Live Cat Appraisal: Starting with a Beast That's Got a Long Prison Record

Chapter 253 The Strange Howl of a Hundred Cats
"riot?"

Hearing the breathless report from the person in charge of the feline area who had rushed over, even the usually calm Chen Nian couldn't help but look over curiously.

The word 'riot'.

Using this term to describe felines, which are known for their aloofness and independence, seems rather incongruous.

"This is the first time I've ever heard of zoo animals rioting."

The headmaster also shook his head: "Don't even mention you, this is the first time I've ever heard of this either!"

However, the person in charge emphasized again:

"Not all animals, Director! It's felines, only felines!"

"Just now, almost all the little creatures in the small cat exhibit, from desert cats to lynxes, from leopard cats to Pallas's cats, suddenly became restless without warning, pacing back and forth in the activity area, howling with their heads tilted back, completely out of control!"

"It doesn't even respond to the zookeeper's calls."

The person in charge said anxiously, "The zookeepers and veterinarians have both examined the animals, but they have no way of determining the cause in time."

"Director, you should go and take a look!"

The headmaster frowned.

Behind abnormal animal behavior often lie unknown factors related to the environment, health, or human intervention.

"Let's go and have a look!"

He made a quick decision, turned around and prepared to leave, but then he remembered Chen Nian.

Turning to ask, "Teacher Chen, are you coming along? Or are you staying here with Aotian?"

"Of course we'll go together."

Chen Nian glanced at Xue Aotian, who was chatting happily with Nao Nao: "Aotian doesn't need me to worry about him."

"Okay, let's go together then."

The group quickly walked toward the small feline exhibit area.

Only the nutritionist remained, analyzing the appeal of the 'hereditary cat food'.

When approaching the small feline enclosure.

Everyone immediately sensed that something was wrong.

The visitors who should have been scattered in front of different exhibition areas were now mostly gathered around the perimeter of this area, creating a bustling atmosphere.

More and more tourists are joining in after hearing the news.

Everyone's faces were a mixture of surprise and excitement, craning their necks to peer inside, looking like they were watching a spectacle.

What happened inside?

"I heard all the cats are meowing! Like wolves howling!"

"A hundred cats howling at once? Really? Go check it out!"

The kindergarten director shook his head helplessly as he watched the growing crowd.

To avoid causing unnecessary panic and commotion, he decisively led Chen Nian and Xia Qiyue around the main entrance and quickly entered the backstage area of ​​the venue through an inconspicuous staff passage on the side.

As soon as I stepped into the backstage area.

A series of loud, penetrating howls clearly reached my ears.

The sound was nothing like the usual aimless meow; it was a desperate call.

Through the internal observation windows connecting the various activity areas, everyone witnessed a surprising scene—

In almost every small feline enclosure, the little creatures that are rarely seen on ordinary days, or who prefer to hide in their dens or in the shadows, suddenly appeared all at once in the outdoor activity area.

Without exception, they all chose the highest position on the field.

You can either squat on the top of the artificial rock, lie on the branches of a dead tree, or be at the highest point of the artificial hillside.

The highland spirits, usually elegant, mysterious, or adorable, now resembled cat heads pointing to the sky, craning their necks and letting out long, persistent howls towards the dome of the venue.

The desert cat's voice is clear and sharp.

The lynx's call was deep and hoarse. The leopard cat's voice, on the other hand, possessed a unique penetrating quality, and even the Pallas's cat, with its short, stout body, emitted a loud "howl" that seemed disproportionate to its size.
The various cries intertwined, creating a unique and breathtaking 'symphony of a hundred cats'!
This scene is truly rare!
The tourists from outside had never seen such a spectacle.

Everyone was excitedly holding up their phones or cameras, and the sounds of shutters clicking and exclamations of amazement filled the air.

"My God! It really is a hundred cats howling at once! This ticket was worth it!"

What are they calling? Is something we don't know about about to happen?

"Quick, record it! This is an absolutely rare sight!"

In stark contrast to the excitement of the tourists, the staff inside the venue wore expressions of solemnity and anxiety.

The headmaster frowned even more deeply as he looked at the chaotic scene.

He immediately summoned Dr. Liu, the chief veterinarian in charge of the area.

"Old Liu, what's going on? Have you figured out the cause?"

Veterinarian Liu is a highly experienced senior expert.

At this moment, however, he also looked bitter and confused. He pushed up his glasses and said wearily, "Don't mention it, Director."

"They started doing this without warning, not long after their regular feeding time."

"The keepers tried to attract or call to them with their favorite food or toys, but they ignored them completely, making it impossible to get close enough for a physical examination, let alone any further examination."

"The fact that all the individuals behaved with such a high degree of uniformity is highly unusual!"

Xia Qiyue looked at the scene of howling that was so uniform and orderly, as if it were a ritual, and asked the headmaster curiously.

"Director, has this ever happened before? Like, pre-earthquake signs or something?"

"Absolutely not." The headmaster shook his head firmly.

The principal answered decisively.

He looked around at these little guys he knew like children, his tone certain.

“I’ve been here since the park was built. I’ve watched them come and go in batches, gradually adapting. Let alone this large-scale collective abnormal behavior, it’s rare to even see one or two animals being emotionally unstable.”

Nishino's felines have always operated in a 'laid-back' manner.

Whether tourists see it or not depends entirely on fate.

This time, the tourists clearly made a killing!
Seeing so many highland felines at once was simply dazzling for them.

"When things go wrong, there must be a monster."

The zoo director frowned: "Although they don't appear to have any obvious abnormalities in their mental state or fur appearance at present, it's hard to say whether it's some kind of potential crisis that we haven't yet detected—such as water source, air quality, or even some kind of infrasound interference. We must calm them down as soon as possible and then conduct a comprehensive check!"

The headmaster's eyes hardened.

"Since gentle recall measures have failed, for their safety, we have no choice but to take coercive measures!"

"Wait, Director!"

Just then, Chen Nian suddenly spoke up, interrupting the principal's order.

"I think I know why they did that."

Everyone's eyes were instantly focused on him.

Chen Nian walked to the desert cat's activity area with a strange expression and observed the little guy standing on a dead tree trunk, craning his neck and calling out very enthusiastically.

This little guy should be called 'Qinghai Lake', right?

At that moment, a flash of golden light appeared in Chen Nian's eyes.

【Name: Qinghai Lake (Desert Cat)】

[Status: Healthy (Extremely excited); Emotions: Anxious, Yearning]

[Note: Strong appetite detected. The target individual is attracted by the aroma of extremely high-quality food and is in a state of agitation, 'craving food but unable to eat'. (In short: craving it terribly)]

Chen Nian: "."

(Crooked-mouthed Elvis~)

(End of this chapter)