Chow time: Tommy has a treat while Midnight licks his lips.
Photo by
Jay Bryce
Bella Md Saidi keeps accidentally acquiring cats.
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She’s always been a cat owner and lived with a staggering 14 felines at one point while growing up.
Midnight was the first cat Bella owned herself.
It happened when Midnight’s first owner, a friend of Bella’s, moved away and needed to find a happy home for the feline.
Midnight was a shy cat at first, often hiding in the quietest corners of Bella’s home.
Dynamic duo: Bella and Midnight.
Photo by
Jay Bryce
Over time, he became more comfortable with Bella, showing his affection by biting and scratching her every chance he got.
He made for great company and gave Bella, who moved out of home this year, a sense of responsibility and purpose.
Since then, Bella and Midnight have welcomed tiny Tommy.
She once again happened into her relationship with the kitten.
On this occasion, Bella agreed to look after a few of her mum’s cats while she went on a trip.
Bella’s mum instilled Bella’s love for the furry creatures from a young age.
When her mother returned from her trip, she saw Tommy was fitting right in with Bella and Midnight.
Cuddly: Bella and Tommy.
Photo by
Jay Bryce
So he moved in permanently.
“Tommy is scared of me except for when I feed him,” Bella said.
“I’d describe him as scared but playful.”
Tommy looks small next to the larger and older Midnight.
He’s also been guilty of hiding in hard-to-find places, but his size makes him much better at it than Midnight, which means he requires a lot more effort to locate.
Bella had been on the lookout for a second cat since researching ‘single kitten syndrome’.
Best buds: Midnight and Tommy chilling.
Photo by
Jay Bryce
The theory goes that if a cat doesn’t have another cat to grow up with and play with, the cat never learns how much scratching and biting can hurt and doesn’t get appropriately socialised.
Tommy was a feral cat who showed up in her mother’s backyard one day.
Midnight, on the other hand, has always been domesticated.
So Bella was nervous about how they would get along.
“They get along really well; I was really surprised, even from the first time they met,” she said.
“Just this morning, I woke up and they were cuddling together.”
Being a kitten, Tommy is filled with energy and youthful exuberance.
Hide and seek: Tommy peers out from his hiding spot.
Photo by
Jay Bryce
“I wouldn’t say Tommy is crazy, but he definitely makes Midnight look mellow,” Bella said.
“Midnight loves having Tommy; he’s always got someone to play with and keep him company when I’m not home.
“And Tommy has always had a companion, so it’s nothing new for him.”
While Tommy has been a great addition to the family, he and Midnight have big appetites, making for big food bills.
Aside from that, though, Bella can’t get enough of the pair.
“I love cats,” she said.
“Whenever I see a hungry stray running around, it breaks my heart.
“And I’m so happy Midnight and Tommy get along so well.”
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