R.I.P. Möfzi - Our sweet, old lady is dead

Today I visited the mob and had the opportunity of asking one of the keepers during feeding time, if Möfzi had died. The answer was positive :-(

The first two weeks in February were bitter cold and as I had already written in January, Möfzi was very frail and had been suffering from health troubles. I do not know her exact day of death, but I will ask the main keeper in charge of the mob, when I see him.

I had been thinking about her often during this period of cold and snow.
Möfzi was ancient, between 13 and 14 years. I hope she had an easy death without any suffering and simply fell asleep and did not wake up again.

Another mystery to be solved is that Snoutie has been missing since about mid-January.
I do not know what happened to him, hopefully not another sad death, he was only a little more than 3 years old and always happy and healthy.

So this leave the mob down to 5 members: Flatears, Stubby Tail, Orlok, Caruso and Sayuri.

I still have to remove the pics from my camera, it looks like the two girls are fighting again.
Stubby Tail had some mysterious fluff in his fur, which look dirty and matted in this place, maybe a wound maybe just some wet dirt where the fluff got stuck.

The three males left will be 10 years old some time this summer.
I wonder what will happen to the mob, as non of the males is interessted in any of the females.

R. I. P. Jolly Roger, King of Hearts

I have very bad news for you. The kats' keeper informed us that Jolly Roger died a couple of days ago. They have an autopsy performed on him, as they do not know what caused his death.

In the morning he was still alive and well and had also been fed and seen eating, but in the afternoon he was found dead in the enclosure.

About two weeks ago I wrote about the trouble at our "Royal Court" with Jolly Roger and Möfzi being chased away by Stubby Tail and Orlok.

As I had tons of work these last two weeks with everybody doing their Christimas shopping @ my-meerkat and thus no time to visit, I do not know, what had happened in the meantime.

But throughout the week I had a very bad feeling that something might have happened and I spent a lot of time thinking about the kats.

Möfzi still looks pretty disturbed and depressed, and she also has some minor health issue, her tail has some bald patches which have lost their skin, but she is treated currently.

Stubby Tail in particular is still chasing her from time to time, but during the second feeding turn, Möfzi sat right in the middle of the feeding bowl and growling at everybody who tried to snatch food away from her.

It does not look like Stubby Tail is interested in Möfzi, though, but he shows all kinds of dominance display without any real plan behind it. I guess, it won`t be long, until she is back in charge. Flat Ears might turn out to be her next partner, but who knows.

R. I. P. sweet little King, you will always have a place in our hearts!

left: Jolly Roger, right: Möfzi, Summer 2007

left back: Swingkat, right front: Jolly Roger, March 2006