Full-time architect, part-time TV and radio host Khairudin Saharom keeps three cats in his office and two in his apartment

He has always been a cat lover. Growing up, his family had birds, fish and terrapins.

- Joanne Soh

Potential new hires of Khairudin Saharom's Kite Studio Architecture need to meet one important prerequisite: They must be comfortable with cats.

"Sorry to those who are allergic, but my cats come first," says Khairudin with a laugh. The 49-year-old Singaporean architect and popular TV and radio personality has five adopted cats.

BamBam, seven, Toby, five, and BuBu, three, live in the office, while the other two – Charlie, eight, and PingPong, four – live with Khairudin in his apartment. This way, he can have his cats around him at home and at work.

Charlie, a Scottish Fold mix, is the only female in the litter. His other fur kids are male domestic shorthairs.

Once or twice a month, he takes Charlie and PingPong to visit the others in the office. The cats get along well and have their own corner for food.

Khairudin works on weekends, and if he is not able to be in the office, he gets pet sitters to look after the office cats.

Khairudin, who owns Kite Studio, says his four staff members are not just tolerant of the cats. They treat his cats as part of the workplace family and are actively involved in their care, taking turns cleaning litter boxes and getting them treats.