Durban - Umhlanga’s most famous feline resident was expected to abandon his diet for a day when he celebrated on Tuesday.
Skabenga, the unofficial mascot of the exclusive Oyster Box Hotel, was to be the guest of honour at a party celebrating what the hotel believes is his 13th or 14th year at the hotel.
“We are celebrating the day we started seeing him around the hotel, not his actual birthday,” explained hotel spokeswoman, Joanne Hayes.
The cat, whose vices include catnip and bling, was to be presented with a new leopard-print collar adorned with diamante detail, sponsored by pet fashion brand, Doggie Hilfigher.
The moggy is also on his own version of the Banting diet, a low carbohydrate, high fat diet, and enjoys “low-carb” cat food – although he was expected to have a lick of a cat cupcake to celebrate.
“Many of his fans expressed concern about his weight, so we tried to put him on this diet.”
The hotel said on its website that it all started when the cat wandered on to the property as a stray, and was fed tasty and expensive titbits (prawns and seafood) by the guests.
“He never left, except briefly during the building operations when he was cared for by a cat-lover over the two-year renovation period. Skabenga returned ‘home’ just before the hotel re-opened in 2009, and since then he has been running the show.”
Hayes said the cat, which has his own e-mail address and Facebook account, was “a hit” with children and adults.
“We have 65 adults and 40 kids attending the party.
“It’s difficult to say who will have more fun,” she said.
Skabenga’s likeness was to adorn cupcakes and his birthday cake at the gathering.
“Skabenga is quite elusive, but we hope he will be in the mood for his party.
“He probably won’t hang around for long because of the crowds,” Hayes said.
Guests hoped to catch a brief glimpse of him before he retired for a catnap.
Daily News