Ahmedabad: Call them aloof, independent, entitled and too cool to care. But those very traits are helping cats edge their way into Ahmedabad homes, like in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Ahmedabad is estimated to have around 5,000 pet cats, and the number is expected to grow, driven largely by Gen Z and young urban professionals who value companionship without the many commitments associated with dogs.Some cat parents jokingly describe it as a “toxic relationship” where they pay the bills while the cat lords over them and rules their Instagram posts.S Kranthi, brand head of the Feline Club of India (FCI), says, “They adapt well to apartments, require less maintenance, do not need daily walks and can stay alone for longer periods, making them ideal for busy professionals and small families.“During the pandemic, for first-time pet owners, cats struck the sweet spot between emotional connection and convenience.While Persian, classic longhair and Indian cats continue to enjoy popularity, the past three years have seen rising demand for breeds such as Bengal, Maine Coon, British shorthair, Siamese and ragdoll. Among them, Bengal and Maine Coon cats have emerged as the biggest crowd-pullers, for their striking appearance, distinctive personalities and social-media-worthy presence.The growing cat culture is also evident in community events. When the Feline Club of India organised its first international cat championship in Ahmedabad in 2022, participation stood at just 60 cats. Last year, that number surged to nearly 500. The 2026 edition is scheduled for Dec 6.BOX 1: The cat sanctuary that began with a knocked-over cake
Pooja Goswami with her cats
For 52-year-old customs agent Upendra Goswami, the loss of his younger sister Meenakshi in an accident at 18 left a void that never faded. Every year, he and his wife Pooja mark her birth anniversary by cutting a cake and celebrating with local children. More than a decade ago, one such remembrance took an unexpected turn and eventually led to the creation of Gandhidham’s Cat Garden.A stray cat knocked over the cake placed beside Meenakshi’s photograph. The family ordered another and left the damaged one outside. The next morning, they found the cat still around.“I named the cat Meenakshi and decided to care for her with the same affection I had for my sister,” he says. One cat became several, several became dozens, and before long the Goswami home was sheltering nearly 280 cats.“People stopped visiting us,” Goswami says with a laugh. While running the household and serving as principal of Jainacharya Shri Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Adipur, Pooja helped care for the growing feline family.As the numbers swelled, the couple bought a neighbouring plot and turned it into what is now known as the Cat Garden.When Meenakshi the cat died in an accident, the family built a small shrine for her in the garden. “When my sister passed away, we had built a temple for her in our native village of Varahi,” he says.Today, the Cat Garden is home to around 120 cats and runs on donations and the couple’s own resources.Little cat, big lessons
Swati Goswami with Quinton
Ahmedabad resident Swati Goswami once subscribed to the common belief that cats were distant, aloof creatures incapable of matching a dog’s loyalty. That perception changed soon after Quinton, an orange tabby kitten she initially fostered and later adopted, padded into her life.Quinton was rescued from the GNLU campus after being found unconscious and dehydrated. He continues to live with minor coordination issues, which have not dulled his spirit.Now nine months old, Quinton is the unlikely boss of the household. He perches beside Swati while she works, claims prime real estate on the bed after an evening of high-speed zoomies, and treats every ring of the doorbell as a personal announcement.“Quinton races to the door as if every visitor has come to meet him,” Swati says, laughing. “Cats don’t expect you to change who you are. They teach you to respect boundaries, appreciate individuality and enjoy companionship without demanding constant attention,” she says.Head of ops, department of meow
Leo’s family calls him a supervisor
“You don’t own me, you earn my affection. Leo has embraced that philosophy wholeheartedly,” says Revathy, AVP marketing at a firm in Ahmedabad. “We adopted him from a vet for our daughter. She cried the day we got him. People think cats are aloof, but Leo has his own love language. He’ll quietly follow us from room to room, supervise every household activity, and occasionally bless us with a head bump, as if to remind us that his staff is doing an acceptable job,” she quips. (With inputs from Niyati Parikh)
