A few years ago my family owned a meerkat. She was cute as hell, energetic and digging. Always. Digging. If you walked around barefoot, you best believe that she would claw at your toes and heels. She was inquisitive, too. If your jersey or any clothing item had a pocket, she would stick as much of her nose, head or body into it to inspect its confines. She loved grooming. She would nibble at people and animal's hairy body parts for fleas and salts. She was a wary creature, when she wasn't digging or searching she was scanning the spaces above her for predatory action. And above all, she loved power napping. She would find a cozy nook, like a lap or the crook of an old pillow, and simply flop down for a snooze.
For what it's worth, the wild animals which we've come to own as pets (like the meerkat, a warthog, some Egyptian geese, many of the crows) were never given an official name of sorts. We called our warthog 'Piggy Pigs' and our meerkat 'Gwags' (as in Nogwagwa which is an isiXhosa word for meerkat).
Personal anecdotes and observations aside, though, visiting the Meerkat Cafe was a pleasant experience. What was impressive to see was that the meerkats were comfortable, happy and had handlers who were genuinely invested in their jobs. The meerkats were playful, full of energy and inquisitive. They even scattered like real meerkats would whenever a sudden noise or 'unidentified flying object' (like some one taking off their hat, for example) 'flew 'overhead. It's a cafe with strict rules and a genuine regard emphasised on the well-beings and treatment of the animals. The whole 'giving treats' idea has not been implemented like in other pet cafes, so the animals in Meerkat Cafe interact with customers unconditionally.
Five stars for sure for the fact that I had to hold back a tear or two while being reminded of Africa.
For what it's worth, the wild animals which we've come to own as pets (like the meerkat, a warthog, some Egyptian geese, many of the crows) were never given an official name of sorts. We called our warthog 'Piggy Pigs' and our meerkat 'Gwags' (as in Nogwagwa which is an isiXhosa word for meerkat).
Personal anecdotes and observations aside, though, visiting the Meerkat Cafe was a pleasant experience. What was impressive to see was that the meerkats were comfortable, happy and had handlers who were genuinely invested in their jobs. The meerkats were playful, full of energy and inquisitive. They even scattered like real meerkats would whenever a sudden noise or 'unidentified flying object' (like some one taking off their hat, for example) 'flew 'overhead. It's a cafe with strict rules and a genuine regard emphasised on the well-beings and treatment of the animals. The whole 'giving treats' idea has not been implemented like in other pet cafes, so the animals in Meerkat Cafe interact with customers unconditionally.
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