MURAL artists showcased their love for their art and animals as participants to this year's special mural painting competition by the Art in Island Museum.

Rain or shine, muralists painted their entries that highlight animal rights and welfare. The competition was from Sept. 4 to 9, 2018. The public are asked to vote for their favorite murals. Winners get not only the title (read: bragging rights) but also cash awards.

Here are some of the artists and their murals.

Bushi and Muning are the two orange tabbies painted by Edmund C. Andrade. He said his cats are a year old now. He included an ice cream cone in his mural so that those who want to have a photo with it can pretend to be holding the ice cream cone for his cat to lick. After all, Art in Island is an interactive museum, he added. 

Peace For Animals is the title of John Harold Pena's mural. He told MetroPets he wants people to realize that animals are about peace and deserve peace. 

Love for Joy is the title of Jaynard Alpuerto's mural which features several dogs and cats that together highlight certain animal rights advocacies to promote their welfare. He painted stray cats, senior dogs, handicapped dog, Aspins (asong Pinoy) and service dogs to call attention to pet overpopulation, dog meat trade, dog fighting and other problems that greatly harm animals. 

Below are other noteworthy pet-themed murals in full display for the public to enjoy outside the Art in Island Museum. 

By ALMA J. BUELVA

​Ghen Gabriel is a cat lover from Valenzuela in Metro Manila who one day stumbled upon an abandoned grey kitten in a dumpster. She decided to rescue and bring it home even though it acted quite like the kitten from hell!

Instantly Ghen called the kitten Sungit (grouchy) as it violently hissed and growled at her and repeatedly tried to attack her. Sungit was a small ball of fury—wild and ferocious like a tiger.

But Ghen was not one to give up easily. She believed little Sungit was just scared and probably traumatized so she patiently worked to win his trust and to calm him down. A series of videos she took of them documented her struggles with Sungit who obviously didn't trust humans—or anything else that moved.

On the first day, the only way Ghen could hold Sungit was by wrapping him in a towel. Sungit protested and cried vigorously even after Ghen placed him inside a cat carrier.

Ghen tried to feed Sungit, hoping food would make the little tiger less aggressive. To avoid Sungit's dangerous claws, Ghen used a chopstick to pick up and bring bits of cat food to Sungit. Unfortunately, it only seemed to aggravate Sungit's hysterical fit so that he gave Ghen's chopsticks a good karate chop that sent food flying away.

The next day, a slightly calmer Sungit could be seen cautiously drinking water from a spoon held by Ghen. To be safe, Ghen still had Sungit wrapped in a towel. As he drank, Sungit was throwing Ghen a cautionary look in case she tried something funny.

By the third day, a marked improvement in Sungit's disposition was visible. After receiving lots of love, patience and care from Ghen, Sungit's level of grouchiness was down. Ghen, who ditched using a towel for a pair of gloves, was not only able to carry Sungit close to her, she also managed to plant a kiss on his head!

​Here's a video of their hate-love relationship:

Sungit continued to react passively when she snuggled beside Ghen's pillows, occasionally moving his tail and peeking his head out. He was no longer angry at Ghen. At that moment, Ghen knew Sungit was making an important turn for the better.

Here are some of Sungit's latest photos:

​These days, Sungit has become friends with Ghen's five other cats. Ghen said the grouchy kitten she found in the dumpster is now a very affectionate and playful kitten who is also quite the big eater.

“I knew Sungit would be a good cat given the chance,” said Ghen.

So, next time anyone of us wants to tame an angry cat, remember Sungit, the real grumpy cat made moderate by love.