Viral Cat 'Sea Cucumber' Becomes Wanchai Herbal Shop's Mascot, Drawing Over 100 Daily Visitors
SingTao · 1 SOURCES1 day ago4 MIN
Summary
A four-month-old female mixed-breed cat named 'Sea Cucumber' has become an internet sensation after a viral video showed it lounging on expensive sea cucumbers at a Wanchai herbal medicine shop. The cat's friendly demeanor and 'always ready for photos' attitude have turned the modest shop into a pilgrimage site for fans. Shop owner Zhuang Yaogu says the unexpected fame has boosted business by roughly 30 percent.
Key Points
- The cat, adopted from a friend's litter earlier this year, was named 'Sea Cucumber' after the expensive herbal products it was filmed lounging on
- Owner Zhuang Yaogu previously kept a cat named 'Liangliang' about 18 years ago, which passed away from old age
- The pampered feline is fed half a tael of wild cordyceps worth HK$8,800 per tael daily, in addition to wolfberries
- Daily visitors exceed 100 people, including fans from Tsuen Wan and foreign tourists,挤满店铺
- Zhuang has implemented rules restricting physical contact from unwell visitors and prohibiting outside snacks to protect the cat's health
Why It Matters
The 'Sea Cucumber' phenomenon highlights how social media can transform small local businesses into unexpected tourist destinations, reshaping Hong Kong's retail landscape in the digital age. The case also raises questions about animal welfare as the young cat faces overwhelming attention, prompting the shop to cancel scheduled meet-and-greets and consider 24-hour CCTV monitoring and GPS trackers for its protection.
The 'Sea Cucumber' phenomenon highlights how social media can transform small local businesses into unexpected tourist destinations, reshaping Hong Kong's retail landscape in the digital age. The case also raises questions about animal welfare as the young cat faces overwhelming attention, prompting the shop to cancel scheduled meet-and-greets and consider 24-hour CCTV monitoring and GPS trackers for its protection.