JAKARTA, July 18 — Indonesia’s “first cat” Bobby Kertanegara is entitled to state protection, a minister said, following backlash over the feline’s police escort at a public event.

Deputy State Secretary Juri Ardiantoro said the tabby, considered part of President Prabowo Subianto’s property, falls under official security protocols, Tempo reported yesterday.

“It’s not just the president, but the president’s property is also the responsibility of the state to be maintained,” Juri told the Indonesian newspaper.

“Now I want to ask, who does Bobby belong to? Can the state guard him? Of course, it can. Why should there be a protest?” 

Criticism erupted online after a video showed Bobby being wheeled in a stroller and escorted by uniformed officers at Jakarta’s Cat Lovers Social Day 2025 event last weekend.

“Pathetic. Getting paid with the sweat of the people just to escort a cat? Have we gone so astray as a nation that practices like this can still persist in 2025?” an X user posted.

But others jumped to Bobby’s defence. 

“It’s better to escort Bobby than to escort officials who are useless for the country. Bobby at least helps street cats and can make people smile,” wrote another X user.

Bobby was adopted by Prabowo nine years ago and now has his own Instagram account with over a million followers.

Even foreign dignitaries have been charmed by the former stray, like Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who gifted Bobby a scarf during a state visit.

Political analyst Made Supriatma called the use of public funds on Bobby “totally unjustified”, pointing out “the cat is not the mother of the nation”, Tempo reported.

“Unless we want to treat cats as citizens… we are truly in a personal cult system, where the president’s cat and the president are treated the same way,” he added.