Dapper Dodo and his purrfection pursuit
Meet Dodo, a Persian cat from the city of Nawabs, Lucknow. He is the apple of the eye of his family members and the epitome of the purrfect furry companion.
From being a pet parent to Seizer (who was a Doberman) to now Dodo, the journey has been full of learnings and a lot of unconditional love. My pet crossed the rainbow bridge in 2004 and that’s when I thought that I will not get a new pet because the pain of losing them is unbearable. But the universe was conspiring and we had to meet our beloved Dodo.
Dodo and his homecoming
The story of Dodo coming to our family is quite fascinating. I was never a cat person, like all pet parents say before bringing home their feline friend. I have had dogs as pets, but I could never think of having a cat as my pet. One of our neighbours had a little Persian kitten and they brought to our home. I took that little kitten in our arms and played for some time, and that’s when my perception changed. After a few months we got Dodo as a gift from one of my dear friends – Dr. Ishwar Ram Dhayal (HOD Urology – Ram Manohar Lohiya Institute Lucknow) and the rest they say is history. Dodo came into our life on April 15th, 2022. We celebrated his birthday last year with a lot of zeal and we are all excited to celebrate it this year as well!
A homebody at heart
He is loved by everyone in the family and has made a special place in everyone’s heart. As much as he loves being pampered by the family members, he is very sensitive and doesn’t like being touched by outsiders. The first thing when any family member returns home is to play with Dodo. It’s like a little tax that we all have to pay, but without this tax our life seems incomplete. For example – if you want to enter an office, you have to punch in your biometrics. Dodo is the biometric for our house. Play with him, pamper him, and only then can you enter our house!! He loves being at home. Even when I take him out for some time, he wants to get back home as quickly as possible.
Good grooming goes a long way Grooming is such an important part of your pet’s routine. Dodo has a fixed grooming routine, around 30 minutes in the morning each day – cleaning his eyes, brushing, and of course play time. This is the time when you can strengthen the bond with your pet and have some me-time.
We try to take him to the vet once a month for a routine check-up and for grooming that cannot be done at home like clipping his nails, trimming paw hair, cleaning his ears etc. Dodo’s vet is Dr. Saurabh Chaturvedi from Royal Pet Clinic, Vijyant Khand, Gomtinagar, Lucknow. He is one of the best surgeons in the city and with him we know Dodo is in safe hands.
Whiskers and wags – taking care of his health, nutrition, and wellbeing
I personally ensure that his health and wellness is always a priority. He has been on commercial cat food ever since he came to our house and has never tasted home-cooked meals. True to his breed, Dodo is quite moody when it comes to his food choices. Usually, he likes wet food over dry food. Finding his cocoon at home is what Dodo is best at. The bond between Dodo and me is so strong and I am grateful for it. He will stay hungry, but not eat his food on his own, until I come and feed him from my own hands. Truly spoilt by us!
Mr. Sudhir Mishra, the leading pet food distributor in Lucknow has also been of great help to us. He is located in Vijay Khand, Gomtinagar, Lucknow and is always a call away.
In winters, Dodo’s food is heated in the microwave. I check it so that the temperature is just right for him to not just eat the meal, but to enjoy it. Call me paranoid, but I wash his utensils on my own because I cannot trust the house-help and cannot compromise on his hygiene. At night whenever I get up, I check on him and ensure that he’s snuggled up in his blanket.
Lessons on responsible pet parenting
Getting home a pet is no joke and you need to be fully ready for it. Don’t just bring home a pet considering him as a toy and then get bored with the chores in a few months. If you can take care of your pet like your child, provide the right nutrition and healthcare, only then decide to be a pet parent. They are like your family members and need all your care, attention, and love. We love when Dodo is a part of all our celebrations like doing pooja on Diwali or Janamashtami, just like any other family member.