The reputation for the most mischievous yet adorable cats goes to the ones with orange coats. Even in Malaysia, orange cats, or “Oyen” are synonymous with active and naughty personalities. Compared to other colors, they get the most attention whenever videos with orange cats go viral online.
In 2023, one orange cat caught the public’s attention after the National Zoo staff saw this stray break into the capybara enclosure. What’s more interesting is that this Oyen seemed to build a close friendship with the capybaras. The visitors’ traffic at the zoo also doubled, making this cat the star of the National Zoo.
Recently, the largest orange cat gathering took place at KLIA2. If one Oyen could break the internet, you can imagine the hecticness when hundreds of these cats gather in one place.
The First Biggest Orange Cat Gathering in Malaysia
The Orange Cat Show was organized by the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 2 shopping mall from May 18th to 19th. Though there were a few pet and cat expos before, this event was the first and the biggest event that highlights a specific type of cat: an orange or ginger-coated feline. This gathering was also held to celebrate the release of Garfield’s animated movie at the end of May and the 10th anniversary of Gateway @ KLIA2.
More than 250 orange cat owners participated in this ginger cat exhibition. There were also cat lovers from all around Malaysia traveling to KLIA2 to witness different Oyen breeds in action. Kids were also thrilled to pet these furry little monsters and took pictures with their owner’s permission.
It’s More Than Just a Ginger Cat Exhibition
This 2-day exhibition didn’t just include activities with cats. It’s also comprised of many activities for kids and families. On the first day, May 18th, the expo went for 2 hours from 2 to 4 pm. During this session, some attendees brought their kids to participate in a “Bintang Kecil Jom Mewarna Oyen” coloring contest.
There were two categories for this contest. Category A was open to kids aged 5 to 6 years old while Category B was for kids aged 7 to 8 years old. The entry fee was only RM20 and limited to only 200 participants. In the spirit of Oyen cats, the organizer encouraged attendees and contestants to wear orange shirts. Other parents who were looking for something relaxing took part in the kids’ cat costume competition and the Garfield Meet and Greet event.
Another contest that grabbed the attendees’ attention at the orange cat expo was the Garfield Lookalike Competition. There were five places for winners and the prize for the champion was RM500 in cash with a complimentary supply of cat food. After the judges’ evaluation, one cat named Hara was crowned as the champion.
Hara’s owner, Adam Zailani, adopted his cuddly Garfield-like cat when the feline was 3 months old. He decided to take Hara into his care after its then owner couldn’t take care of Hara due to the cat’s stomach problem. Adam nursed Hara to health and today, his cat weighs up to 7 kilograms. Adam also said that Hara eats a lot and could even snatch other cat’s food. The amazing thing about Hara is that this champion cat is just a normal orange house cat without any affiliation to exotic breeds.
King Oyen Stole the Spotlight
One feline stole the spotlight out of hundreds of Oyen in this cat exhibition. The cat is called King Oyen. It was a crossbreed between a Persian mix and an American Shorthair. Its owner, Siti Zalifah Abdul Aziz said that her husband and she adopted King Oyen five years ago. She explained that her cat could easily obey her instructions. It also can get along with strangers and other cats.
Siti Zalifah also mentioned that her cat received the name “King Oyen” from netizens. It happened a few months after the video of her cat looking calm riding a pillion on her bike. She also revealed that she originally named her cat “Macho Kingsley” when they first adopted the feline. During this ginger cat gathering, the couple dressed King Oyen in traditional Malay attire. These include a set of red clothes, maroon ‘tengkolok’ or headgear, and cute sunglasses.
During this Oyen cat gathering, King Oyen also wasn’t shy to pose in front of cameras. Siti Zalifah also said King Oyen is always eager to ride on its owner’s bicycle. He could even become stressed when they didn’t go for a ride for many days. Due to King Oyen’s popularity, he was also appointed as the brand ambassador for cat food, bringing in lucrative income streams for its owner.
The Oyen Cat Exhibition was organized in collaboration with the Malaysia Cat Club. The club president, Khalid Ahmad hoped that this event would raise awareness among all cat owners in Malaysia to be more attentive to their pets’ needs. He also aimed to educate the public to care for cats, no matter if the animals are stray or adopted.
