in Malaysia. Don’t be afraid of the responsibility and financial commitment. If possible, try to rescue more stray cats or find them a home. They too deserve a better life.