Across the last years, much has actually been done to overthrow the image of males requiring ‘manly’ animals, as guys the world over have actually shaken off stereotypes and bonded with a generally ‘feminine’ buddy: cats. here’s what some males need to share about how felines discovered their method into their lives, how they favorably impacted the families around them, and instilled a newly found sense of persistence, understanding, and empathy
Arjun Mathur
Actor
Cats: Taz and Tilly
For the longest time, the Made in Heaven star wasn’t especially thinking about cats, having actually determined as a ‘dog person’ for the majority of his life. That is, up until he satisfied his partner Tia in 2016, together with her robust black Bombay cat, Taz. “As we started dating about five years ago, she once left Taz with me and went out of town,” he discusses. “Over that weekend, I really got obsessed with the guy!”
With time, Mathur indulged his inner catlover and the family of 3 chose to adopt a little Calico by the name of Tilly, or Tiger Lily — the child of among Taz’s old buddies. “Even before she came into the picture, the moment Tia mentioned Tilly’s name, Taz turned his head and looked at us,” reminisces Mathur, keeping in mind how the not likely set got along in spite of their age distinctions.
“I was living just for myself six years ago. Now, these two cats are like my babies, and I’ve seen a stark change in myself. I’m so careful and conscious about their comfort and space, despite Taz being a bloody brat. He throws up quite a lot and doesn’t realise how fast he eats, but you gotta be patient,” he discusses. “For a year and a half, when [my partner and I] were designing our house, we kept imagining how the cats would feel and designed specific things for them, which was a really wholesome experience. When it came to moving day, I thought Taz was missing — but there he was, sitting in his cage, ready to go. Their intelligence is incredible.” The journey has actually been long for Taz and his family — Mathur typically discovers himself getting psychological when considering just how much longer the 12-year-old tomcat will last — however for now, he’s happy to have him and Tilly around.
Danish Sait
Actor, Comedian
Cats: Red and Neko
Sait was presented to cats early in life and continued his fascination with felines as an adult with nine-year-old Red and Neko, who is 7 years his junior. “Early on, when I moved to boarding school, my mum had a white British Shorthair that she called ‘Beta’,” chuckles Sait. “I would write letters back home asking about him and would love that feeling of coming home — cats too are family. Even now, when I videocall my wife in the morning while away on shoot, I say hi to her and the cats as well.”
Noting how cats might do with ‘better PR’ after being identified as aloof and unconcerned, Sait asserts that cats can bring a lot of love and joy to their owners and likewise instil a specific sense of discipline and limits in them. “I think we all need a bit of love, a warm hug every now and then, but with cats, no matter how bad a day you have, you still have to pull rank and be there for them,” shares Sait. “With people, you can state ‘leave me alone’, however with cats, you require to compartmentalise a bit. I’ve coped anxiety and stress and anxiety for 7 to 8 years, and even through the worst stages, I still did what I needed to for Red.
As people, we keep anticipating things all the time,” he continues. “And then you know, here’s a creature that you can give to and who expects nothing much in return. That love is really great.”
Pablo Chaterji
Executive Editor, Motoring World
Cats: Fatty and Poonaswami
Chaterji’s tale starts with a rather sad occasion — prior to he left Mumbai for Goa’s coasts back in 2020, he and his then-partner chosen to adopt a kitten from an animal shelter, just for it to die quickly. Too ravaged to look for a brand-new cat, the set was rather welcomed by an uncommon visitor one early morning — a ‘chonky’ orange woman with a missing out on tail and a jagged leg. “As cats sometimes do,” remnisces Chaterji, “she just came in, explored her curiosity, and made a home for herself. We were a bit taken aback and decided to care for her until someone came forth to claim her.”
Fatty — who Chaterji understood was initially called Ginger — was quickly gone to by her initial owners. Fortunately, there’s no altering a cat’s mind, and she merely declined to leave, ending up being a member of Chaterji’s household. “Fatty was a huge stress buster just by being there. If I came home after a stressful day and was feeling fucked up, sitting down with her for a bit and stroking her brought the most amazing kind of relief,” he remembers.
Fatty quickly needed to share boarding with a semi-feral kitten called Swami or Pupu, depending upon who you ask. Playful and energetic, he included another measurement to Chaterji’s cat-ownership journey. “Especially for a person suffering from anxiety, their constant presence had a calming, soothing effect on my life. I think they made me a gentler person. Even if [my partner] and I were having an argument, Fatty would come into the room and immediately diffuse things, at least temporarily.”
Chatting with cats — a genuine activity of my own — is likewise something that the reporter appears to fondly remember, applauding the subtle intelligence of felines in contrast to dogs. “Dogs will just sit there and grin at you, but cats look smart,” he quips. “They’ll sit quietly, meow in response and cock a head — almost like a therapist. Even the conversations you have with them are different — most dogs will be spoken to in a ‘baby voice’, but with cats? You’re sitting and having an adult conversation. I would sit with Fatty and ask her about anything… the pair of pants I’ve bought, whether they match the shoes… you can almost sense an answer from their body language. Some think that cats are selfish, but they are extremely intelligent, deeply loving and empathetic, which a lot of people don’t give them enough credit for.”
Patrick Graham
Writer, Director
Cat: Gaddafi
The Netflix-associated scary scriptwriter — almost paradoxically — starts with a story of how his youth cat, Max, assisted him through bouts of nyctophobia, or a worry of the dark. “I was a massive coward when I was younger and quite scared of the dark, so Max would sleep on my bed and make me feel safe,” he discusses, prior to reviewing memories of Max’s peaceful, soothing existence, and his ultimate burial back when Graham remained in his twenties — a minute that he refers to as sweet, substantial and serene.
After needing to bury his lessor’s old cat Joan — an odd name by his own account — Graham quickly stumbled upon his longest adult feline buddy in the wake of the well-known Libyan Battle of Sirte in late 2011. Joined by his flatmate Ojala, the set joked with the concept of calling a close-by friendly roaming ‘Gaddafi’ in honour of the recently-deposed totalitarian — starting a relationship that would last through much of the 2010s.
“We really thought it was funny to give this super-sweet cat the worst possible name,” laughes Graham. “Gaddafi was often found giving me company while I worked — it’s always nice to have that presence, you know. They can teach us independence, without needing to be manipulated or pushed or pulled; they’ll come and hang out with you, and its all very quiet and reassuring. That said,” warns Graham, “cats can also be major assholes. I remember coming home after an all-nighter shoot and found that this impostor cat — who had been let in for the first time — took a massive shit on my rug. I chased him around the apartment, and eventually the maid walked past to find me there, scrubbing cat poo off the rug… hilarious.”
Graham’s concerned regard cats gradually, and in specific, draw parallels in between his own character which of many cats. “There’s an investment, isn’t there? You can’t win over a cat’s affection immediately. You need to workshop with them a bit — cat therapy so to speak. That’s a very good lesson for kids as well; understanding their boundaries and knowing when to step back. Life isn’t always about giving affection, its also knowing about when to step back.”
