Laika And Me

 

From Woofs to Purrs: Laika Welcomes Her Baby Sisters

Life with Laika has always been an adventure. At two years old, she’s a bundle of energy—jumpy, overexcited, always hungry (both for food and love), and forever ready to play. But after two years of chewing through furniture and pushing boundaries, our girl has grown into a more obedient and disciplined pup—though she's only gotten cuter with time!

Just after her second birthday, life took a beautiful turn when we decided to expand our furry family. Two tiny Persian kittens entered our lives—Salt, a snow-white beauty with black and gold flame points, and Pepper, a soft black sweetheart. Their names were lovingly given by Surya, the son of our close friends (more like family to us), who knew our passion for food and thought the names perfectly  suited our masaledaar family!

These kittens came from a loving home with three gorgeous Persian cats and a naughty badmaash golden retriever- Zoravar aka Zorro. Our daughter had her heart set on bringing home one kitten from the litter—but destiny had other plans. When we were holidaying in Bali with these very friends, a distressing call shook us: little Pepper had fallen from the fifth floor onto the concrete below. She was just a month old.

The caretaker rushed her to the vet, and we were told her condition was critical. Shock, fear, and helplessness washed over us. But deep down, I had a strange sense of belief—she will survive. I wasn't even a cat lover back then (yes, a typical superstitious Indian at heart), but something about those tiny lives called to me. I knew I had to bring both Salt and Pepper home.

So, when we returned, we welcomed the babies into their new forever home. Tiny, scared, and confused, especially Pepper with her fractured little paw, they tiptoed into our lives. Special care was given to Pepper, and slowly, their cautious eyes began to soften.

The biggest test? Introducing them to Laika.

With a whole mix of apprehensions—“Dogs and cats don’t get along!”—we took it slow. One by one, we brought the kittens close to Laika. Salt was in my arms, Pepper in my husband’s. Laika sniffed, inspected, and paused... and then something beautiful happened.

She welcomed them. No growls. No barking. Just love. In fact, she was especially gentle with Pepper—maybe she sensed her pain, maybe her instinct as an elder sister kicked in. Whatever it was, Laika melted our hearts that day.

And just like that, our home blossomed from a one-dog chaos to a multi-species paradise of love, fur, and endless cuddles.

Salt, Pepper, Laika—and our daughter Gayatri—complete our little universe. 💫