Sonia the cat, who lived in DIY store in Kryvyi Rih for two years, survives Russian strike
Sonia the cat, who lived in an Epitsentr home improvement superstore in the city of Kryvyi Rih, survived the Russian strike on the building on the morning of 26 July. Despite the store being completely destroyed, the four-legged resident was unharmed.
Source: local news outlet Svoi. Kryvyi Rih
Details: Epitsentr employees were also uninjured, Svoi. Kryvyi Rih reports.
"The cat had been part of the superstore's team for over two years. Today [26 July – ed.] the building was burned down by the Russians," the outlet said.
The cat is known as Sofiia Volodymyrivna. She has her own name tag, wanders between the shelves and nuzzles up to customers, HR manager Yuliia Panchuk told Suspilne.
Sonia was left at the Epitsentr as a kitten. Staff took the animal in and set up a spot for her in the back room. The cat then began venturing out to greet customers, so they created a job title for her – "soft-paws representative".
"She had many names – Businka, Mashenka – but then we decided she was Sonia [meaning 'sleepyhead' in Ukrainian] after all, because her bed is her favourite spot. She already lost her first name tag – this is her second new one.
She is everyone's favourite: people come in, bring her treats, someone bought her a collar, someone made her a little bed, someone gave her bowls," Yuliia Panchuk shared.
Sonia is a gentle, playful and at the same time cautious cat. She has been spayed and vaccinated and has all her required jabs.
The HR manager says Sonia has long been a favourite not only of the staff but also of visitors: customers like to pet her, take photos with her, and her presence always lifts everyone's mood.
Yuliia said staff initially tried to find Sofiia Volodymyrivna a new family. However, they later abandoned the idea, as the cat had become accustomed to life in the superstore and the employees had grown to love and accept their four-legged "colleague" as part of the team.
Background: Russia struck the only Epitsentr in Kryvyi Rih on the morning of 26 July. A major fire broke out in the superstore, which had been operating for almost 19 years and employed approximately 400 people.
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