Three generations of a cat family have lived with and been cared for by Rainaa’s family. Anje the cat gave birth to Akokes (named after Rainaa’s first word as a baby), who then gave birth to a litter of four kittens just recently.
Among the new additions to the family, Rainaa confesses that her heart was stolen by this particularly affectionate and playful kitten who was given the cute name ‘Chonky’.
“He got the name from my sister because he eats the most and is the biggest in size among his siblings,” says Rainaa with a laugh.
At just six months old, you would think that a wee cat would be picky about what it eats, but that’s not the case for Chonky who eats absolutely anything anytime.
With his extra fluffy belly and short feet, this domestic cat is rather suited to his name which is an internet slang used to describe an animal that is adorably round, plump and pudgy.
Don’t let his sizeable stature fool you though because whenever Rainaa calls out to him using that customised jingle reserved for only him, he would come dashing through in a split second.
“Even Usain Bolt could be defeated!” says Rainaa.
But clearly, Chonky’s big size also means that he has a big heart because according to Rainaa, he is never short of affection and would take every opportunity to climb onto her lap for belly rubs.
“He loves belly rubs so much. Whenever I or my family members pass by him, he would lie down and invite us to attack his belly with scratches,” says Rainaa, who adds that Chonky is also particularly fond of asking for head rubs.
When he’s not busy asking for love and giving it in return, Rainaa says she would often spot him playing cat-chase with his siblings. Sometimes, the chase would get so intense to the point where Chonky would end up climbing the coconut tree in the house compound.
“I have a large compound so it’s not a foreign sight to us if he’s chasing the other kittens or butterflies, or anything that catches his attention really.”
But having a large compound also means that Rainaa’s house is situated quite close to a small jungle behind it, so getting ‘visits’ from a group of wild monkeys isn’t something out of the ordinary either.
Unfortunately, this is bad news for Chonky, as Rainaa admits that the little kitten is afraid of them – especially since they once came and tore the new bag of kibbles in front of Chonky and the other kittens!
“That’s the only thing that frightens him. Otherwise, he’s so ‘zen’ all the time, even when we bathe him!”
Despite being calm and collected, Chonky does have a dangerous habit of hanging out near car tyres and would stubbornly stay put.
“My mother usually steps on the car pedals and revs the car a couple of times before she drives out to shoo the cats away, but Chonky refuses to move!
“When my mother gets out of the car to scold him, he will pull out his power card: lie down and expose belly to get some belly rubs instead,” says an exasperated Rainaa, who then bursts out into laughter.
With a face like that and a lovable personality to boot, it’s no wonder that Rainaa and everybody in her family has a soft spot for Chonky.
“He makes me feel like the world is a bit more bearable to live in when I have him in my arms or on my lap,” shares Rainaa.
“He just needs to look at me in the eye the way he usually does, and I know that all will be well.”
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PET: FMT Lifestyle readers are invited to send in pictures (landscape format) and a short video (if any) of their furry, scaly or feathery friends to [email protected]. Don’t forget to include details like your pet’s name, age, breed and a short story about them.