IDUKKI: Pets, ranging from dogs to cats to birds, have become integral parts of our lives, serving as companions, friends, and even family members. However, it is a challenge for pet owners who stay in hostels and have to travel long distances -- students, for instance -- to provide their furry friends proper care and attention.
To address this challenge, a young woman in Thodupuzha has come up with an innovative solution: carry her pet in a backpack wherever she travels. Sajma Salim, 21, a student of the Al Azhar Law College, Thodupuzha, riding a motorcycle with her pet cat -- Shalie -- securely contained in a transparent bag is a regular sight in Thodupuzha. Despite being enclosed, the cat remains active and mobile as the woman skilfully navigates the town’s traffic.
Interestingly, Sajma also does a part-time job to meet the expenses of buying food and grooming the cat. She is also saving money to accomplish her dream of travelling to Ladakh with her furry companion. Sajma told TNIE that she bought the Persian cat through Instagram in 2023 after she moved to a rented house along with her friends from the college hostel.
Since the cat is more attached to Sajma, she was reluctant to leave it alone in the room, and hence, bought a backpack to carry the cat.
“As I go for a part-time job in Thodupuzha, I would travel only occasionally to my home in Kayamkulam. However, whenever I go home, I would carry Shalie in the bag,” she said.
The cat is also a companion in her solo bike trips and family trips outside Kerala. Sajma said she decided to work part a couple of months ago when her pocket money became insufficient to meet the cat’s expenses. “Since grooming is mandatory to keep cats healthy, I take her to a nearby grooming shop every month,” she said.
On Shalie’s first birthday, on April 24, Sajma got the cat’s tail coloured in a mix of pink, blue and violet at the grooming shop. She said Shalie has never appeared uncomfortable in the bag and that she has noticed people staring with curiosity at her and the cat in her backpack.
On the prospective trip to Ladakh, Sajma said, “Shalie will definitely be with me in my backpack to experience the long road ride.”