Meet ‘Big Floppa’ - the hero of the most popular cat meme of 2020

Part 1 of 2

‘Big Floppa’, a feline with stunning green eyes, an elongated nose, and tufted ears, has taken the internet by storm. The charming cat’s image has been used to create memes, T-shirts, and phone applications on social media platforms. However, it might come as a surprise to know that ‘Big Floppa’ is not your typical house cat, and he actually resides in Russia. Andrei Bondarev, a videographer from Moscow, shared an image of his “pet” having a meal on Instagram in April 2018. This giant short-haired cat with a large elongated nose, bright green eyes, and very long tufted ears instantly went viral and became a sensation on social media sites like Reddit. The cat and his two companions, Matvei and Zhora, became bloggers and gained even more popularity in 2020 under the name ‘Big Floppa’ or ‘Kot Shlyopa’ due to his striking ears. However, the cat’s real name is Gosha, and he belongs to the caracal species, which is similar in appearance to a lynx. Although native to Africa, Asia, and India, Gosha was born on December 21, 2017, in a Ukrainian cattery specializing in wild cats.

Several months after, specifically in April 2018, he traveled to Moscow and discovered a new home with the Bondarev household. The family consisted of Andrei and his wife, Yelena or Lena, who stumbled upon a photo of a unique wildcat on the internet. The idea of having one became their dream. After a year of preparing and consulting experts, they finally decided to adopt a caracal, making their dream come to life.

Georgy and his furry companions took a long minibus trip of more than 24 hours to reach Moscow. When they arrived, Gosha, the newest cat in the family, was hesitant to explore the new apartment. However, with the help of Matvei, an older cat adopted from an animal shelter, Gosha gradually became comfortable in his new home. At first, Zhora, the third cat in the household, was not pleased with Gosha’s arrival and ignored him and their owners for a few weeks. But eventually, Zhora warmed up to Gosha, and now they are close friends. Although Gosha had some trouble with litter box training, Yelena assured Georgy that this is typical feline behavior and can be easily resolved. Despite these challenges, Gosha remains an active and playful kitten.

Yelena likes to keep her caracal, Gosha, well-fed with a nutritious meal that includes turkey, rabbit, and other healthy ingredients. She shares that Gosha is very attached to her and thinks of her as his human. In fact, he displays qualities that are more commonly seen in dogs, such as being fiercely loyal to Yelena. However, Gosha doesn’t like being left alone and is cautious of unfamiliar people.

Andrei has pointed out that Georgy’s behavior tends to be aggressive. He usually spends his free time tearing up the cardboard pieces provided to him by Andrei and Yelena. Sadly, this destructive tendency is not limited to cardboard alone, as he also damages furniture and wallpaper.