But love has a sneaky way of creeping in – especially when it’s furry, four-legged, and bangs on your bedroom door at four in the morning.
It all started with a secret. Ratna’s husband Rizal, a lifelong cat lover, teamed up with their youngest daughter on a covert operation to get a British Shorthair from a breeder in Seremban.
The plan unfolded quietly between school runs and grocery trips. Ratna only cottoned on when parcels of cat food and supplies started showing up.
“What is happening?” she asked. The answer: “The cat’s arriving tomorrow.”
And just like that, Lola, barely six-months old at that time, arrived in January last year – chubby cheeks, cool attitude, and no interest in cuddles. She turned out to be the perfect cat for someone who didn’t like cats.
“She doesn’t want to be held, doesn’t jump on people, and mostly minds her own business,” Ratna said. “Honestly, I appreciated that.”
Still, the early days were… stressful. Living on the 22nd floor, every time Lola disappeared, the family panicked.
“I’d think she jumped off the balcony. I’ve called my husband in a frenzy more than once,” Ratna recounted. “She was always just hiding in some weird corner.”
Lola’s love for dark, cool hideouts gave everyone grey hairs at first. But slowly – and a little begrudgingly – bonds began to form, especially with Ratna. “I’m at home most of the time, so she just started hanging out with me,” said Ratna.
True to form, Lola doesn’t cuddle. She sits close to her human. Close enough to say, “I see you,” but far enough to say, “Don’t touch me.” It was the perfect arrangement.
“She’s really fond of me, which annoys my husband no end,” Ratna laughed “He plays with her, feeds her, buys her treats – but she always comes to sit next to me.”
Each family member gets a different version of Lola. The younger daughter, self-appointed cat stylist, wraps her up in doll clothes. “You can see it in her face – like she knows the torment is coming – but she puts up with it.” The older daughter gets the quiet study buddy. But Ratna? She gets the shadow.
“She’ll come toward me, sit near me. People have told me cats are quite smart. They know who to suck up to survive. So they said, ‘she knows you are the boss of the house. So that’s why she sucks up to you’.”
Mind you, Ratna still doesn’t deal with the litter box. But these days, she’s brushing Lola, feeding her, even having little chats. “She’s like a third child. If I’m cooking, she’s at my feet. If I’m in bed, she’s nearby. Not cuddling – just there.”
For someone who once insisted she’d never be an animal person, the transformation is quietly adorable. “Even my sister, who loves cats, gets annoyed. She’ll play with Lola the whole day, but the moment I walk into the room, Lola follows me instead.”
So no, the cat wasn’t supposed to be hers. But try telling that to the chubby little shadow who follows Ratna everywhere.
This article was written by Dinesh Kumar Maganathan @ FMT Lifestyle. Read more pet stories here.
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