Celeb Pawrents: Host Khairudin Saharom likes to be around his five cats, both at home and at work

Straits Times

25-05-2025

Singaporean personality Khairudin Shaharom with Toby (in the basket), BuBu, a three-year-old male domestic shorthair (on the chair) and Charlie, an eight-year-old female Scottish Fold mix. PHOTO: COURTESY OF KHAIRUDIN SHAHAROM
Celeb Pawrents: Host Khairudin Saharom likes to be around his five cats, both at home and at work
SINGAPORE – Potential new hires of Khairudin Saharom's Kite Studio Architecture need to meet one important prerequisite: They must be comfortable with cats.
'Sorry to those who are allergic, but my cats come first,' says Khairudin with a laugh. The 49-year-old Singaporean architect and popular TV and radio personality has five adopted cats.
BamBam, seven, Toby, five, and BuBu, three, live in the office, while the other two – Charlie, eight, and PingPong, four – live with Khairudin in his apartment. This way, he can have his cats around him at home and at work.
Charlie, a Scottish Fold mix, is the only female in the litter. His other fur kids are male domestic shorthairs. Once or twice a month, he takes Charlie and PingPong to visit the others in the office. The cats get along well and have their own corner for food.
Khairudin works on weekends, and if he is not able to be in the office, he gets pet sitters to look after the office cats.
Khairudin, who owns Kite Studio, says his four staff members are not just tolerant of the cats. They treat his cats as part of the workplace family and are actively involved in their care, taking turns cleaning litter boxes and getting them treats.
'Having pets can improve office productivity,' he says. 'Our work demands a lot from us, with looming deadlines all the time. The cats help manage stress levels and calm nerves.'
Besides having a full-time job as an architect, Khairudin is also a veteran host on Mediacorp Suria channel and radio station Ria 897FM.
He earned two nominations – Best Host (Entertainment) and Best Host (Info-Ed) – at the recent Pesta Perhana 2025. Mediacorp's biennial awards show is Singapore's largest celebration of the best in local Malay entertainment.
Khairudin says his cats not only provide companionship, but they also help manage his stress levels and are essentially his emotional support system, helping him juggle his multiple responsibilities.
'You go to them after a lousy day at the office, and even if you have to go on the radio after work, playing with them makes all your crappiness fade away,' he says.
Singaporean personality Khairudin Shaharom and Toby, a five-year-old male domestic shorthair.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF KHAIRUDIN SHAHAROM
When he is stressed or angry, the cats' presence helps calm his nerves. 'When they come to you and want to play, how can you stay angry?' adds Khairudin, who is also a design tutor at the National University of Singapore.
He has always been a cat lover. Growing up, his family had birds, fish and terrapins. However, his mother strictly prohibited cats in the house.
'Somehow, cats just seem to follow me,' says Khairudin. 'I found a way to attract my neighbour's cats. I would jiggle my keys and even the shyest of the three cats would come out to me. It was quite peculiar.'
Each of his cats has a distinct personality, and the bachelor says he does not have a favourite.
Singaporean personality Khairudin Shaharom's five cats, (from left) Toby, Bubu, BamBam, PingPong and Charlie.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF KHAIRUDIN SHAHAROM
Charlie, who sleeps with Khairudin, is the matriarch – aloof with others but incredibly affectionate with her owner.
'She's the princess of the lot,' he says. 'When she doesn't want to be touched, she'll manoeuvre her body so skilfully that your hand can't reach her.' Yet, when she chooses to be affectionate, she will climb onto his chest and demand attention.
'Toby loves to cuddle and will climb onto my workstation and rest his face on my hand while I'm working,' says Khairudin.
PingPong is the friendliest and follows Khairudin everywhere. The sociable feline even plays fetch.
'I was throwing a plastic bag into the dustbin, but I missed. PingPong ran for it and brought the bag back to me,' he says. 'Now it has become a game.'
Khairudin describes BamBam as a typical unpredictable tabby. 'Sometimes he's super manja (affectionate), other days he's completely independent,' he says.
Seven-year-old tabby cat BamBam lives in Kite Studio Architecture, Khairudin Saharom's workplace.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF KHAIRUDIN SHAHAROM
BuBu, the shyest and fattest of the bunch, is a master of hiding and loves food above all else. 'He once hid behind the microwave for hours,' Khairudin says. 'We found him only by shaking the kibble bottle.'
Three-year-old male domestic shorthair BuBu is the shyest and fattest in his fur family.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF KHAIRUDIN SHAHAROM
His fur family is relatively low-maintenance. Khairudin spends approximately $400 monthly on their care, providing a balanced diet of wet food, kibbles and occasional treats.
He learnt to groom them himself to avoid expensive professional grooming costs, which he says could range from around $200 a session a cat. Bathing them remains his biggest challenge.
'It's a nightmare,' he says. 'Their meows are so loud, neighbours might think I'm torturing them.'
He adds: 'My cats are wonderful. After a crappy day at the office, you can talk to them. They don't complain, they listen.'
Joanne Soh is a lifestyle correspondent at The Straits Times, with a special interest in entertainment and pop culture.
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