Oyen the cat moved in with Zoo Negara’s capybaras during the COVID-19 pandemic — and has been drawing visitors ever since.
X (Formerly Twitter) Oyen the Cat has become one of Zoo Negara’s most popular attractions, sometimes attracting twice as many visitors.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, an orange stray cat wandered into Zoo Negara, Malaysia’s national zoo, and began living among a herd of capybaras. Zoo officials aren’t entirely sure exactly when the cat moved in — but it looks like it’s here to stay.
As Insider reported, a ginger cat named Oyen has become a permanent fixture at Zoo Negara — a cat so popular that zoo vice president Rosly Rahmat Ahmat Lana says “95% of visitors come here.” just to see Oyen”.
X (Formerly Twitter) Zoo Negara was once a famous dumping ground, but as many people lost their jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they noticed an influx of abandoned wild animals.
Zoo officials believe Oyen was abandoned nearby during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, as worldwide lockdowns forced people to spend more time in their homes. This also coincided with a significant decrease in zoo revenue.
However, according to The Star , Oyen has proven to be a blessing as tourists flock to see him living happily with capybaras.
“When we first discovered him, we found him very friendly with capybaras. It will eat with them,” said senior zoo manager Mohd Taufik Yazidbustami. “At that time, we were also feeding the capybara the bread that the cat had eaten.”
It may seem like an odd couple — capybaras are, after all, the world’s largest rodent — but Oyen and capybaras appear to have formed a kind of friendship.
“The cat is very happy,” Rosly said. “Then suddenly, the public noticed that he was eating with capybaras, which was something special. Oyen has become very famous.”
X (Formerly Twitter)Some experts have expressed concern about Oyen’s relationship with capybaras, saying it could change their normal behavior. So far, however, zoo officials say the animals are happy and healthy.
Realizing that Oyen’s relationship with the capybara was attracting a lot of attention from visitors, the zoo decided to capitalize on this unique relationship through social media. Since then, many video clips recording Oyen interacting with capybaras have been widely spread, especially on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
Capybaras are highly social animals and tend to get along with most other animals, including dogs and ducks. Meanwhile, orange cats like Oyen are considered by many to be extremely friendly and cute – although a bit unintelligent.
Oyen has become such an integral part of the zoo that in June 2023, zoo officials decided to enroll him in the capybara enclosure. Now it says “Capybaras & Oyen.”
X (Formerly Twitter)Zoo staff wrote Oyen’s name on the capybara cage.
Not everyone who visits Zoo Negara is aware of Oyen’s presence before they arrive. In these cases, it seems to be a pleasant surprise for visitors.
“We didn’t know about it but it’s pretty adorable,” Seth Deister, a tourist from Seattle, told The Star . “We came here to see the capybara and the cat was just an added bonus. Living with them must be very kind, otherwise the cat would run away, right?
But although Oyen seemed to have assimilated almost immediately to the capybaras, he was not always so warm towards humans. Thankfully, he has since begun to adapt to human interaction, which is beneficial for zoo staff in monitoring the cat’s health.
In addition, zoo staff are looking for a mate for Oyen, hoping the two can mate and create a lineage of Capybara cats.
“Unlike before, Oyen is now docile and approachable,” Rosly said. “If Oyen falls ill one day, it will be easy for us to embrace and treat him.”
After reading about Oyen the cat and his unique relationship with capybaras, learn all about seven places around the world that have been completely overrun by cats. Or, read about a recent study that shows cats can actually understand humans.
