Purr-fection: (From left) Janice Lim, Julieka and Kamisan showing their cats during the Most Beautiful Cat competition in Ampang Jaya. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
AMPANG JAYA: These beauties purred and meowed their way through a pageant dedicated for them.
One of them was a stunning Bengal feline named Radin Paduka with its spotted fur, which was a scene stealer at a cat competition here.
At a glance, it appeared like a little jaguar.
Its owner Kamisan Saimin, 47, said the cat’s name had come to him naturally.
“As soon as I saw him, I was instantly struck with the idea to name him Radin. It is a classic name for royalty while Paduka is the ‘surname’ from the dad.
“Despite his regal looks, my little prince loves to run around as he plays with my other pedigree cats in my air conditioned cattery,” said Kamisan, who is a teacher.
He said his wife Julieka Mat Nasir is running the cattery.
They spend about RM2,500 a month on food and other requirements for their more than two dozen pedigree cats.
Radin Paduka clinched third placing at the Most Beautiful Cat competition organised by the Malaysia Cat Club yesterday which was held in conjunction with a Pet Welfare Awareness Campaign.
Another contestant which stood out at the competition was a huge 13kg Maine Coon cat named Bailey.
Bailey was nearly twice the weight of its other “rivals”.
With its fluffy black brown striped fur, the eight-year-old cat won second place.
Its proud owner, housewife Noraini Yai, said she had been keeping Bailey since it was a kitten.
With 16 other cats under her care, she spends about RM1,000 a month on their food alone to keep their fur fluffy and healthy.
“They eat the same premium kibble which I feed them three times a day. They also need vitamin supplements like virgin coconut oil, salmon oil and cod liver to maintain their fur,” she said.
The cats, she said, would spend most of their days relaxing in air conditioned rooms.
Bailey, in particular, had grown so big that it would spend the whole day sleeping, she added.
“I’m not a cat breeder so I’m very glad that my hard work and love in raising Bailey has led to him winning second place,” said Noraini, 44.
The winner of the competition was Hayden, a cat which was named after Hollywood actor Hayden Christensen who played the villain Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise.
However, the cat is nothing like Darth Vader.
Hayden, which is of the Maine Coon breed, has silky black-grey fur and a cheerful personality.
“I’m glad the judges noticed Hayden’s extra silky fur, which is a result of a RM500 diet of raw meat and steamed chicken every morning and premium kibbles for his other meals,” said its owner Wan Ahmad Siddiq, 30.
“I was a chef before the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown cost me my job in 2021. But luckily, my love for cats inspired me to pursue my dream of owning a cattery.”
He said Hayden’s victory meant that his efforts were not futile despite having started his cattery just three years ago.
