Global Courant 2023-04-20 06:50:50
KUALA LUMPUR – Bilbo was purring contentedly on the sofa when his owner picked him up and stuffed him into a yellow baju Melayu with a samping, a short version of a sarong.
He meowed as Ms. Mahizan Kasim, 63, gently tucked his paws through the sleeves and buttoned up the neckline of the outfit.
“Pretty boy,” said Ms. Mahizan, taking a picture of Bilbo on her smartphone before uploading it to her Instagram account.
Comments quickly poured in for Bilbo, as his furry charm and cuteness attracted many admirers online.
In addition to Bilbo, Mrs. Mahizan also bought a baju Melayu for her other cat, Black, for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Ms. Mahizan is among a growing number of cat owners who enjoy dressing their feline companions in traditional clothing for the holiday season.
“My cats are part of my family. I want them to be part of the party too,” she said as they met at her home in Cyberjaya, about 32 km from Kuala Lumpur.
She was one of many pet owners who recently flocked to Festival Ramadan Putrajaya in Putrajaya to buy cat clothes from a stall owned by Mr. Izzat Amir Idham.
Mr. Izzat, 24, sells three designs – Teluk Belanga, cekak musang and kurta – for male cats. All outfits come complete with a samping.
There was also the tanjak, a headgear made of songket traditionally worn by Malaysian men.
For cats there are baju kurung, kebaya and western dresses to try on.
Mr. Izzat, who also runs a cat hotel in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, had prepared 4,000 pieces of feline baju raya.
“I bought the fabrics myself and took the measurements of my cats. Then I placed orders with trusted tailors,” he said.
The clothes come in sizes S, M, L and XL and cost RM55 (S$16.60) each, but Mr. Izzat is willing to offer discounts.
