Singer Iman Fandi’s ‘lion’ security guard is a giant cat named Rome

SINGAPORE – The security guard at Iman Fandi’s home does not wear a uniform. He wears a thick cream-coloured coat and looks like a small lion.

Rome, her massive four-year-old Maine Coon, stations himself in the living room whenever people come over, eyeing them like he is on patrol.

“He’s the biggest pet I have, and the naughtiest,” the singer-model, 25, says with a laugh.

Rome weighs between 4 and 6kg and is still growing. While most cat breeds stop growing at 12 to 18 months, Maine Coons typically reach their full size and physical maturity between three and five years old. They are the largest domestic cats and can grow to about 11kg.

Iman, the only daughter of local football legend Fandi Ahmad, grew up in a home where cats were everywhere. Her mother, former model Wendy Jacobs, frequently took in strays and the household soon swelled.

“At one point, when I was younger – I think until about six years old – we had 10 cats in the house. My mum was the one that started this for all of us,” says Iman. She adds that her footballer brothers – Irfan, 28, Ikhsan, 26, Ilhan, 23, and Iryan, 19 – are cat lovers too.

Ikhsan, who is based in Thailand, recently bought a brown British shorthair and the proud new pawrent is “always sending photos of his fur kid to our family group chat”, says Iman.

Over the years, there have been many memorable felines in her life. Among them are Wingly and Tingly, black-and-white sisters she got as a teenager and, later, two huge mixed-breed cats, Grey and Sox, which had Norwegian Forest Cat and Maine Coon lineage. These pets, she says, belonged to earlier chapters of her growing-up years.

Before Rome, she had owned another Maine Coon, Reign, which she adored.

“She was so beautiful and I was obsessed with her,” Iman says. Reign fell sick and died young, at about a year to 1½ years old in 2020.

“I did not think that a cat could have that kind of impact, even if it was just such a short period,” she says. “It was the first time my parents and brothers saw me cry as an adult. It was because of her.”

For a while, she thought she could never open her heart to another cat. Then, in 2021, one of Iman’s followers reached out on social media.

“Her cat gave birth to a litter of eight cats and she was looking for people to adopt them,” says Iman. “So, I thought, okay, maybe this is the right time to get another cat.”

That kitten became Rome. “I always believe that things happen for a reason, in a certain way,” she says. “Time will tell you what’s next.”

“Maine Coons are pretty much like dogs in a way – they’re very interested, very intrigued by little things,” she says. “Any time I throw something like a treat or toy, Rome will catch it and bring it back to me. It’s like playing ‘fetch’.”

Rome has a ferocious appetite, especially for human food. “Any time he sees you eating something, he will come to you,” says Iman.

“The other cats I’ve had ate only their own food. But Rome is always interested in human food. I have to stop him for health reasons and because of his weight.”

Her biggest “opponent” at home is her father. “My dad is the worst,” she says. “He will always give him treats or sneak him bread and crackers.”

For the upcoming Hari Raya celebrations, the family will have an open house for their relatives. Iman says Rome will be kept away from visitors, either in her room or the second living room upstairs.

 For Iman, whose family members travel frequently for football and work, Rome’s emotional intuition makes their bond powerful, especially when she is alone.

“It’s comforting to know that cats can sense when things are wrong,” she says. Having Rome around as a source of comfort and support is particularly important for Iman, who is entering a new season in her music career.

In February, she released Tip Toes, her first single as an independent artiste. She has released other singles, such as That Girl (2024), under record label Universal Music Singapore. She is preparing an upcoming four-track EP, Afterglow, slated for release in the third quarter of 2026.

“The entire story of Afterglow reflects the growth that I have, not just in the music industry, but also as a person and in my life journey,” she says.

Recently single for the first time in four years, Iman, who enjoys horse-riding, is learning to relish her independence and “the unexpectedness of how life will just come”.