The Whiskers and Wonders series is deeply personal to me.
It is inspired by my two cats, Oreo and Bobby, but it goes beyond them. It is about all the cats I have known, loved, and crossed paths with. Each one with their own personality, their own quiet way of being, their own presence that leaves a mark.
Oreo came into our lives in the most unexpected way. He was our resident cat downstairs, but somehow, he chose us. He would follow us home, take the lift up, and stay with us every night, only leaving in the morning when we went to work. It went on for months, as though he had already decided we were his family before we even realised it.
Eventually, we made it official and adopted him. But our time together was short. Just two and a half years.
When he was diagnosed with liver cancer, I turned to an animal communicator to understand him better. I wanted to know if he was in pain, what he wanted, whether he wanted treatment. He shared that he was in pain around his abdomen, that he could not eat much, but he wanted prawns. That was the first time I knew he loved prawns. That evening, I gave him some, and he ate all the prawns and left everything else.
He told me he wanted treatment because he felt our time together was too short.
So we tried.
But he did not survive the treatment. He passed shortly after.
What stayed with me most was his last day. He seemed well. He ate, we played, and for a moment, I felt hope. That maybe he was getting better. But that night, he left.
After he passed, I reached out again for closure. He shared that he was at peace, happy and strong at the rainbow bridge. He told me not to be sad. He thanked us for giving him a home, for loving and caring for him. He said he had planned to leave earlier that day, but felt I was not ready, so he stayed a little longer to spend time with me.
He told me he would always be around when I think of him. That I only need to remember his scent.
Until today, I still miss him deeply.
Not long after, Bobby came into our lives. He was abandoned, and we decided to adopt him. He brought a different kind of energy. Where Oreo was more independent, Bobby is affectionate. He loves to be hugged, cuddled, and kissed. Oreo would allow affection, but only in his own time and for a while. Both of them, in their own ways, are gentle, loving, and incredibly intuitive. They understand more than we think, almost like little people in fur coats.
This series is my way of holding on to these experiences.
When I look at the paintings in Whiskers and Wonders, I see more than just cats. I see personalities. I see quiet companionship. I see the small, everyday moments that often go unnoticed but mean everything.
The compositions are gentle, often filled with warmth, curiosity, and a sense of ease. The cats are depicted in moments of rest, play, or simple presence. There is no tension, no struggle. Just a world where they are safe, content, and free to be themselves.
In a way, this series is also a form of healing.
Through these paintings, I imagine a space where Oreo continues to exist – notice a black and white cat in almost all the paintings. Where all the cats I have known are living well, happy, and cared for. It is a world I wish for all animals, one filled with kindness, safety, and love.
This is why I paint them the way I do.
Not just as animals, but as beings with emotions, memories, and quiet depth. Each painting is a small tribute, not only to Oreo, but to every animal that has touched my life.
Whiskers and Wonders is, at its heart, a story of love. Of connection. Of loss. And of remembering.
And in painting them, I keep a part of them close.
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