Koko's a good "Mommy Cat."

[rose_cat]

Koko is a forty-one-year-old lowland gorilla who has been communicating through sign language since she was a baby. She likes to keep kittens as her pets, and has had several over the years.


Here she is with her very first kitten, a Manx which she adopted in 1984 and named "All Ball."



Sadly, All Ball got out and was hit by a car five months later. Koko appeared to miss, and to grieve for, her lost pet.


Here's Koko holding Tigger.



Tigger was part of a litter that came to visit in April of 2012. She didn't adopt any of them, though.

Another kitten visit, from October of 2011.

A few months later, Koko made her decision. Here she plays with her new kittens, Tiger and Blackie.

Comments

[rose-cat.livejournal.com]

I took a college class on animal intelligence and we read The Education of Koko. (Yes, I'm old as dirt ;D ) Also, this: Scientists unlock animal intelligence It's a fascinating field.

[rainshinehyena.livejournal.com]

That actually sounds quite interesting. I would love to check that out. OuO
(Thank you for sharing that information with me, by the way. I love to learn about new stuff like that.)