Feline-friendly fad: Hyderabad blazes new cat therapy trail

Hyderabad: With people across the globe increasingly showing keenness in pet therapy, the concept of ‘cat therapy’ which otherwise is in trend in other Asian countries like Japan and Indonesia has now made its way to Hyderabad.

For those who want a break from the stress of everyday life and relax with friendly felines of Persian breeds, a cat therapy centre has been set up at Shaikpet, a locality close to IT Hub. Being run with the support of veterinary doctors, this unique centre named ‘Cats Country’ is one of its kind in the entire country.

It is a paradise for cat lovers. Once you enter this centre, you will find yourself in midst of nearly 50 cats, mostly of Persian breeds meowing around and seeking your attention. The facility’s interiors are completely designed with modern ideas to suit the cats’ behavior where they can play and jump all over, making the best utilisation of the space. “All these cats belong to a single family and remain friendly not only with each other but with humans. They are vaccinated and are also registered with GHMC. Veterinary doctors make regular visits to check their health condition,” says Majid Shareef, who has set up the centre after thorough research and visits to South East Asian countries.

Given the proximity of the facility to 7 Tombs, an important tourist attraction in the city, Majid is also seeking help from the Tourism department in promoting the idea and to also attract foreign tourists. Since this concept was adopted for the first time in India, he said the officials of the department expressed their willingness to support him. In view of the government prioritising tourism as a key growth sector, he is also pursuing the matter with Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao.

This centre presently set up in a spacious 3-BHK flat can be easily accessed as it is situated on the main road connecting Shaikpet to 7 Tombs road. The ‘Cats Country’ also offers pet lovers to keep their pets in a boarding facility. Separate ‘cat rooms’ with AC are offered for those who wish to ensure their cats are taken care of in their absence. Live access to CCTV cameras is also offered to people to keep track of how their cat is doing.

The facility also supports celebrations of birthday parties and families can bring along their own pets. “Some people wish to celebrate the birthday of their pets in the midst of their kind. We are also open for such celebrations and families can enjoy birthdays with their own pets in presence of these cats,” informed Shareef.

For more details, visit https://catscountry.in/.