When Akhila Ravikumar takes out her suitcase to pack, her sulking cat climbs right into it to register a protest. “Looking after cats is a total delight,” she says. Dismissing the myth that they are not as loving as dogs, she uses this example to show that they are deeply attached to their owners.
Akhila feels that they make ideal pets for working couples. While they are self-sufficient, they thrive on quality time with their humans. She refers to her playful female cat who runs and fetches a toy mouse and asks to be played with. Akhila now calls herself a ‘cat person’, and adds that their quirks are what make them so lovable.
Cat-owner Beena loves that her cat Sudoku (adopted from a rescue organisation) has taken over the household. While Sudoku plays constantly with her younger son, he prefers to keep Beena company silently when she needs a furry friend. “They are so intelligent. When I'm sick, he senses it and doesn’t leave my side. He sleeps next to me when I’m unwell. It’s not a coincidence as it’s happened so many times. He’s part of our family and we miss him even more than we miss each other! When my elder son calls from Singapore, he asks about Sudoku first,” she laughs.
For Kaveri Bharath, a cat is the world's most amusing roommate. She adopted Silver who was found tied to a rock near a river. When Silver’s rescuer called Kaveri and invited her to take a look at the kitten, she was happy to hear Kaveri say, “I don't want to see and decide. It’s like getting a baby. We don’t pick and choose.” Kaveri fell in love with Silver who was scrawny and malnourished at the time. Over the years, Silver grew into a healthy and hyperactive brat.
“Sometimes at midnight, she knocks on the bedroom door with her paw and asks to be played with,” says her proud owner. “We don't need a television at home because she's the entertainer. She runs sideways along the couch and attacks her own tail. She’s such a clown.”
Kaveri reveals that when she and her family return home after vacations, they get a stern scolding from their furry friend who makes it clear that the humans were missed: “She hears our voices and just brings the roof down.”
