Singapore artist Lee Kow Fong’s rescued kitten has made her way into his illustrations

SINGAPORE – His daily evening routine is scheduled around the needs of nearly 20 community cats, scattered across his Ang Mo Kio neighbourhood.

Now, renowned local artist Lee Kow Fong, better known as Ah Guo, has to readjust his schedule because of PiPa, a kitten he rescued in July.

The four-month-old female tricolour cat with a distinctive half-black, half-brown face is playful and often disturbs Lee when he is drawing, he says. 

The 54-year-old illustrator – famed for his watercolour artwork that depicts everyday scenes and people in Singapore – has to schedule around PiPa’s afternoon nap, using the hours from around noon to 5pm to work uninterrupted while she sleeps.

Within weeks of her becoming a member of his family, the kitten was launched on Lee’s social media account, swiftly joining his list of animal characters: penguin Xiao P, rabbit MoMo, hedgehog Poppy and the big feline Kit Cat. Some drawings of PiPa include her celebrating National Day and Deepavali.

“I’m slowly introducing PiPa as another cat in my artwork because Kit Cat is already a regular character,” says the animal-loving picture-book author, who has owned hamsters and guinea pigs over the years.

How Lee adopted PiPa is serendipitous, or as he calls it, destiny. 

“I have been feeding the community cats for about four to five years, and never once did I think of adopting any cats,” the bachelor says. 

He adds that not only was it hard to decide which cat to adopt, but he also felt it would be unfair to the rest of the community cats if he could rescue only one. So, he continued to feed and support all of them, ensuring none went hungry, rather than singling out one for adoption.

But there was a sense of instant affinity when it came to PiPa.

While doing his usual community feeding rounds in July, he noticed a tiny kitten alone by the roadside. 

“I thought it was another stray that came to get food. My first instinct was to move her to somewhere safer,” Lee says. 

He found a box and put the kitten inside, thinking perhaps her mother would return. 

The next day, he heard mewing from the bushes and discovered the kitten had survived alone overnight, still without food or her mother.

Lee took her to the vet, who gave her a clean bill of health. Lee was then faced with a decision: adopt her or surrender her to the clinic for rehoming.

As he had no plans to take on a pet, he felt giving her up was the better option. 

However, a return to the clinic several hours later to check on her ended with Lee taking the kitten home. “It was like I was fated to adopt her,” he recalls, laughing. “The vet gave me advice and said I don’t have to worry too much about looking after a cat.”

Life after PiPa

Lee says PiPa’s name is inspired by images of ancient Chinese singers holding the traditional Chinese instrument pipa in a way that covered one side of their face – just like PiPa’s unique colouring. 

Describing her as lively and playful, Lee adds that she can also be shy as she hides from visitors. 

Though the cat is close to his family members – Lee’s mother and sister live with him – PiPa is still the most “manja” (Malay for affectionate) towards him. 

“She will wait by the door for me to come home,” he says, adding that she sometimes sleeps with him in his room.

At home, he keeps the windows locked or only partially open for her safety, especially since cats can be curious and prone to climbing.

For her diet, Lee started with milk, then transitioned to kitten food. He now gives her a mix of kitten and adult cat food, with plenty of variety to keep her interested, and ensures she gets proper nutrition. 

“People always say I’m crazy to spend so much on cat food,” he says, declining to reveal the total amount for the community cats and PiPa.

While being a pawrent is a new experience for Lee, the artist says PiPa has brought joy and companionship. 

“Since I found and decided to keep her, it’s my responsibility to ensure she’s healthy, physically and also mentally.”

He adds: “She is close to me because she knows who rescued her.”