Have you ever thought about what it would be like to live with a puma that thinks it is a house cat?
Messi, the puma cat, has lived with Aleksandr and Mariya Dmitriev in their flat in Penza, Russia, since 2016. The cat was named after a famous Argentine player. Messi lives like a spoiled pet cat, which is how we all imagine him to live.
When he was only three months old, Messi was sold to a Penza petting zoo. At the time, he was “the big exotic cat, not the skilled and well-known pro footballer.” He wasn’t quite as tall as most people. He had health issues. He couldn’t live in a zoo. He couldn’t live in a nature park either. The petting zoo workers also considered putting the wild cat to sleep. Aleksandr and Mariya came to help save the sweet cat at that point.
Messi lives with Aleksandr and Mariya Dmitriev.
Messi is called their “kitten,” but caring for it is more like caring for a dog than a cat. For example, a dog has to be trained in a place made for that. Also, Messi now knows how to do ten commands well, but “we doubt he can score a goal.” The Dmitrievs bathe their puma in the bathroom, feed it raw meat, chicken, and turkey, and take it for walks to “imagine what their neighbors’ reactions are like.”
Like cats, pumas are cute and easy to take care of. Also, they like to play.
When Messi first became famous online, many people liked that the Dmitrievs cared about him. There were, however, some who didn’t agree. They begged the two people to send the puma to a wildlife refuge. Aleksandr and Mariya said that Messi could not live in the wild. Also, it’s important to point out that the couple doesn’t support taming tigers or other big cats, except for Messi, who is very kind, calm, and weak.
But this cat doesn’t belong in a studio flat; it should be in a shelter.
This puma is a very calm and friendly animal.
Many people in the media call Messi a puma because he is so friendly. But did you know that pumas also go by many other names? Mountain lions, red tigers, and cougars are some of them. On the other hand, the Dmitriev family wants to adopt a leopard instead of a puma because a puma is too small. Even Messi needs a friend.
