From being an airport stray to a celebrity pet.
Award-winning actress Jodi Sta. Maria has been documenting Naia‘s (pronounced as Na-ya) progress after rescuing him from the airport last week.
The actress, who is also a feline lover, shared that the orange tabby kitten she spotted at the Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on January 5 is now actively playing at their house.
“Playtime (white heart emoji) This morning, he was running up and down the stairs and playing with the toy my mom got him. His tummy is significantly smaller too,” Jodi tweeted on January 9.
“The antiprotozoal medicine + [plus] deworming worked (thumbs up emoji) Nagiging makulit na si Naia, which is actually good! (smiling face emoji),” she added.
The actress also included a picture of Naia playing with a ball.
Jodi has been sharing updates about Naia’s progress on her Twitter account, where she also hosted a Space session for fur parents a day after rescuing the kitten.
Last Sunday, she happily shared that Naia already knows how to use the cat litter. She also introduced him to some of their resident cats.
“Some were welcoming, but some were a bit aggressive. Baby steps,” Jodi tweeted.
Jodi’s busy schedule did not hinder her from thoroughly monitoring the kitten’s progress.
Last Saturday, she shared an update given to her by her mom who said that Naia was already playing and had a good appetite.
A day before that, Jodi took Naia to the vet where he was “dewormed, cleaned, had his nails trimmed, and was given vitamins and [medications].”
“Pa-bibo siya sa vet clinic, nagpakitang gilas at ginawa akong patungan. Follow-up in 2 [two] weeks,” she wrote on January 6.
The actress accompanied her post with a picture of Naia standing on her back to show her followers how active he has become.
Prior to that, Jodi shared a quick update on the same day where she mentioned that Naia’s appetite improved compared to when she initially got him on January 5.
“For those asking for an update about Naia, it’s Day 1 for her. Malakas na kumain compared to when I got her yesterday. She likes to sleep inside this mineral water carton so nilagyan na lang namin ng mat. Today is Vet Day for her,” Jodi wrote.
She did not yet know that Naia was a male kitten at that time.
Jodi first spotted Naia meowing at the airport “as if asking for humans to feed and help her.”
“It was raining too so she must have been cold. Kawawa [’cause] nababangga siya ng cart ng passengers. Napagalitan pa ako ng isang pasahero…” she tweeted last week, referring to passengers and airport baggage carts.
“Pinigilan ko ‘yung cart [niya] kasi nga madadaanan ‘yung kuting. But I super understand naman kasi everyone was rushing to get home from their flights. Sabi ko lang, ‘Manong, pasensya na po, may pusa po kasi. Then he told me, ‘Wag [niyo] kasing iwan kung saan-saan alaga [niyo]’…” Jodi added, recalling her first encounter with the kitten.
“Then he stormed off. In my head, ‘Hindi ko siya alaga… magiging alaga pa lang’ (smiling face emoji) So I got her, took her home and named her Naia, pronounced as Na-ya kasi sa NAIA Terminal 1 ko siya nakuha. Now, she’s safe with us. Scheduled na rin for a vet visit. Ayun lang… konting story time,” the actress continued.
Jodi is known to be an animal lover. A 2016 report said that she has a “soft spot for cats.”
The actress was reported to “give stray cats a proper home.”