Gorilla Cries Over Kitten: The Story Behind Koko and All Ball

The story of beloved gorilla Koko and kitten All Ball is one of the most heart wrenching examples of an interspecies bond. Beyond the tragic climax of Koko learning about her little friend’s demise, lesser-known details shed light on intriguing facets of the relationship. From a rejected Christmas present to a surprising means of Koko grieving, this famous gorilla’s life poses a timely question for all pet owners: just how deep can be the bond between two creatures?

A Gorilla Who Asked for a Real Cat

Koko was born on July 4, 1971, at the San Francisco Zoo.. Later, a team of researchers worked with her so she could communicate using hand gestures. This effort was led by psychologist Francine Patterson. As time passed, Koko was recognised for using signs to ask for things, name items, and talk to the people who cared for her every day.

While many short videos feature only the most prominent details of a heartrending story involving Koko and a cat, one vital page is missing – the long process preceding the adoption. According to the post published by the Gorilla Foundation, Koko had asked for a cat for a Christmas gift in 1983. However, she received a plush gift instead of a real cat and showed her disapproval of the jelly-like surprise.

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When the time to pick a birthday gift came in 1984, Koko got a chance to make a choice. She picked a gray-and-white tailless kitten from the litter and named him All Ball. The name was appropriate considering the round shape of the cat’s body that reminded a ball.

The Unusual Friendship Behind the Famous Photos

All Ball was not just a toy for Koko to play with. According to Koko’s caretakers, the cat became integrated into the gorilla’s life, was carried on her body, had his hair stroked and received maternal affection from Koko.

Their bond had its playful moments as well, as All Ball would sometimes wiggle free or bite Koko’s skin hard when she had enough of his fussing. Koko supposedly responded to such kittenish behaviour with signs of annoyance.

Therefore, the details of the bond between Koko and All Ball make this relationship more fascinating than the viral photos suggest. Koko desired All Ball to be a part of her life just as the kitten wanted to become a part of Koko’s world.

The Morning Everything Changed

In December 1984, All Ball walked off the compound and was struck by a car, dying instantly. In her recollection, Patterson mentioned that she was surprised to learn of the incident and that she was, in fact, shocked to hear the news.

Patterson narrates that she informed Koko that her kitten was killed and that she would never see her little friend again. Initially, Koko seemed unaware of what Patterson was trying to say.

About ten minutes after the gorilla was told the sad news, she started vocalising loudly and making high-pitched noises. Patterson and her team realised that the sounds meant Koko was distraught and upset. At that moment, Patterson could not help crying as well.

Perhaps the most remarkable detail concerns the events that occurred three days after the tragedy. When asked by Patterson whether she wanted to talk about her kitten, Koko responded with a single word, “Cry”, using sign language. Additionally, during the same conversation, she signed “Blind” and “Sleep cat”, as per the published account by Patterson.

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The utterances were significant to the story of Koko and All Ball because they demonstrated that the loss of her kitten affected Koko deeply and long after the sad event. However, it is unclear what depth of understanding of the tragedy was present in Koko’s mind when she expressed her feelings with the described gestures. In any case, the signs were carefully interpreted by those familiar with Koko’s signing, so her feelings were not mistaken for mere feline affection.

The Lesser-Known Detail: Grief Cannot End With One Day

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the story of Koko and All Ball concerns what happened after the initial loss. According to the post published by the Gorilla Foundation, Koko remained sad about her kitten and responded sadly to photos of grey cats that reminded her of All Ball. Moreover, the Foundation notes that Koko continued to have feline friends in her life after All Ball, suggesting that Koko’s love was not limited to one cat.

Such a detail adds a new meaning to the famous quote about cats having nine lives because Koko’s affection and grief continued to affect her life after the loss of her kitten. The story of Koko and All Ball contains a crucial ethical message as well, namely the need to ensure the well-being of pets in the care of people. The sudden death of All Ball serves as a sombre reminder that pet ownership is a serious commitment. A cat’s life can be abruptly ended due to the carelessness of a human, while his or her own life can be unnecessarily prolonged after an accident.

Why Koko’s Story Still Matters

In 1985, Patterson, along with the photographer Ron Cohn, published the book titled Koko’s Kitten. The book served as a useful tool in promoting general knowledge about the fascinating creature and advancing the cause of encouraging interspecies communication.

Koko passed away in June 2018, at the age of 46, but her relationship with All Ball remains one of the most prominent stories in her life.

We may only guess about the depth of Koko’s understanding of the loss of her kitten. Her signs of distress, along with continued references to her kitten and subsequent relationships with other cats, contribute to the growing body of evidence behind the emotional depth of pets’ feelings.

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Sometimes, the most remarkable part of the story about Koko and All Ball concerns the relationship between a gorilla and a cat that affected both of them. And when Koko stated “Cry,” the world gained a sobering lesson about the depth of beings’ feelings that can go beyond one species. It tends to show what they want.