In a Beijing community, a stray cat named King Cat has undergone a remarkable transformation from a once a fearsome feline that intimidated both cats and dogs alike, to become a beloved member of the community.
The cat's dramatic turnaround was the result of concerted efforts from local residents who contacted the 12345 Beijing hotline.
The story was aired in an episode of the documentary "Hotline Beijing" released on Monday by China Global Television Network (CGTN).
Two years ago, King Cat's domineering presence into Chaoyang District's Xiaoguan Sub-district earned it the nickname "Bad Boy".
"The neighborhood dogs turn tail and run when they see him. To put it bluntly, he's a big bully. We call him Bad Boy," said Wu, a cat lover living in the neighborhood.
"Another cat, from the 33rd community, would regularly come to our neighborhood. When King Cat saw it, he'd stand on the windowsill,loudly meowing," she added.
Residents faced escalating issues as the feline bullied both animals and humans. To prevent accidents, they reached out to the Beijing 12345 Citizen Hotline, prompting swift community action.
Community director Wei Juanjuan took lead in the mission, which was challenging in several aspects.
"The residents called 12345. And 12345 got the community involved. What should we do about this cat? First, we couldn't harm it. Second, we couldn't let it harm people. Third, we had to do something about the noise," she said.
To tackle these challenges, the community enlisted the help of Wu, a passionate animal advocate with over a decade of experience caring for strays. She proposed a humane solution: neutering King Cat.
Neutering is widely used in the West for dealing with stray cats, Wu explained.
This led to the formation of a specialized capture team, which included hiring a professional animal anesthetist to facilitate the operation.
After months of preparation, the team finally succeeded in capturing King Cat during a carefully orchestrated effort.
"Once I was ready, I began calling the strays. King Cat strolled over from the flowerbed, lazily making its way to the carport. The anesthetist found the right angle and—whoosh!—hit its butt. It ran about fifty or sixty meters before collapsing. The anesthesia was taking effect," Wu recounted.
Following its successful capture, King Cat was transported to the clinic for neutering.
"After he was captured, King Cat was taken away to be operated on. Some cat lovers took care of him. The resident who had called 12345 was delighted. They even sent an honorary banner to say thank you," said the community director.
Three months later, the cat returned to the community, markedly calmer and more sociable.
"The community handled the situation very well. The issue between residents and stray animals was resolved. We are now living peacefully together. Previously, you'd never have dreamt of touching King Cat," Wu said.
Beijing Hotline turns stray cat into beloved companion
