By Greeshma Vijayan
Three years ago we thought of getting a pet but in our apartment dogs were not allowed, so we considered Persian Cats as our option as they are a very silent feline breed. Cats are independent yet endearingly affectionate. My sister went ahead and got this cute little black ball of fur with bright yellow eyes and christened her Miski meaning beautiful or exotic. She was a 3-month-old kitten when she came to our home. My parents were a bit apprehensive and against the whole notion – the social stigma associated with black cats is a well-known fact but they had to relent for our sake. Miski was very scared during the initial days and stayed under the bed the whole day. She would venture out only for her meals. Before long Miski started coming out of her shell and started getting attached with everyone. Within a few days, she stole our hearts one by one with her antics, her colour and associated omens, all well forgotten quickly. She shares a very special bond with my mother. Miski quickly became the queen of the family or baby of the family, she is practically royalty.
One year passed with Miski’s fun and frolic, we felt it would be best if she had a companion or friend, and in came our little lion – Simba. He was also a 3-month-old kitten – the same age as Miski when she joined our family. Cats don’t take to new cats instantly, they are territorial. We had to tread through the initial days carefully, keeping them separate was a necessity that could not be dispensed with. Miski used to hiss a lot whenever she encountered Simba – a natural reaction to a new cat entering her domain. It took about ten days for her to get used to him and for the hissing to stop and then they were inseparable. Nevertheless, they are as different as chalk and cheese.
Simba, who is one among the Top 10 cats at the International Cat Championship Show held at Bangalore, has also won the Petfed Mascot Award 2019 for Bangalore from Dino Morea. He is more playful but cautious and timid at the same time. Give him a ball, and he will put the Ronaldos and Messis of this world to shame. He just loves playing football and he can be at it until he is completely exhausted. He, unlike Miski, is very vocal. If he is hungry he ensures he gets food and that too of his choice only not what human wants to feed, and the look on his face makes humans’ heart melt in seconds.
Simba demands attention and often we wonder if he is a dog trapped in a cat’s body. He is possessive of his human, and is a non-stop purr machine. Miski, on the other hand being a female cat, oozes maturity. She is a bit proud and maintains a certain poise at all times. Gazing out from her high perched vantage point is a favourite pastime of Miski, it should be intriguing to know what goes on in her mind when she is staring out into the world beyond, while Simba contrarily uses the high perched vantage point for his afternoon siesta. Both of them playing with each other and gambolling about is a refreshing sight any time of the day.
Every moment spent with them is cure to all the stress & frustration of the day and I definitely look forward to go home as soon as possible to pamper these fur babies. They also wait for their hoomans at the door eagerly, to welcome them home. Cats do not respond to pressure and seldom get intimidated into obedience. That’s one reason I love them, they have a mind of their own. Many people think that cats seem aloof, but it’s not true they merely have different ways of showing their affection. We seem to understand each other and often the bond is reflected through their silent communication, body language and meows that only their humans understand. They rub against our legs, insisting that we lavish them with our attention and love. We have an exclusive Instagram account for them which is @miski_and_simba, started in August 2019, now with over 1200 followers they have become Instagram famous too.
* Greeshma Vijayan is an avid pet lover. In her spare moments she spends time with her pets and envisions to make Miski and Simba famous through their Instagram account (@miski_and_simba
