Priya Tharusini has fostered many stray kittens but none come close to the crazy and colourful character of Miya, even when she was sickly and malnourished.
“She was in terrible shape when I first picked her up. She had a bad case of worms, her skin was flaky, and she was quite hostile, most likely because of her rough and tough life on the streets,” Priya says.
When asked what breed Miya is, Priya tells FMT jokingly, “She’s of Siamese-psycho-manja lineage.”
Priya says Miya was a handful as a kitten but in a good way. “Miya was a real firecracker – a super cheeky but brave little princess. She hated being carried but made sure I was near her when she fell asleep,” Priya says.
Like most kittens, Miya had endless energy and loved to play. “She’d chase my feet and run around outside, pretending to protect the student house I lived in from dangerous marauding species,” Priya says, laughing, describing Miya as a ” real cracko”.
Priya says Miya had a fetish for slippers as a kitten and loved nothing better than playing with any she found, falling asleep with her tiny paws stuck into it.
Miya also loved rolling in dirt and would often happily trot home proudly wearing the streaks of grime and mud all over her body like a badge of honour. And when sensing a bath coming up, she’d protest loudly. “Little did she know how pretty and fluffy she looked after a nice bath,” Priya says.
Priya says Miya also couldn’t understand that she had a “name” now so would ignore you until you called her “puss… puss” – obviously some habits are hard to break.
“Fostering her was quite amazing because she didn’t look healthy at first and it feels good knowing she was able to heal safely when she was with me.
About four or five years old now, Miya is living with someone new in her forever home.
“She’s happy in her current home. I get regular updates from her new mom. She is such a brat and apparently sleeps all over the place. And now sports a belly that jiggles,” Priya says.
As Miya grew into an adult, her fluffy fur took on a deeper hue and some stripes emerged too. “So I believe she’s some kind of mixed breed with a beautiful fluffy tail,” Priya says.
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.