“A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not”- Ernest Hemingway

GMMTV’s cat lover’s drama makes a quiet entry on the Tuesday bandwagon, regaling fans with an earnest love story between a debt collector who is allergic to cats and an interpreter who is forced to take care of his mother’s cat café after her untimely death. Frankly, I love the whole packaging; for some strange, I needed to watch First & Khaotung star in a solo project where the emphasis remains on their character’s budding romance. “Cat For Cash” doesn’t buzz with excitement; it is a rather slow & emotional journey of two different characters, a cat lover who is unable to pet cats and his love interest, who has an intense dislike for cats. Both First & Khaotung play into their strengths and the romance is quiet as well as somber. I don’t think there will be any loud declarations of love or excessive NC scenes in this show, because coherently, they don’t require it. Cats are, of course, a package deal; if you aren’t in love with First & Khaotung, the cats will pull you in.

First & Khaotung in Refreshing Roles

I have been watching First Kanaphan & Khaotung Thanawat since they were first paired in the 2023 sleeper hit “The Eclipse”. They next appeared in a supporting role in “Moonlight Chicken” and yet managed to make a distinct impression. “Only Friends” & “The Heart Killers” pushed them into an ensemble casting, where their talents were pitted against other actors. “Cat for Cash” is their first project where the focus remains only on First & Khaotung’s characters, and it is a role reversal of sorts. Till now, we are used to seeing Khaotung play overtly flirtatious characters while First plays the cautious one. In “Cat for Cash”, First has a wannabe caricature as Tiger, a debt collector. His creditors flee at the sight of him, since he is THAT scary. Mr. Scary, however, turns into a mash of goody sweetness when he sees cats. Sadly, Tiger has an allergy to cat fur and can’t touch him. So, he gets his daily cat fix at a cheerful cat café run by Meow (Fresh Arisara). She is a sweet, mild-mannered middle-aged woman who has powers to communicate with cats. Khaotung plays her son, Lynx, who has a serious aversion to cats and is estranged from his mother. Her sudden untimely death brings these two characters together and Lynx is forced to take over his mother’s cat café when Tiger tricks him into signing an agreement. Unbeknownst to Lynx, Meow passes on her powers to Tiger, who wants to carry on with her legacy. Unfortunately, since he is allergic to cat fur, Tiger decides to turn Lynx into his unwilling scapegoat.

The Emotional Attachment & Attraction

Tiger is insanely attracted to Lynx since Meow showed him a photograph of Lynx and called him a stray cat who ran away. Lynx falls sick during his mother’s funeral and Tiger takes care of him. He understands Lynx’s guilt because he failed to reconcile with his mother before her death. As Tiger forces him to run his mother’s cat café, Lynx first sees him as a pesky debt collector who is after his money. But as they spend time together, Tiger learns the ropes from the wild cats at the café and helps Lynx run his business smoothly, while he reconciles with the cats in his mother’s café. It is a slow burn romance, obviously, with Tiger using his flirtatious charm at Lynx with every available opportunity. It is amusing watching them and the cute cats are an added bonus!

First Impressions

By the end of the second episode, Tiger & Lynx look like proud parents looking after their brood!

It’s obvious that Lynx doesn’t dislike cats; in fact, he was the one who adopted the Granny cat at their café. So, was it a childish tantrum when he fought with his mother & staged a walkout? I’m also interested in learning as to how she gained her magical powers and why she passed it on to Tiger, who is allergic to cat fur. First & Khaotung have an intriguing presence and exciting chemistry. I’m fully invested in this show!

Rating- 4 out of 5

Streaming on- GMMTV YouTube Channel