You’ve heard of online classes where students’ pets stroll in and out of the screen. Well, here’s one with a twist. Ipsita Barik is a teacher at Salt Lake School and her cat, Beans, was a permanent fixture during the lockdown’s online classes.
“She walked over my laptop during class one day and all my primary students sat up excitedly,” giggles the AK Block resident. “From then on, towards the end of every lesson, they would ask to see Beans.”
The friendly feline is popular in her offline avatar too, especially in the park. “Cats are known to be shy but I’ve been taking Beans out to socialise right from the beginning,” says Ipsita.
“It began with her just sitting on my lap but now she walks about and explores. Her favourite is CK-CL Park as there are lots of trees there and she gets to climb them up and interact with squirrels and birds on them.” Morning walkers await to see Beans too and know her as the cat on the leash.
“The pet industry in India is disproportionately skewed towards dogs and we struggle to find quality accessories for Beans,” says Ipsita, who has tried several leashes and harnesses for puppies before finding one built specifically for cats.
“Before this, she would slip out of the smallest dog leashes.” Beans is a highly intelligent cat and took no more than four days to get toilet trained and just 10 minutes to figure out the “cat door” that Ipsita and her husband installed around their house.
“Since both of us leave for work during the day we’ve got these cat doors for her to move in and out. Beans came during the lockdown but we ensured she got ample me-time. That way she doesn’t suffer from separation anxiety. Now she’s comfortable by herself for several hours."
The cat has the softest and cutest paw pads — known as toe beans — and that’s how she gets her name.
Ipsita is an animal activist of sorts and has always had rescued animals at home — cats, dogs, lab rats… “Beans too had got separated from her mother when she was barely a few days old and we took her in. But seeing how often cats get run over on the streets, we have discouraged Beans from going out on her own. This is why we got her neutered too. If we want another cat we shall adopt one who needs a home,” she says.
Ipsita asks pet parents to give cats a chance. “Cats are independent, self-sufficient and highly trainable. They’re more like roommates,” she smiles. “Dogs need attention all the time but cats respect your space and yet are so loveable. When I return home, it’s unbelievable to see how excited she can be to see me,” she smiles.
