When Hibatullah Tun Abdul Rahman planned to meet her friend for coffee in February, she did not expect to come across a cat. Although he was skinny and looked timid, she found the kitty – with his beautiful grey-and-white fur – to be very handsome. He was also very friendly with humans.
Intrigued, she asked an employee at the establishment if he belonged to anyone and was told he did not. She left the café that day without the cat, but he remained on her mind.
A few days later, Hiba returned with a carrier and brought him home with her. She fed and bathed him, then took him to a veterinarian who estimated that the domestic shorthair was between one and two years old.
She named her new pet Genji.
“From the first day I brought him home, he was very ‘manja’ with my mother and me. He enjoys sitting on our laps,” Hiba, 32, told FMT.
“He loves people very much. For example, he usually follows me around when I am at home. When I am eating, he sits by my legs. He also knows the time I usually wake up and waits for me outside my door.”
Genji is also good with other cats. “I sent him to a boarding centre when I went on vacation. He socialised well with the other cats and was very well-behaved,” said the proud fur parent.
Today, the affectionate moggy is no longer skin and bones. According to his human, he has a good appetite and enjoys kibble and wet food with tasty chunks of fish.
He has also learnt to recognise his name and responds with a meow when called. When he is not following Hibatullah around, he keeps her mother company, plays with his ball of yarn, and takes naps at his favourite spot in the house – behind a curtain!
“Even my mother has fallen in love with him. She went from, ‘No cats in the house!’ to ‘Where is Genji? I don’t see him’,” she shared, chuckling.
He also has an unusual characteristic: “He is like a dog – he drools! It’s so funny!”
And while laughter is the best medicine, Hiba says Genji is also a faithful therapy companion. “When I am not well, he will not leave my side. He senses I just need some company, so he won’t get on my lap.”
As for his unusual moniker, she revealed he is named after a character from the video game “Overwatch”.
“There is a reason I chose this name for him,” she explained. “In the game, Genji was almost killed by his brother but decided to forgive him anyway.
“Likewise, when I found Genji, I wasn’t sure if he was abandoned or simply ran away from home, because he didn’t seem like a street cat to me. Despite everything, he would still go up to humans and allow them to pet or feed him. His trust in people is amazing.”
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.