Maiko is turning 1 year old today. She has been a fearless and playful kitty since she was little. "When I met her the first time, she leaped into my arms and climbed to my shoulder and stayed there for the rest of my visit. I like to think, she picked me," said Domini Nair, Maiko's mom.

She loves to explore new places and play with (or chew) new toys. "Maiko has a particular love of anything that moves, be it string or feathers or even curtains that are blowing in the wind."

"Maiko literally means 'dancing child' in Japanese, which was a perfect fit for her. When she stalked her prey (i.e. a furry toy mouse) as a kitten, she would hunch up and shake her behind and do a funny little dance, then pounce. The name came to me right away," said Domini.

Photos courtesy of ©Domini Nair.