This week in My Pet & Me we feature Manuja & Lawrence Hughes’ adorable cat, Cabbage. Cabbage and her parents reside in the UK and adore their girl to bits. So read on to understand on how the name ‘Cabbage’ came to be and what life is like for Manuja and Lawrence with their little furball.

Pet's details:

Name: Cabbage (20 months)
Breed: European Shorthair

Owners: Manuja & Lawrence Hughes 

What was the thinking behind naming your pet Cabbage?

My husband had already named her Cabbage by the time I saw her. He told me we have a cat and I named her Cabbage cause she is a little cabbage. I did try to get him to change it initially saying there is no way I would be calling out cabbage every time I need to call her, but it kind of grew on me too and she is definitely our little cabbage now.

What is her daily routine like?

She wakes us up very early generally by jumping on our bed and rubbing herself on Lawrence and me waiting for a reaction from either one of us. But when it’s really early I pretend to be fast asleep in the hope that she will move on to Lawrence. She is a very clever cat and she knows I can't hold out for long and always gets her way. She loves to be stroked so she starts her day with a good back and tummy rub. Then we go down for breakfast where she has a pack of Lily's Kitchen cat food for breakfast along with some milk. She wanders outside after this and depending on her mood will come back in before I leave home in the morning. We leave a bowl of Lily's Kitchen dry food and water mixed with a dental care solution before we leave for work.

When I return home she is always there to greet me and she gets her coat brushed. This is followed by a salmon and tuna treat stick, which she loves (she knows exactly where they are kept and she will sit by the drawer if I forget to give it to her).

Does she have a favourite place to sleep and hang out?

She sleeps on or by our bed never in her own bed and likes hanging out on our bedroom windowsill or behind the laundry basket.

Have you always been a pet lover?

Both Lawrence and I are animal lovers I've had a cat and two dogs growing up but Lawrence on the other hand has had a variety of pets which include three ducks, four cats, seven dogs, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, budgies, parakeets, two tortoises and even a hedgehog for a few days, so he is most definitely a pet lover.

Who was your first pet?

My first pet was a black cat and Lawrence's first pets were two dogs and a cat who were a part of his family before he was born.

What is having a pet like?

It’s like having a child. It is a responsibility and your life starts revolving around your pet and their needs.

What is bath time like? 

She really doesn't take too kindly to it but it's a two man job. Lawrence holds her and I shampoo and bathe her. She does however like to be groomed after her bath.

How does your pet react when you head out and when you get back home?

She watches us leave in the morning and thankfully doesn't spend too much time on her own because on most days Lawrence will go home at lunch time to check up on her. When we come back she gets very excited, and gets in between our feet, sometimes accidentally tripping us over and loves to be petted.

Could you imagine life without Cabbage?

It would be very hard to get used to not having her around.

What is the most precious moment you share with her?

When we first got her there was that time when we had to trust her and make a decision on whether she was ready to roam around freely or not. It was a big decision to let her out of the house alone and I was so anxious not knowing if she would return or just run away. That day we waited patiently and when we finally heard the little bell on her collar outside our front door it was a very special moment for all of us. She came back to us.

By Natasha Fernandopulle