Richa Chadha has been a proud “cat momma” to her fur babies Kamli and Jugni for the better part of nine years. “They are divine beings and a part of my family in a big way,” the actor tells us on International Cat Day today.
Being a strong proponent of the adopt, don’t shop movement, the 38-year-old adds, “I have never believed in buying pets; I adopted both of them. One is a mix of Turkish and stray, adopted from a friend’s litter, and the other is a breeder rescue, a Persian and stray mix.”
These fur balls are her “babies forever”, and the actor admits to taking them out in strollers: “Mostly for pet visits.” Kamli and Jugni also played a big role during her wedding to actor Ali Fazal in 2022, with both cats dressed in desi petwear, and the mehendi decor featuring their faces.
Richa believes cats are particularly suited for creatively inclined people. “A lot of thinking professionals and writers have cats,” she observes, because “cats need their space and privacy” and are a good fit for people with jobs that require deep thought.
The cats have been fully embraced by the actor’s family, including her husband, actor Ali Fazal. “They are part of my family just like any other member,” she says. “So I am not only a cat momma but we are a cat family who loves and protects them. Also the cats are very loveable and loving beings so they attract that affection.”
{{/usCountry}}The cats have been fully embraced by the actor’s family, including her husband, actor Ali Fazal. “They are part of my family just like any other member,” she says. “So I am not only a cat momma but we are a cat family who loves and protects them. Also the cats are very loveable and loving beings so they attract that affection.”
{{/usCountry}}Now a mum to one-year-old Zuneyra Ida Fazal, Richa gushes, “My cats took time to get closer to the baby and are a little wary of her movements, but they are extremely protective of our little girl. If a new person comes, they always follow them, being watchful of Zuneyra. "I love that."