Marik. Incident history from September 7 (closed)
Last updated Thursday, September 10, 2026, 10:34.
>>>>>>>> Start of original message.
Monday, September 7, 2026
I took this photo yesterday, Monday, September 7, 2026, at 17:42 local time. I confess, I didn’t notice right away. The kitty has a wet beard, funny (not).
There is nothing funny about unusual behavior in a cat. Any cat owner knows that. But, mea culpa, not even a twitch.
These two photos were taken yesterday, September 7, at 19:14 local time. That’s when I sounded the alarm. The cat has been lying face-down in the water bowl for an hour and a half. That is not normal.
Then came (unsuccessful) attempts to find the zoo staff member on duty, direct messages (unanswered) in the zoo’s Telegram channel.
Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Today, Tuesday, September 8, 2026, I came to the zoo at opening time. Went inside when it opened at 8:00. Twelve minutes later I was at the spot and saw this.
Photo taken on September 8, 2026 at 08:14 local time.
At around 08:20, I managed to find the keeper and draw her attention to the cat’s condition. The keeper immediately took several pictures and sent them somewhere. She promised me that the veterinarians would examine the cat.
I made a round of the zoo’s manuls, said hello to the leopards and lynxes. At around 09:10 I returned to Marik’s enclosure. There were two veterinarians with him. One was holding the cat wrapped in a towel on the roof of the house; the other had a syringe in her hand. I was politely but firmly told:
— Please move along.
The neighboring enclosure was empty; Zhora was hiding. In the next one, little Adél and Zhora’s kitten was lounging in a hammock. I talked to him while glancing through three mesh walls at Marik’s enclosure.
A few minutes later, by 09:20, the veterinarians went into the woods behind the enclosures. In Marik’s enclosure, neither the cat nor the water bowl was visible. One large pine branch from those hung for Marik on his climbing logs was lying on the sand.
Time was running out, so I had to leave. Fortunately, we managed to make arrangements and carve out some time for a return visit to the zoo. The plan was to wait for feeding time and see whether Marik would be given food.
I took up my observation post a little after 14:50. At around 15:30, a self-propelled cart arrived at the enclosure carrying a plywood crate with rope handles and thick protective gloves in the back. At 15:34, Marik was taken out of the house and placed in the crate. At 15:35, the cart drove off, taking the cat away from public view.
That is all I know.
If you are visiting the Novosibirsk Zoo, please pay attention to the freestanding half-sphere enclosure farthest to the left (if you are facing the manuls). One day our beloved cat may return there.
<<<<<<<< End of original message.
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Today, on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at 11:39 local time, in the Telegram chat of the Manulization channel, user Vera reported:
— So, the staff apparently went into Marik’s enclosure.
At 11:44 local time, information was received that the zoo staff had the same plywood crate with them, and someone was moved from it into the house in Marik’s enclosure.
I headed to the site a little after noon. At 12:52 I bought a ticket, entered the zoo, and went to the manul alley. I arrived there a little after 13:00 local time.
At 13:10 I reported in the chat that there was no water bowl visible in Marik’s enclosure. Note: this does not mean there is no water in the enclosure; the bowl may be inside the house. At 13:23 Vera reported in the chat that one of the zoo employees had asked the others to wait while she poured water.
By feeding time, there were already two of us observing the manuls.
When the animals were fed at around 15:40, the keeper gave special food directly into the house in Marik’s enclosure.
At around 16:10, the keeper and a veterinarian entered Marik’s enclosure; they carried out some kind of procedures inside the house.
At around 16:40 local time, we left the alley.
Thursday, September 10
At around 09:20 local time, veterinarians came to Marik’s enclosure.
The cat was taken out of the house, and some procedures were performed on him.
I am sure this is Marik.
Update at 09:43. A little later, they came for Marik with a crate and took him away from public view at 09:41.
Update at 10:31. During the veterinary examination at 9:20+, the zoo deputy director came to Marik’s enclosure. She asked the veterinarians questions. I believe that tracking the further development of events is pointless; the situation is clearly under control at the very top.
All that remains is to wait and hope.
Comments 32
Bandit, hang in there! 🙏🙏🙏
Dear little house spirit. Get well soon!
Thank you for letting the keeper know when you noticed that something was wrong with Marik! Let’s hope everything will be all right with the kitty...
Now it’s clear, with the context. A photo alone didn’t say that Marik had been sitting in that pose by the bowl for 1.5 hours. In principle, even healthy manuls get messy with food and milk.
Thank you for letting the keepers know. It’s sad that they didn’t notice this condition themselves, because even in Marik’s May–June photos it was already visible that the fur on his nose was peeling off...
Дарья, By the time we were discussing under the photo, the cat had sat with its face in the bowl for approximately 32:14 - 17:42 = 32:14 - 18:00 + 00:18 = 14:14 + 00:18 = 14:32, fourteen and a half (sic!) hours.
I apologize for replying rather sharply under the photo. I could use some pills for my nerves. For nerves! (censored)!! For NERVES!!!
Pavel Burov, Thank you for all your efforts and doing the right thing!!! I really really hope that the poor guy will get better.
At first I thought I don't know him well, but from Анна's comment, I learned he is many manul lover's favorite, Bandit.
No matter if I know him well or not, I hope he'll get well soon🙏
Pavel Burov, It’s nothing. If only they could help Domovyonok 😞
Thank you for noticing that I’m not feeling well! Please get better and come back.
How could this happen... Poor thing, I hope he gets better😭😭😭
The photos of the cat, frozen in place with frightened eyes and an all-too-wet little face, look very eerie...
Thank you for your vigilance and for managing, with great difficulty, to get through to the staff. If I were in your place, I’d be shaking and convulsing in hysterics from helplessness...
Oh God, please let them make it in time🙏🙏🙏
Pavel, thank you!
Marik, little one, come back, we love you and are waiting for you. Merciful cat gods, help the little sunshine!
Poor little one...
I really want to hope for the best🙏
Oh please please please be well, Marik! 💔 I'm so glad you were able to alert the keepers to his change in behavior. Hopefully, that means they can treat him. 🙏🙏
Pavel, thank you for your kindness and your persistence in seeking help for Marik. Well done. I hope he will pull through ok.
Thank you for your concern! It’s surprising that the keepers themselves didn’t notice this
dixi, The keepers finish work before Marik came out after eating. They had no chance until morning.
In the grand scheme of things, all my involvement came down to fussing and persistently speeding up by a few (maybe dozens of) minutes the moment when "they noticed the problem and called the vets".
Dear little Marik, please get well soon!!! 🙏🙏🙏 We love you and are waiting for you so much! ❤️❤️❤️ How fragile Miina’s children are!
Marik, get well soon and enter the mating season with renewed strength and charm
Thank you for helping Marik! Please feel better soon manul 🙏🙏🙏
Any ideas why the cat was behaving like that?
He has a smoking area and a toilet right there nearby.
Could there be a connection here?
Nebelbergen, There are lots of possibilities here... Some kind of irritation, something was itching, it was itchy. So Marik took refuge in water. Or maybe it was a bite from some insect.
I hope it’s nothing serious...
Pavel, thank you so much for your kindness, attentiveness, and selflessness! You do so much for the manuls! And you do so much, introducing us to them
What a harrowing story. Hope Marik feels better soon. Thank you so much, Pavel, for your kindness and attention.
Thank you for paying attention to his condition! You might have saved him! I hope he's getting better soon! ❤️🩹💗
Nebelbergen, I was thinking maybe something like kidney issues or diabetes that could be making him want to drink a lot of water. (Though I don't even know if manuls can get diabetes!) Whatever it is I hope it's treatable and Marik is back with us soon. 💚💚
Thank you so much, Pavel!
Bandit, get well soon!
Always thought of Bandit and Bayun as the cinnamon brothers from the color they turned in their first winter. Love you Marik (Bandit), good luck and recover quickly.
Thanks for the updates!
Thanks for the news!
Hoping that the fact that he seems to be back in his house is a good sign! 🙏🙏
Дарья, Hi! Could you point with a finger to where, in the May or June photos, it’s visible that Marik’s nose is losing fur?
Pavel Burov, I think I get it. If you look at the photos in sequence from the beginning of May to the end of June, you can see how a strip of skin without fur is growing on the nose.
Please get well soon, dear Marik Banditushka! 🙏