The "Feline Club of India" of Mumbai got affiliated to "Cat Fanciers Association Inc".The "Cat Fanciers Association Inc" was registered in the United States of America in 1906 completing its centenary in 2006.As of May 2016 the "C.F.A Inc" recognizes 42 different cat breeds for its "Championship Class" and one "The Bengal cat " in its miscellaneous class. 
On Sunday(20/1/2019) had attended the popular annual "PET FED SHOW" which was mostly concerning dogs and for dog exhibits but had a separate tent show ring for cats where the "Alliance of Cat Fanciers" conducted their cat show with Mr Sudhi.Katikineni as the chief judge at this show.
For the first time in my life got to view and hold the "Bengal Cat" breed, the costliest cat breed in India although now quite common in America as one of the most popular breed..Holding "Nawab" the majestic "Bengal Cat" breed owned by Hyderabad cat fancier Mr Mohammed.Ahsan made me feel like Old Indian Royalty.He had imported this beautiful well behaved cat from Thailand at a cost of Rs 4 lakhs only. Mr Mohammed .Ahsan was a professional and hopefully responsible cat breeder having a total of 12 Bengal Cats in his farmhouse in Hyderabad.I use the word "RESPONSIBLE BREEDER" for the simple reason that most breeders in India don't keep a check of the kittens they sell or breed and hence at times it results in over-breeding of a particular species of cat as has happened to the "Original Long hair Persian" and "Punch Face Persian Breed" of cats resulting in defective progeny and hereditary deformities due to in-breeding. Another aspect of mass breeding of a particular cat species as a pet is a drop in price values as well as exclusivity of the particular species resulting at times in abandonment of the cat if they develop bad habits or costly medical ailments.Only hope the "BENGAL CAT" which does have its own breed hereditary medical problems does not become a pet commodity as has happened to the Persian breed of cats in India although in the U.S.A the "Bengal Cat" is increasing in numbers by leaps and bounds..A high purchase price preserves its exclusivity as well as ensures that the buyer is capable of maintaining the exorbitant maintenance cost of owning such a cat. All "Pedigree cats" irrespective of breed or popularity are expensive in maintenance in comparison to the common "Indie Mau(Billi cat)" as their immune system is not as robust as the local Tabby/Billi/Indie Mau cat alias the common stray house cat.It's similar to Indie dogs being more robust and healthy than the average pedigree dog.Whenever i visit the local fish market i marvel at the beauty of some of the stray cats that would give any expensive pedigree pampered cat a run for its money in a cat show contest regarding "Coat maintenance".Nature has its own way of caring for its natural living beings. Ahoy ! Yes, the "Cat Fancier Industry" in India is progressing by leaps and bounds as also the cat ancillary industry that sponsors these beautiful cat shows.The Pet industry of the 21st century is a multi-million rupees Industry although the "Cat Club Show" clubs in India are far behind even Asian country's let alone Europe and America from where the dog and cat shows originated . Mr Saquib.Salim.Pathan the founder of "Feline Club of India", a excellent salesman cum entrepreneur immediately got down to cat business and cat shows after registering the club with "C.F.A Inc".A cat registry was started and cats could be registered with the "Feline Club of India" which also kept on par with "First World Country" cat registrations by getting our registered Indian cats micro-chipped, a first in India for registered cats.He was also quick to name the common Indian street cat as the "Indi Mau" a idea definitely generated by the dormant "Indian Cat Federation" and from Mrs Petra.Muller of "World Cat Federation" who invented the "Arabian Mau" breed of cats in the Middle East.The support received by "Feline Club of India " was excellent and within a few years they replaced "Indian Cat Federation" by leaps and bounds with ownership of cats becoming popular among Indians whose traditional pets were dogs.A major bias against cat ownership in India is the fact that a majority of the population are vegetarians and cats unlike dogs cannot survive on a diet consisting of vegetarian food and hence non- compatible pets in most vegetarian households of India.One of the reasons for dogs being popular as also dog clubs and dog shows in comparison with cat and cat shows is the fact that most wealthy vegetarian households in India avoid cat's as pets All this is changing as cat awareness spreads through the Internet in India with cat's becoming the iconic poster animal across the Globe due to their photogenic cuteness."Vegetarian Cat food" is available in First World Country's which does contain Taurin the principle ingredient required for maintaining cats in healthy condition. .The "CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC-2020" brought the entire Globe including India to a standstill effecting all walks of human life including human mortality with the United States of America being the worst hit in terms of human casualty. Along with human's it was the household pets that became worst victims of this pandemic as some of them were abandoned by their human owners due to fears of contracting the pandemic through their pet as well as high maintenance cost at a time when unemployment was at its peak throughout the Globe .This was also the era in which the "DIGITAL WORLD" overnight became a means of communication, entertainment as well as employment all across the Globe.In the U.S.A "Cat Shows" were conducted on the Internet by "T.I.C.A(International Cat Association)" at a time when the "Covid-19" virus was at its peak.In India "Feline Club of India" kept abreast with the latest Internet technology and conducted a series of "Cat Webinars" from Wednesday(5/8/2020) to Saturday(8/8/2020) to celebrate "WORLD CAT DAY" which since 2002 is celebrated annually on 8/8/2020.On one of the webinars concerning "CAT PARENTS" i was invited in advance by Mr Fakhruddin.Saifuddin.Motiwalla to be on the panel having been one of the oldest official "Cat Parent" in Mumbai and it was the first time i would be attending a "Webinar" although a producer of over a 1000 video's on "Youtube".Better late than too late ..Ironically on that particular day Mumbai received one of the heaviest rainfall in decades with the city getting flooded and transport coming to a standstill and hence Mr Fakhruddin.Saifuddin couldn't make it to my house by vehicle. He messaged me the webinar address and put me into contact with Saniya.Pathan of "F.C.I" who tutored me through my house-keeper Sabina.Dias's smartphone in setting up the webinar format on my smartphone. As they say the show must go on and despite Mumbai city coming to a standstill the "CAT PARENT " webinar went live on the Internet with a little luck and team play between the organizers "Feline Club of India" and the participants.The President of "Feline Club of India" Mr Saquib.Pathan has definitely given "Cat Shows" and "Cat Awareness" a giant leap in the common public mind by conducting cat seminars, cat shows and "Cat webinars" during the "Covid-19" lock-down.Now only hope that "Feline Cat Club" of India has a permanent long term longevity akin to the "K.C.I (Kennel Club of India)" or "I.N.K.C ( Indian National Kennel Club)" for dogs. Bizarrely suddenly out of the blue "Indian Cat Federation" became active after years with the club's spokeswoman Ms Fateema.Siamwala posting the release of a new pet magazine on India'[s Independence day titled "PETME INDIA" which had a first page advertisement of "Indian Cat Federation" ."PETME" magazine is a U.A.E based popular pet magazine with Mr Shree .Nair as its editor and he was introducing this magazine into India. Hope the magazine is a success as also revival of cat shows in India under the "Indian Cat Federation" banner.Seems there is now a rat race among the various "CAT CLUBS" in India to be the most prominent club attracting maximum members as well as conducting credible cat shows across India. As for me happy to have been a catalyst to set the ball rolling in establishing India's first cat club and cat show thus creating a model of cat clubs for future cat owners and cat aficionado's.
CAT OWNERS PLEASE DON'T ABANDON YOUR PET ON THE ROAD OR ANYWHERE AS HOUSEHOLD PET' S UNLIKE NATURAL STREET BORN STRAY CAT'S CANNOT SURVIVE ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT HUMAN ASSISTANCE IN GROOMING AS WELL AS FEEDING. THEY DIE A MISERABLE DEATH ON THE STREETS . BE A RESPONSIBLE PET PARENT AND NOT PET OWNER.
VIDEO :- Above is a video of the stray abandoned Persian cat i spotted inside the N.C.P.A Parking complex.
VIDEO :- Above is a video of the stray abandoned Persian cat i spotted inside the N.C.P.A Parking complex.
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| Photo shoot with Actor Prem.Chopra. |
On Saturday(30/4/2022) at the Eleventh edition of " International Jazz Day" concert at Tata Theatre in N.C.P.A came across a abandoned stray Traditional Persian cat loitering in the car park.Reminded me of my own Traditional Persian cat "Matata" as the colouration was almost similar. The former owner who abandoned this once beautiful ginger Persian cat is a authentic real life villain and deserves punishment.
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| Tragic abandoned Ginger Persian. |
Pets are akin to human family and are life long companions. Bizarrely on entering the "Tata Theatre Auditorium" came across the grand villain of Hindi cinema " Prem Naam Hain Mera, Prem Chopra" without whom a hero would be non-existent ! At 86 years young Mr Prem Chopra was ageing gracefully like wine although he uses a walking stick for support portraying none of his hated onscreen villainy in real life. A soft spoken gentleman and i am sure he never ever abandoned his pet's if he had one unlike the real life villain who had abandoned a grown Persian cat on the street .
