After the world’s attention turned to Taiwan and its
presidential election over the weekend, cat lovers may be happy to
learn that Tsai Ing-wen, who won a landslide victory to become the
island’s first woman president, is one of their own.
The 59-year-old’s love for cats is no secret among her
supporters, many of whom, especially the young, are fans of her two
house tabbies Xiang Xiang – or “Think Think” in English – and Ah
Tsai.
The softly-spoken, independent and highly determined former law
professor who lives alone arguably fits the stereotype of a “cat
person”.
Tsai keeps an extremely low profile regarding her private life,
except when it comes to her pets.
Her Lunar New Year video message in 2015 starred a grey tabby
cat, which was trying to break free from Tsai’s arms.
“I’m Tsai Ing-wen. This is Tsai Xiang Xiang. We wish everyone a
happy and prosperous new year!” Tsai said with a big smile despite
the pet’s reluctance to appear in front of the camera.
Tsai adopted Xiang Xiang in 2012, after a legislator from Tsai’s
Democratic Progressive Party found the stray feline in an eastern
coastal town that had just been hit by a typhoon.
Knowing Tsai’s liking for cats, the legislator rang Tsai, who
happily took in the animal, Taiwan media reported.
The other tabby, Ah Tsai, was adopted last June.
Both cats made frequent appearances during her presidential
campaign.
Photographs of them, sometimes with Tsai, were posted on her
Facebook page, generating a large amount of “likes”.
One of Tsai’s assistant revealed in October that posts on
cat-related topics had received 20 per cent to 50 per cent more
“likes” than those discussing political issues, the Central News
Agency reported.
Tsai has also voiced her determination to step up the protection
of animals if elected.
Tsai said on World Animal Day last year that she would allocate
more resources to the issue if her party was returned to power.
“Since adopting Xiang Xiang and Ah Tsai, it seems like I have
two more family members. Everyday when I finished a tough day and
return home, the two little ones always welcome me at the door,”
she wrote in a Facebook post.“It always cures me of the whole day’s
fatigue,” she said.
