City of Cats, Kuching in Sarawak Malaysia
The global fascination with felines has reached unprecedented heights. From the viral sensation of online videos to the ubiquitous presence on photo-sharing platforms, content creators are seizing every opportunity to leverage the popularity of our beloved cats. To all of them there is dedicated city, City of Cats in Sarawak Malaysia.
Businesses are tapping into this craze of cat loving tourists through innovative ventures like cat cafes and cat libraries. Kuching, aptly dubbed the “cat city” Is far beyond just a trendy phenomenon. the affinity for cats in Kuching runs deep within its cultural fabric.
The name “Kuching” means CAT in Malay language. It got its name in 1876, probably a re-spelt version of its previous name “Kuchin”. This name was coined by James Brooke in 1839 similar to Cochin a port in India. Another assumption is the city got its name because of the presence of lots of cats along the Sarawak river banks.
Legends around The City of Cat
Legend has it that the origin of Kuching’s name dates back to a whimsical encounter in 1839 when James Brooke, the inaugural White Rajah of Sarawak, inquired about a particular location. It’s said that when Brooke pointed to the area, asking its name, the locals, catching sight of a passing feline, misunderstood his query and promptly responded, “Kuching,” believing he was referring to the cat.
Alternatively, another fascinating tale links Kuching’s nomenclature to the indigenous fruit, longan. Abundantly found in Sarawak, this fruit is affectionately called “Mata Kucing” or “cat’s eye” by the locals due to its resemblance to a feline’s eye. This association with the fruit further adds to the mystique surrounding the city’s name.
Related read: Temple for Rats in Bikaner India
Kuching Malaysia- City of Cats
Kuching in Malaysia is the place where all cat lovers should head to, as no where in world you will find so many cat statues scattered all around. And there is a museum dedicated to cats, the CAT MUSEUM!
This unique cat museum has around 2000 exhibits on cats from all over the world, probably the only place in world to have such an amazing collection on cats. Plenty of children’s art, trivia, pictures and movie posters on cats are displayed here.
Entry to Cat Museum in Kuching is free, there is a nominal charge for taking photographs. It is a good learning experience to be there.
Kuching city is divided into two parts. The pic below is from South Kuching City. Pic courtesy: Beehive Communications.
Kuching the Cat City of Malaysia
Statues in City of Cats
As you tour Kuching – City of Cat in Malaysia, scan around and you can zoom into fishing cats, a beckoning cat and even a smiling cat. The colorful cats are placed at center square, at crossroads; they add uniqueness to the city.
Among these iconic cat sculptures, none captivates the imagination quite like the grand white feline perched along Padungan Street. Iconic cat sculpture – in the above picture – a lone waving cat, it is nicknamed as “The Great Cat of Kuching”. The cat has blue eyes, a cute bow tie and wire whiskers.
Renowned for its fashion-forward demeanor, this cat has become a symbol of style, effortlessly changing its attire multiple times a year to coincide with the diverse celebrations of Sarawak. Even amidst the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, this fashionable feline remained undeterred, adorning itself with trendy medical masks that complemented the spirit of the festivals it represented.
It is dressed in traditional attires during major festivals. So if you time your visit with any of these festivals: the Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Gawai Dayak and Christmas, you can bring back lots of pictures of it dressed. Kuching’s Chinese population believe cats bring good luck.
Operation Cat Drop
In the 1950s, authorities attempted to use chemicals to combat malaria carrying mosquitoes and rats. Unfortunately the pest control harmed the felines more. To remedy that cat-astrophe the British Royal Air Force parachuted 14,000 cats into rural Malaysian Borneo region. This mission came to be known as Operation Cat Drop.
This picture of Cat statues is from North Kuching City. Pic courtesy: Beehive Communications.
Giant polychrome cats and some playful felines.
Cat Museum in Sarawak
In addition to its plethora of cat statues, Kuching proudly hosts the world’s inaugural cat museum. Nestled within its walls lies a treasure trove of feline fascination, offering a comprehensive exploration into the world of cats and serving as the quintessential starting point for unraveling the mysteries of Sarawak’s renowned Cat City.
Enthusiasts and curious visitors alike can immerse themselves in a wealth of cat-centric knowledge, spanning from the historical significance of cats to the evolution of their depiction in art. The museum’s extensive collection encompasses a diverse array of cat-themed artwork, local folklore, and global tales, weaving together a rich tapestry of cultural appreciation.
From local masterpieces to international contributions, the museum showcases an eclectic range of exhibits, including beloved celebrity cats like Hello Kitty, Garfield, and Doraemon. Moreover, the museum’s gift shop offers an abundance of cat-themed merchandise, ensuring that visitors can take home a piece of feline-inspired delight to cherish.
Cat Landmarks
Leisure and learning, you get this combined experience here! Can you believe they have buildings and Institutes named after cats? Naming a few of them:
- I-CATS – the International College of Advanced Technology Sarawak
- Local radio station is Cats FM
- Cat City Inn
- Cat City Art Shop
- Meow Meow Cat Cafe
How to reach Kuching
Kuching has an International airport. It has direct flights to and from Kuala Lumpur connected by Malindo Air and few other airlines.
(This is an advertisement feature for Tourism Malaysia Campaign. Updated on March 2024.)
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I love cats.. a cat MEWsuem would be purrfect!
This is such a unique place, love that cat statue waving!
Interesting place. Great place for cat lovers. Nice post Indrani.
wow! Cat Museum, meoww must visit 🙂
I am still in awe with this museum so much so that I liked, commented everywhere I saw your post. 🙂
Lets go there sometime.
so a place to visit if one is a cat lover 🙂
Bikram's
Beautiful shots! Happy sky watching.
Skywatch
What a cute post, love all the statues. It is a cat lovers paradise. Thanks for sharing, have a great weekend!
Very nice! Interesting!!
What a cool post.. am going to show this to a friend of mine who LOVESS cats….
Kuching, reminded me of Shania twain's song- Ka Ching 🙂
Very interesting statues:)
interesting…
Kool Kats!
My Skywatch
Have a great weekend!
You've educated me with this excellent post. Thank you!
Those are amazing cat sculptures. Great shots and post.
This looks very special! I'm actually not that fond of cats, but I've got one now.. completely involuntary:-)
a purrfect place to visit for me. meow.
interesting!
Gigantic.
A nice and endearing town. I love the sound of the place – Kuching 🙂
Beautiful photos, I like that nice place. Greetings.
Sono molto belle le tue fotografie, complimenti!! ciao
Interesting… and great tribute to cats!
Wow!! Great statues.
Hugs
SueAnn
Indeed a heavenly experience for cat lovers!
Wow…have to visit there 🙂
That is amazing, Indrani!! My daughters would love to visit there as they are both great cat lovers!! I'll send them this on to them! What fascinating worlds you visit!! Thanks for sharing!
A whole town dedicated to cats? Amazing!
How delightful. I want to visit, meow
Aloha from Honolulu
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