Given their reputation, one would expect mayhem when approximately 250 of them showed up at the “Largest Orange Cat Gathering”. Organised by Kelab Kucing Malaysia, it was held last Saturday at gateway@klia2 in Sepang.
Should humans be on high alert? Will these felines take over the mall or even the entire airport? Will they hijack planes? Thankfully, their only conquest was winning the hearts of the visitors. Phew!
Speaking with the media, Khalid Rashid, president of Kelab Kucing Malaysia, said: “This gathering of orange cats is the first in Malaysia and if we have a good response, we will organise more. I didn’t expect to have 250 cats participating.”
He added that some cats even came from Penang, Johor and Melaka. According to Khalid, Kelab Kucing Malaysia organised the event to gather cat enthusiasts and through the talks held, introduce ways for cat owners to better care for their pets.
Among the topics covered at the event included grooming, diet and vaccination.
Tian Keng Swee, 58, general manager of gateway@klia2, the venue sponsor, told FMT Lifestyle that the event was extra special because it was held in conjunction with the release of “The Garfield Movie” this month and the 10th anniversary of gateway@klia2.
At the group photo session – not all of the cats were keen to have their photos taken! Those who did oblige posed with their furparents and quickly charmed the crowd, many of whom were heard gushing over how cute the cats looked.
Local celebrity cat, King Oyen, made an appearance and drew fans like bees to honey. He looked dapper as always, clad in sunglasses and an adorable outfit.
King Oyen indulged his adoring subjects who wanted to take photos of him and with him, and posed like the seasoned cat model he is. It’s a hard job, but someone’s gotta do it!
His furdad, Mohd Salleh Zakaria, 51, told FMT Lifestyle: “We are so excited to meet other orange cats here. There are so many beautiful cats of various breeds here. We haven’t had a chance to introduce King Oyen to these other cats yet, but we plan to do so soon!”
King Oyen’s furmum, Siti Zalifah Abdul Aziz, 50, added: “We also enjoy getting to know the other furparents. Additionally, the various talks help us to better understand our cat’s needs.”
A Garfield mascot also made an appearance, drawing excited shouts from children when he did – reflecting the timeless appeal of everyone’s favourite lasagna-loving orange cat.
Additionally, there was a Garfield lookalike competition, and the champion was a cuddly, four-year-old named Hara who took home a RM500 cash prize and various cat products. Weighing almost seven kilogrammes, Hara does bear a striking resemblance to Garfield!
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, Hara’s furdad, Adam Zailani, said that his feline also shares similar traits with Garfield. “He is very lazy and always eats a lot. He eats everything, even his brother’s food!”
Adam, 26, said Hara was adopted at about three months old when his then owner was unable to take care of him after the cat developed stomach problems.
“Adopting Hara has definitely made my life great. I look forward to seeing him when I get back from work. My decision to adopt Hara has also driven me to care more about animals.”
Commenting on the competition, he added, “I think it’s very nice to see a normal cat have an opportunity to participate in a competition like this.”