Dr Khew (left) and Tengku Munazirah at the launch of the C-A-T Playground at Sunway Putra Mall.
THE C-A-T Playground, said to be the world’s first selfie sensory playground with felines, is now open at Sunway Putra Mall.
At the launch of the new space, its founder Dr EJ Khew was joined by guest-of-honour Tengku Munazirah Tengku Abdul Samad Shah Al-Haj and Sunway Putra Mall general manager Danny Lee.
Speaking at the event, Khew said his belief in the therapeutic power of animals spurred him to continue providing such spaces after he opened the first cat cafe in Malaysia in 2012 to help people combat depression.
Khew, who holds a doctorate in animal behaviour, said in 2017, he went on to establish a therapy centre called Animals for Young in Cyberjaya to help special needs children.
On the C-A-T Playground, he said, “It is designed to not only provide people with a space to chill with cats, but also help children develop motor skills and sensory integration,” said Khew.
Tengku Munazirah with one of the cats at the playground. —Photos: S.S. KANESAN/The Star
He added that all the cats at the playground were rescued ones.
During the launch event, guests explored the playground which is a brightly decorated space dotted with cat-friendly furniture.
Cat-related artwork adorned the walls of the playground.
There were also posters displaying little-known fun facts about felines, such as how they greet one another by touching noses, the way they self-heal their bones and on their ability to jump as high as seven times their height.
“I know how Malaysians love to take selfies, so this is why we went with this bright and colourful theme for the playground,” Khew said. — By AMANDA SURIYA
