The call of roaring waves and soft white sandy beaches is too strong for Batik to resist. Each time this Bengal beauty hits the beach, her owner, veterinarian Dr Yasmin Rozaidi, will have to sprint alongside her (sometimes losing the race) just to make sure she’s safe.
But she can’t get too close to Batik when they’re at the beach, as the four-year-old kitty doesn’t like to be babysitted when she’s out strutting her stuff.
“She will sprint down the beach and rush into the water herself, but you need to always be in her eyesight,” explained Yasmin.
Not one to enjoy mushy cuddles and constant fussing as well, Batik can still be clingy when she wants to, now that she’s warmed up to Yasmin over the years.
“Batik was adopted from petfinder.my. Her previous owner got her as a gift but Batik was a handful to handle,” shared Yasmin, who also added that Batik’s previous owner wasn’t ready to care for a cat at the time.
Still, Batik can be handful especially when she’s unhappy, although those moments are outnumbered by the amount of times she has befriended both humans and other cats quite effortlessly.
Her friendly and exuberant personality is the reason Yasmin appointed Batik as the Head of Marketing of Three Kats, Yasmin’s side-gig that produces handmade catnip toys, customised crocheting and one off crafts.
“She is very motherly to her two younger adopted siblings, Bambi & Ollie,” said Yasmin who loves how Batik looks out for her adopted siblings too.
Ironically, Batik hates going to the vet and can sometimes unleash her stubborn side when she feels frustrated.
“Most vets are scared to treat her too because of her personality when she’s unhappy.”
Despite her off-hand temper tantrums, the gutsy kitty turns into a shy and timid cat when thunderstorms arrive.
True to her flamboyant nature, Batik dislikes the staple cat diet of fish but prefers beef bacon, boiled chicken fillet and seaweed.
“Batik knows how to ask for water. She will ‘meow’ and raise her paw which means I need to feed her water through a syringe,” explained Yasmin on Batik’s preferred way of having her beverages.
And yes, this confident feline has dibs on the master bedroom too, as she curls up beside Yasmin almost every day.
“But to be fair to my husband, she also chooses to sleep on his side on some nights.”
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