In Malaysia, the word “oyen” is used to describe ginger-colored cats, and it’s believed to have come from the word “orange.” One particular cat has been making headlines since he found a home at Zoo Negara among a herd of capybaras. If you grew up watching cartoons of Tom chasing Jerry, video footage of the cat zookeepers named Oyen cuddling or taking a snooze with capybaras might just change your thinking about the relationship between a cat and a mouse. After all, capybaras are the largest species of rodent in the world. Oyen first appeared at the zoo in 2020 and is believed to have been abandoned there, along with a few other cats. Zoo authorities didn’t have the heart to turn them away, so they decided to let the cats stay. They currently monitor their health to ensure they don’t pose a threat to the other animals. Curiously, Oyen hasn’t formed a friendship with the other felines, preferring instead to stay close to his capybara family. When it comes to humans, Oyen remains cautious and won’t allow zookeepers to hold him. Zoo officials say that 90% of visitors are coming to see Oyen, which prompted them to install signage with the word “Oyen” in front of the capybara enclosure. Zookeepers say Oyen seems to understand his celebrity status and freely strikes a pose when visitors snap his photo. As for the future, zoo officials say they’re planning to find a partner for Oyen to ensure continuity. As for the criteria for the new “wife,” there’s only one: She must be ginger-colored like him.
