When Amira Ibrahim visited her kampung in Muar, Johor, last year, she came across a mother cat that had given birth to three kittens. Two of the newborns were male.
The remaining one, the baby sister with a beautiful brown coat, instantly captured Amira’s heart. She named the kitten Habuk and decided to bring her home to Kuala Selangor.
Habuk now lives in Ijok but has retained the gentle quality of her kampung beginnings. “She is sweet, soft and affectionate,” Amira tells FMT, adding that Habuk is the timid kind who is terrified of the vacuum cleaner and blender.
The one-year-old Siamese, it turns out, is also soft physically. “When you try to pick her up, she goes all limp,” Amira laughs. “When we cuddle her, she curls up until she almost resembles a pangolin.”
Habuk is currently getting ready to delve into motherhood as she is pregnant. The family’s other cat, Putih, is the father – and it seems that being a mum-to-be has boosted Habuk’s self-confidence.
“Before she was expecting, Habuk’s favourite pastime was sleeping. But now she likes to spend time admiring herself in the mirror more than anything else.
“Some mothers-to-be get food cravings; she craves looking at herself! She’s gone all Kim Kardashian!” Amira jokes.
“I’m sure she will be wonderful as she is so loving,” Amira says of Habuk’s prospects as a mother, adding that she and her family intend to look after the kittens.
Habuk has turned out to be a wonderful companion who enjoys eating kibble and snoozing on her cat pillow as much as any other feline. Asked whether she wishes she had adopted all three kittens from Muar, Amira says she is happy with her decision.
“Her siblings were pleased to stay behind,” she smiles. “They really enjoy living the kampung life.”
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.