Are you following Russia Beyond on Facebook? If not, you might be missing out on some adorable content! One cat owner in Stary Oskol, Belgorod Region, found herself with a unique situation during Russia’s lockdown in March 2020. Yulia Minina and her family decided to adopt a kitten for some added fun at home. This was a first for the family, but they stumbled upon a little white kitten in their search and instantly fell in love. The only disappointment came when they picked up the kitten – he didn’t look quite as cute as he did in the photo… But that didn’t stop them from loving him – even though he now weighs 12.5 kg and takes up quite a bit of space on Yulia’s chest!
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According to the Instagram account yuliyamnn, Minina was surprised by how Kefir, her cat, grew into a large and fluffy creature despite its unremarkable beginnings. The name Kefir was chosen by Minina’s daughters, and the cat initially had a thin build. However, after four to five months, Kefir began eating everything in sight and played regularly with his owners, often jumping on windowsills. Prior to moving into a spacious house, Kefir lived with his owners in a two-bedroom apartment. Due to his playful nature, flower pots would frequently fall off windowsills. Now, Kefir has all the room he needs to stretch and play without causing any accidents.
The Instagram account yuliyamnn shared an update on Kefir, a Maine Coon cat who has grown significantly in just one year. His tassels on his ears and tail doubled in length after nine months, and he tripled in size by the end of his first year. Now at one year and 10 months old, Kefir weighs 12.5 kg (27.5 lbs.). According to his owner Minina, Kefir’s personality is similar to that of a person – he’s very smart and even sits with them at the dinner table in his own chair. While Maine Coons are known for rarely meowing, Kefir sometimes quietly meows. As for his habits, he enjoys sleeping on his owner’s chest, although she admits it can be a bit disruptive at night now that he’s larger.
Julia is quite surprised by the popularity her cat has gained on Instagram. Even though she only shared two photos of him on her profile, they quickly spread across various Russian and foreign media forums, with Reddit being one of them. One particular photo featuring Kefir, her cat, received a considerable amount of attention, garnering 18,000 likes and numerous comments. While some people speculated about the use of lenses and optical illusions to make Kefir look bigger, others simply commented on his scowling face. A few humorous commenters even joked that Kefir was actually a Siberian Lynx that feeds on the unworthy and drinks vodka, given his unhappy expression.
Yulia, the owner of Instagram account yuliyamnn, shared that many of her Russian and international followers express disbelief in the existence of Kefir, her beloved pet. They often inquire if Kefir’s photos have been edited using photoshop. Yulia also mentioned that some people even expressed interest in buying Kefir, which she finds appalling as Kefir is a valued member of her family. She emphasized that they only take more pictures of Kefir instead of giving him up. If you plan to use any content from Russia Beyond, make sure to include an active hyperlink to the original source.