Our little Dabing is growing up

When Dabing joined us

In October 2023, I gifted my boyfriend a small British Shorthair with a golden shaded coat. We essentially gave each other a pet to care for together, and that's how Dabing came into our lives. When he first arrived, he was only two months old. But after two weeks, he suddenly fell ill and had to be hospitalized, where he stayed for two to three weeks. That period was quite difficult for us as novice "parents." Fortunately, he slowly recovered after treatment, and eventually grew into a round, healthy, and slightly plump cat.

Outdoors, a little different

Dabing's body has a strong "seasonal feel." In the summer, he sheds a lot of fur and becomes slimmer, almost an elegant little cat. In winter, he gains weight and transforms back into a lazy, cuddly fatty who sleeps all day.

His personality is a bit shy. When we take him to the park to socialize with other animals, he usually just lies still on the grass doing nothing, totally unlike other cats who love to be active outdoors.

I really tried my best to keep him entertained at home. From scratching posts to tunnels, from beds to toys — I kept looking for new things for him. Even with wand toys, I always had several, just to see which one he liked best.

At home, he's himself

But as soon as he's home, he completely transforms. He plays with our dog Douhua and with friends' dogs, chasing them and even enjoying secretly ambushing people.

My boyfriend has always been very devoted to Dabing. From the beginning, he bought all sorts of toys, scratching posts, climbing trees, wet food, supplements, and catnip. He even prepares food for him as if he were cooking for a human. When he originally chose a cat, he actually had another one in mind with a bigger, rounder face. But Dabing was so affectionate, stayed close to us, rubbed against our hands, and demanded attention. Even without that perfectly round face, he immediately won us over.

Together, in small moments

He's still very affectionate. When I work late at night, I let him keep me company. He then lies quietly beside me without disturbing me. Since we got fish, he sits in front of the aquarium every morning and watches the fish intently, as if he has a morning ritual – a bit like people checking their phones.

Sometimes he causes problems too. Once, he knocked my electric guitar off the balcony, and it broke. But I couldn't really blame him for it – my own hobbies often don't last long anyway, so I didn't hold it against him. I also enjoy making small videos of him and posting them on social media. None of them have ever really become popular (I once had the idea that he might become an influencer and support himself), but ultimately that doesn't matter. He's my own cat, and as long as he's healthy and sweet, that's enough.

When it comes to food

Dabing is very gluttonous and curious about human food. We live in Chengdu, and whenever we have food with a strong smell, he always wants to try a bite. Sometimes we think he came from the north in a previous life – for example, he once secretly ate spring onion with a dish like jingjiang rousi, and even licked sweet bean paste.

He especially loves doughy and fermented products: pancakes, steamed buns, bread – and he is also fond of yogurt.

We named him “Dabing” – which literally means “big pancake” in Chinese – because we hoped he would grow a round, plump, pancake-like head. Especially when he was so weak as a kitten, that wish felt extra strong. As long as he could grow up healthy, it didn't matter if he got a little fatter.