Kollam: A cat riding on a motorcycle with his owner, accompanying him on every place he goes - this is a unique but regular sight on the streets of Venjaramoodu on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram.
Curious eyes turn to see this adopted male cat gripping onto the petrol tank of the bike when his master J. Santhosh Kumar speeds up the vehicle.
Their daily evening trips to the busy town are to fetch his favourite dish - porotta and chicken fry from his preferred joints.
The furry friend, Kuttoos, is also a companion for Mr Santhosh in his bike rides to distant places. "Whenever I start my motorcycle he jumps on top of the petrol tank where he sits comfortably," Mr Santhosh, who runs a wedding store, tells DC.
"Unlike other cats that are scared of speed, Kuttoos seemingly demand more speed with his gestures enjoying the wind."
He spotted Kuttoos when he was a small kitten in a wood mill some three years back. He was brought home and became one of his family members.
He used to keep the kitten on top of the motorcycle at the beginning, which turned a practice for the cat whenever he starts the bike. Later on, he started riding with Kuttoos on it, and he never resisted.
Kuttoos also follows a strict menu of fresh fish for the breakfast, milk in the meantime, and porotta and chicken fry for dinner.
"He was fond of parotta since his kittenhood. Now he accompanies me to restaurants to get him his favourite dish," Mr Santhosh added.
While he's away inside the restaurant to get a parcel, Kuttoos patiently waits on the motorcycle. He has rarely taken Kuttoos in his car, which is not preferred by the latter.
"He used to lean over the window to enjoy the gush of wind as if on a motorcycle," he adds.
Of late, there are also curious visitors for Kuttoos at their home 'Gurudeva'. Santhosh's wife Sunitha and sons Jithu Lal and Binu Lal receive them.
