"I Couldn't Stand Those Angry Eyes" — Kuching's Iconic Cat Statue Gets A Cute Makeover
It's kinda giving Studio Ghibli.
By Celine Low — 06 Jan 2025, 02:59 PM
Popular tourist photo spot, the Cat Statue at the Pandungan Roundabout in Kuching, Sarawak is starting the new year with a fresh look
In a series of photos shared on the Facebook group, Kuching - Then and Now, local artist Gerald Goh has repainted the iconic statue to make it seem more friendly.
Originally, the cat was painted with red-rimmed, pitch black eyes with a slightly downturned mouth, giving it a somewhat stern or grumpy expression.
Goh was tired of the statue's "angry" expression and volunteered to repaint the cat's eyes. "I couldn't stand to see those angry eyes staring at me whenever I passed by Padungan," Goh explained in a Facebook post.
"And worse still, thinking that the same pair of eyes is looking at the cameras of our tourists."
The cat's angry-looking eyes were repainted an electric blue, giving it a shiny, lifelike effect
The cat's mouth now curves into a gentle smile, giving it a much more approachable and cheerful appearance. The rest of the statue, including the white fur, remains unchanged.
"I wanted to give the icon of Kuching a true blue vision on the development of Kuching and Sarawak," Goh shared.
His artistic intervention has been met with purr-aise from netizens, with many expressing their appreciation for Goh's contribution to the city's beloved landmark
"This cat looks more energetic now with the blue eyes," one netizen commented, while another remarked, "The cat is wearing contact lenses now! More prettier."
One commenter even joked that the cat's original eyes resembled the creepy eyes of the Young-hee doll from Squid Game to them.
