Vlatvlat was the name of a female Cardassian lemur that Elim Garak kept as a pet when he was a child.
Although a pet, Vlatvlat had wild instincts and would hunt in the neighborhood around Enabran Tain's home. When the creature became caught on a civil defense spire, Garak risked his life by climbing to save the animal. Tain felt Garak should not have risked his life in the attempt and locked Garak in his closet for an hour every day. Tain eventually forced Garak to kill the animal, something Garak refused to do, instead taking Vlatvlat to a wilderness reserve and released her there. Garak was punished by Tain for not killing his pet by having to be locked in his closet for two hours a day. (DS9 short story: "The Manhunt Pool")