The story of GinnyPuss, Ben and Efi’s ginger tabby, begins with a kitten named Gingies who went missing at around six weeks old.
“I searched for him everywhere, asking neighbours if they’d seen him, and even had friends post on social media looking for him,” Efi Eqbal says.
Several days passed with no news. Then one day, her best friend called to say she had found Gingies.
“She immediately brought him over and he looked a little worse for wear. When his young mother, Livvy, began sniffing and hissing at him, I was certain it wasn’t Gingies.
“Not only that, this was a ginger tabby girl!” Efi recalls with a laugh.
Even though it was not Gingies, Ben and Efi could not bear the thought of giving the kitten up. “She must have had a tough time out there on her own at such a young age,” Ben says.
And so began GinnyPuss’ life as a member of the family, even though they already had six indoor cats at the time. The youngest was Tonic, Gingies’ brother.
“GinnyPuss was heaven-sent because she was the panacea to Tonic’s depression from having lost his brother,” Ben adds.
While Livvy may not have accepted her, their older cat Lola, who has always been good with kittens, was happy to be GinnyPuss’ surrogate mum.
Ben and Efi soon realised that GinnyPuss was no ordinary feline. “She knows exactly how to charm everyone in the house, including the older cats,” Efi says.
Adds Ben: “She has a nonchalant way about her and she gets the rest to do exactly what she wants, be it at playtime or mealtime.”
They began to call her “GangstaGirlGinny”, as she possesses a commanding strut.
“She’s a very quiet kitty, but when she has something to say and wants your attention, rest assured you’ll hear her,” Efi shares, adding that her meow is unique and commanding. “It becomes a two-syllable meow, as in ‘mee-yowww’. And loud, too!”
While GinnyPuss may appear to have everyone wrapped around her little pink paws, she is a kind soul. “She keeps our 11-year-old cat, Sylvie, who has feline dementia, engaged with play, grooming and cuddles. She makes sure that she spends some alone time with Sylvie every day,” Efi adds.
GinnyPuss, however, is not particularly friendly with strangers. When the couple receives visitors, she usually makes herself scarce.
“When she does make an appearance, she is a tease – she sidles up to be stroked, then quickly pulls away all at once. She is definitely a smooth operator,” Efi says.
Ben and Efi are amazed at how this little girl, who is prone to eye infections and weighs just 3.5kg, is able to hold her own. She has even trained the younger male kittens, Tonic and Billybong, to follow her lead.
“You can always catch the two boys where there’s trouble, like a lamp that’s toppled over or a magazine that’s been shredded to bits. GinnyPuss won’t be too far away,” Ben laughs. “She is the true mastermind behind all of the havoc.”
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.