C ATA L OGU E Cat Culture Chronicle
Time spent with cats is never wasted.
Catalogue
This is an occasional magazine full of cat culture. It chronicles everything from the funniest internet kitties to the important work being carried out to keep cats safe. Not everyone will understand this magazine. Congratulations if you do, you’re one of us! You can has cheezburger.
Introduction
Instagram?
@catalogue_mag
Catalogue
1
2
3
4
What’s in this issue?
Creative 10 26
Oh Hello Window Cat Sphynx Within Their Oddity
Cat Care 38 Cat Rescue 56 Treats
Humour 70 The Most Important Cats On The Internet 72 Oops 82 The Big Box Review 90 Catnip
Explore 94 104
Cat Showing Cat Café
Section One
Creatives
Oh Hello Window Cat An interview with the blog creator about her Tumblr success.
Sphynx Within Their Oddity The work of San Francisco based photographer Alicia Ruis.
Have you seem this cat 1 of 4
09
Catalogue
Oh Hello Window Cat
10
The best of Tumblr
Oh Hello Window Cat
11
Catalogue
Interview We spoke with Jackie, the creator of ‘Hello Window Cat’, to gain a little insight into the blog and how it came about. Jackie is a 33 year old Architectural Designer living and working in Philadelphia and cat mum to a petite 10 year old gray cat named Ellie (who has yet to make her blog debut).
12
She has turned a simple concept in to a quite beautiful and insightful photographic series that not only documents the lives of a window cat but also gives an insight into the city of Philadelphia.
Oh Hello Window Cat
13
Catalogue
‘I never expected the blog to take off in the way that it did which is still super shocking to me! Shocking but flattering.’
14
Oh Hello Window Cat
I’ve firstly got to ask, how did you come up with this?
Do you often find yourself having to explain to onlookers what you are doing?
lighthearted and fun and I want to keep it that way.
The blog basically started as I was accumulating too many pictures of cats sitting in windows on my phone. It got ridiculous when I went to Amsterdam two summers ago and ended up having more window cat pictures than anything else.
I have yet to be questioned about what I’m doing when I’m taking a photo in someone’s window. I know that day is coming.
I take pictures all the time that don’t make the blog because I don’t like the photo. I feel like if I started trying to force it, it wouldn’t be as fun anymore and the quality of photos would go down.
I liked the photos I had taken and didn’t want to get rid of them, so I started putting them on Tumblr. I never expected the blog to take off in the way that it did which is still super shocking to me! Shocking but flattering.
Philadelphia isn’t the friendliest city in the world so I try to snap the photo as quickly as possible and then get out of there! Do you ever go out especially looking for cats to include in the blog?
Sometimes I don’t see a cat for a month or two, especially in the winter. But then in the spring or summer sometimes I see multiple cats in one day.
I don’t go out looking for cats for the blog because it started as something
Philadelphia is a very walkable city and I walk 1.5 miles to and from work 15
everyday, taking different routes all the time. So that is mostly when I stumble upon window cats, early in the day, walking to work - when the city is still quiet.
Catalogue
16
Oh Hello Window Cat
17
Catalogue
18
Oh Hello Window Cat
19
Catalogue
Not a cat (but still cool)
20
Oh Hello Window Cat
‘I will never give away my secret! No, really, there’s no secret.’
21
Catalogue
‘Philadelphia can be quite gritty at times, but it can also feel small and quaint. It is what you decide you want it to be. And I’ve decided I want it to be a city full of window cats.’
(continued)
In the UK, I think something like this would be quite difficult to do, you don’t tend to get such large windows on street level.
Some of the images have very discreet cats in them, you have a cat spotting talent. What is the secret to spotting a cat? Do you have any tips?
Do you think that is something that’s unique to Philadelphia?
I will never give away my secret! No, really, there’s no secret. If you start looking for them I promise you, you’ll start to notice them in your city too. Especially on bright, sunny days!
I definitely think this blog could only exist in certain cities like Philly. Philadelphia is one of the oldest cities in the US, so the neighborhoods surrounding the city center are full of traditional row homes with windows right up next to the sidewalk.
Do you have any interesting stories from your adventures searching for window kitties? The most interesting part of the blog has been the feedback I’ve received from followers. 22
I get a lot of messages from fellow Philadelphians who like that the blog is a way to bring positive attention to the city rather than focus on anything negative. Philadelphia can be quite gritty at times, but it can also feel small and quaint. It is what you decide you want it to be: I’ve decided I want it to be a city full of window cats.
Oh Hello Window Cat
Follow ‘Oh hello Window Cat’ on tumblr.com
23
Catalogue
Sadly Jackie’s Cat Ellie passed away shortly after the interview. Ellie finally got to make her first appearance on the blog, Jackie wrote: “This post is dedicated to my sweet baby girl Ellie, who passed away Friday morning. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend and companion these past ten years.”
24
Oh Hello Window Cat
Ellie
25
Catalogue
Sphynx Within Their Oddity
26
Kitty Photography
Sphynx Within Their Oddity
27
Catalogue
We Speak with San Francisco based photographer Alicia Ruis about her body of work exploring the beauty of Sphynx within their oddity. When did you first decide to work exclusively with animals within your photography?
What was your inspiration behind the Sphynx photographs? During the spring I was updating my portfolio with an editor. The editor was fascinated with the two Sphynx I had and told me to explore them further, that´s what I did and I continue to do.
I was living in Amsterdam when my husband got a job in San Francisco. Since this was a great chance for him, I wanted to seize it and make it big for me too. So I decided to reinvent myself and start doing what I love the most; animals and photography. This was in 2012.
28
Catalogue
Sphynx Within Their Oddity
‘Sphynx fascinate me in many ways. I’m drawn by their alien look. There’s something disturbing yet eerie that keeps me astonished every time I look at one.’
31
Catalogue
How do you get the cats to pose in such an artistic position? is it something that comes natural to you when photographing them or does it take quite a lot of patience to get the right shot? It does, it takes patience and lots of photoshoots. I make them play, jump and sit still, but they will also start grooming themselves and the pose and body shape they then adopt is great and that was unexpected.
The series has attracted a lot of attention online, has it given you inspiration for a future series exploring a similar theme? I have some ideas in my head but they are just a bunch of random ideas. I still want to further explore this theme for the time being. Do you have a favourite image from the series? Or favourite images ever? Yes I do. The one that is a panoramic of a Sphynx profile, the sequence of 3 images of the Sphynx on his two paws and the one where the sphynx has his neck twisted like an owl.
I always have some idea of the shots I want to get but, I always leave with photos I didn’t think about or expect and they are always the best. How have people reacted to the series?
Do you have a favourite photographer or image that really inspires you?
The reaction has been quite interesting. People who dislike them now can see some beauty in it.
I do have a lot of favorite photographers. But that do animals I like Andy Anderson, Peter Samuels and Tim Flach to name a few.
Others have fascination towards them. I think this breed falls into the ‘love-it’ or ‘hate-it’ category.
32
Sphynx Within Their Oddity
Don’t compare your work to anybody. Just look around for inspiration and embrace that within your photography. And if it helps, I’m still trying to figure this out.
I have been researching and working on this magazine for some time now, and your images and style is extremely unique compared to a lot of other work out there. Do you have any advice for people wanting to get great images of their cats or pets in general? It is funny you say that about my work. Actually, when I started doing photography I never looked at anybody’s work for the first 2 years.
We are in constant evolution and you change every day. So what I wanted to be one year ago is different to what I want to be next year. Don’t stress out if you can’t decide what kind of photographer you want to be.
I was just taking pictures and experimenting. At some point, I developed a very distinct voice because I was never influenced by anybody.
Take photos, travel, talk to people, experiment and at some point in your journey, you’ll find something you are passionate about. Then, take all that energy and just do that thing.
My advice is this; find out what kind of photographer you want to be (indoor, outdoor, studio, landscape, commercial, editorial) and then go and do your thing.
But above all, have fun.
33
Catalogue
By Alicia Rius
34
Sphynx Within Their Oddity
Find more of Alicia’s work at aliciariusphotography.com
35
Catalogue
Section Two
Cat Care
Editorial: Cat Rescue For this issue’s editorial we visited Yorkshire Cat Rescue to considering the impact of social media on uk rescue centres
Cat Treats A how-to-guide for making the ultimate cat treats
36
36
Have you seem this cat 2 of 4
37
Catalogue
Cat Rescue Everything is seemingly effected by the visually driven social media centred world we live in.
This has made them less popular with those who enjoy posting self-portraits across social media.
Recently rescue centres have reported that black cats are being abandoned as their owners complain that black cats do not photograph as well as their lighter and brighter coloured counterparts.
Our editorial will focus around this subject. We visited Yorkshire Cat Rescue to see the cats currently in their care and to meet with the founder of the charity to find out more about the important and selfless work they do.
38
Editorial
Cat Rescue
39
Catalogue
‘There where 800,000 unplanned kittens in the UK during 2013, we can not stress enough the importance of neutering your pets.’
40
Cat Rescue
41
Catalogue
42
Cat Rescue
An interview with Sara Atkinson, founder of Yorkshire Cat Rescue. What is it like running the rescue centre day to day? As you might expect, very busy. It requires a lot of people managing skills. It’s usually a real mixture of emotion, both happy and sad. It can be quite frustrating at times, especially when people don’t listen to the advice we supply. It can be very sad, especially when abandoned kittens are brought in.
Owners will bring in litter after litter of kittens because they can’t be bothered neutering their pets. This can put a lot of strain on our resources.
that’s completely fine but we need to make sure we have a cat that will work in their home environment. If people want a cat they will get one from somewhere, so we just make sure that we match them with the best cat possible. If someone doesn’t get one from us they’ll just get a ‘free to good home’ cat from Gumtree – at least here they can be 100% sure they have the best possible match.
It can be very sad sometimes, but if you’ve had a bad day at least you can always go and stroke a fluffy kitten. When did Yorkshire Cat Rescue first form? We first formed as a charity in February 1992. I was a volunteer at another charity that fell apart so decided to take over and set up Yorkshire Cat Rescue to continue the important work.
Cats have a lot of preconce ptions surrounding them. A lot of people think they can easily live on their own, this is why people often just dump them.
The first cat we took in was called Adam & Eve – we weren’t sure if it was a girl or a boy. It ended up being Adam.
What people also don’t realise is that brothers and sisters can mate.
It’s all about finding a suitable cat for the owner. If they already have a pet
How important are your fostering programs? They are huge, they take a lot of pressure off us. Although we have a centre where the cats patiently await their new homes, we use families to foster mother cats and their kittens, under-age kittens and orphan kittens until the kittens reach 1 kilogram in weight (around 10 weeks of age) and are big enough to be neutered before going to new homes.
What is the adoption process like?
43
The cats and kittens stay in a family environment to ensure they are used to being handled and socialised. The cats and kittens are not adopted out from the foster homes – they return to our centre for neutering and final vet checks before they are released for adoption. In the summer months we concentrate on rescuing ‘garden cats’. These are homeless cats that have given birth in gardens. The kittens take up a lot of space and this is why the fostering program is so important. If we have 50 cats on site, we might have 200 in foster homes. Recently we have looked to foster out cats with behavioural issues too to try and prepare them for future adoption.
Catalogue
44
Cat Rescue
These kittens where handed in to
bottle fed every two hours making
the rescue centre after being found
them extremely high maintenance for
abandoned in a plastic bag. The centre
the rescue centre and highlighting the
estimated they are probably only two
importance of keeping kittens and
days old. The kittens require being
mother together.
45
Catalogue
‘We will never put a cat down. They can stay here as long as they need.’
46
Cat Rescue
47
Catalogue
“Sadly, stories of dumped cats and kittens have become so common these days that I can only refer to it as a cruelty epidemic.”
50
“Every year I hope that we will start to see things change for the better but so far, it is more and more of the same.”
Cat Rescue
51
Catalogue
‘The cats and kittens stay in a family environment to ensure they are used to being handled and socialised.’
Is there a typical type of cat that comes into the centre?
How can people volunteer?
Black and white cats do seem to be the least popular – contrary to the belief it’s black cats. We find as well that female cats are the more difficult to home. This is because they are the dominant sex, and therefore it’s not usually a good idea to send them to homes that already have a female cat. Most commonly though it is a nursing cat that comes in with kittens.
Volunteers are inducted by one of our five paid on sight staff. These 5 staff members, alongside volunteers, need to cover the rescue centre for seven days a week. The volunteers help to feed and clean the cats. We also have volunteers who help by organising important fundraising events. How do you fund the important work that you do?
How long do cats spend in the rescue centre? The shortest time a cat will be here is usually a couple of days. Kittens are ready to leave after eleven weeks so that’s the earliest they will leave. We will never put a cat down. It can stay here as long as it needs to stay. If we think a cat has been overlooked we will promote it.
It is all self funded; we are not able to apply for any funding from the UK government or any other charitable organisation. The centre costs between £250,000 and £300,000 per year to run. To help support the centre we have recently opened two charity shops, these are extremely important as they help to raise crucial funds for the centre as well as promote cats that currently need adopting.
How do you promote the cats? We have a PR agency that does a lot of work for us. We also have a good following on Facebook so that can be very useful as well as the website. 52
The most important thing anyone can do is to simply be a responsible owner. This doesn’t just mean looking after your pet correctly and having it neutered but also having a plan in place in case a time comes that you can no longer look after your pet.
If everyone did this it would take a lot of pressure off the rescue centre.The best thing to do is to swap with someone. If something happens to them you take care of their cat and vice-versa. To find out more about adopting a cat, or to donate money to the rescue centre please visit yorkshirecatrescue.org
54
Model Freyah Brookes
Styling Farah Pop
Assistant Sophie Abbott
Photography Josh Couch
Catalogue
Homemade Cat Treats Homemade treats for your cat. Super easy to create and you’ve probably already got everything you’ll need.
56
Catalogue #1 Catalogue
What you’ll need Healthy and a crowd pleaser. Ditch the chewy stick and make your cat something they will actually enjoy. If you don’t have a cat, they would make a great gift. #cleaneating
Cat Nip 1 heaped tablespoon
Extra Virgin Oil 1 heaped tablespoon
1 Egg Large
1 Cat Hungry
Oat Flour 250g
58
Cats that fucked up Cat Treats
... one of these As much as your cat begs for a bite of your burrito, they really shouldn’t eat like we do. Their digestive systems don’t know what to do with black beans and flour tortillas. That’s why crunchy cat treats honour the simple, meatdriven diet that cats need to thrive.
Trout Fat 11g Protein 34g
Chicken Fat 2g Protein 40g
Tuna Fat 1g Protein 32g
Salmon Fat 7g Protein 20g
59
Catalogue
60
Cat Treats
Ok, it’s pretty easy Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius. In the bowl combine the oat flour, egg, olive oil, catnip and meat until the mixture is smooth. It will be thick but pliable and not terribly sticky, feel free to use a blender here.
61
Catalogue
It feels kinda weird Roll the dough into 1/2 teaspoon balls and place on a pre prepared sheet. Yep, it is a strange texture. Use a skewer to press an X-shape into each ball.
Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until they are dried on top and slightly browned. Allow to cool completely before offering to your kitty.
62
Cat Treats
63
Catalogue
64
Cat Treats
Happy Kitty Once you’re comfortable with making these recipes, don’t be afraid to experiment.You can try substituting different kinds of flour until you create a treat with the texture and taste your pet truly loves. Just figure out what your pet’s favourite flavours are, and try incorporating them into your recipes. It’s really a process of trial and error, but you never know when you’ll come up with something fabulous. Baking for your pet can be a real pleasure, and your cat will surely appreciate the special treatment.
65
Catalogue
Is your cat controlling your mind?
66
Cat mind control
Is your cat controlling your mind?
Seriously, it might. Article written by Denmark based zoologist William Joyce.
It’s the turn of the century, at the eminent Oxford University, and a rat is released into a large pen. In each corner there is different odour- the rat’s own smell, a neutral smell (water), rabbit urine or cat urine. Most rats would be repulsed by the cat urine- they have evolved a deep, in-built aversion for their predators. But this rat is instead attracted to the feline aroma. This rat has been infected with a parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. Since these first studies, scientific evidence in the past 15 years has unravelled a fascinating story of mind-control and manipulation from a parasite that must complete its life cycle in cats. Toxoplasma gondii- or Toxo, for shortis a single celled parasite that can live in most mammals, but it can only sexually reproduce in cats’ intestines. A cat eats meat infected with Toxo, then the parasites replicate in the cat’s
guts. Eggs are then released in the cat’s droppings, and eventually some of these are ingested by other mammals. In these other animals, such as rats and mice, the parasite breaks through the walls of the intestine and migrates to the brain and muscles, where it must wait for a feline predator to reinfect. Toxo, however, is impatient.
remain unclear and controversial, it seems that Toxo rewires the rodent brain and turns on a suicidal attraction to cats. More controversial still, is the relationship between Toxo and people. Humans, like any mammal, can become infected with Toxo. Globally the prevalence averages about 25%, but in areas with lots of cats, for example Paris, the majority of people may carry the parasite. Most healthy people don’t show any obvious symptoms, although complications such as eye trouble (ocular toxoplasmosis) may arise. Toxo can also cross the placenta and can cause serious problems in the developing foetus, so pregnant women are often screened.
Toxo is selective in its migration through the body and targets areas of the brain involved in fear. Strikingly, the parasite has a gene for an enzyme that synthesizes dopamine, a key neurotransmitter (a chemical that neurons use to communicate) in the brain. A study published last year further showed that Toxo changes gene expression in rat neurons, increasing the amount of another neurotransmitter, arginine vasopressin. Effectively, the parasite hijacks the brain’s communication systems. Although many of the finer details
Recently, however, evidence for Toxo-induced changes in human behaviour has strengthened. For example, toxoplasma infection has been linked with an increased risk of being involved in traffic accidents67
studies have suggested people with Toxo infection are over 2.5 times as likely to be involved in an incident. This is likely explained by other studies that have associated Toxo infection with slowed reaction times. Toxo has also been implicated in the development of schizophrenia (this is likely linked to the manipulation of neurochemicals, as discussed above). People with schizophrenia are almost three times more likely to carry Toxo. Nobody suggests Toxo itself causes schizophrenia, but in predisposed individuals, it may contribute to the progression. This is a fascinating story of natural selection and the weird world of parasites, but what does this mean for cat-owners and other feline fanatics? Some scientists advise keeping cats indoors, where they are less exposed to raw meat. Further, appropriate hygiene is clearly important, especially for pregnant women.
Have you seem this cat? 3 of 4
68
Article
Section Three
Humour
Internet Cats From Instagram to Snapchat. The very best cats the web has to offer.
oops A photographic series showing the funniest cat fuck ups.
The Box Review A satire look at cats and there favourite boxes.
Catnip These cats highhhhhhh.
69
Catalogue #1
The Most Important Cats on the Internet UK mobile network Three discovered the public share 1.4 million Selfies each day as well as 3.8 million photos, videos or memes featuring cats. 40% of cat related content is taken with a smartphone with 350,000 cat owners in the UK alone creating dedicated social media accounts for their pet.
The Internet Cat Video Film Festival, first taking place in the US, gathered over 10,000 cat enthusiasts in just its first year. Most people, of course, consumed this content from home on laptops, tablets, mobiles etc. But still, that’s a lot of people. Long story short, cat’s are popular and there are a lot of them on the internet.
A fifth of the creators explained the reason they did it was because they thought their pet was more interesting than them. 15% also hoped they might gain fame through their pet.
Do not fear! We’ve got you covered. We’ve gone through it ALL and here are the highlights. These are the cats you have to see.
70
Internet Cats
71
Catalogue
OOPS!
OK, this is it.This is the one. We can all finally shut down the internet and go home after this.
72
Silly Kitty
Oops
73
Catalogue
74
Oops
75
Catalogue
76
Oops
77
Catalogue
78
Oops
79
Catalogue
80
Oops
81
Catalogue
The Big Box Review 2015 Large boxes, shoe boxes, and even just items that look like boxes – cats, it seems, can’t resist squeezing into cardboard spaces. In a typically satirical fashion, we’ve reviewed the box that your cats want.
82
Cats and Boxes
The Box Review
83
Catalogue #1 Catalogue
Swag Award 2k15 When your cat’s box game is always on point. 12 x 14 Mostly found with new sneaks
84
The Box Awards 2015 The Box Review
85
Catalogue #1 Catalogue
The Hipster Kitty Boxes are too mainstream, it’s the year of the basket. 20 x 18 Appears unexpectedly with much surprise.
86
The Box Awards 2015 The Box Review
I Fitz I Sitz It’s clearly too small, but who actually cares.You’ve gotta get in there. 20 x 15 A really really really small box
87
Catalogue
Schrödinger’s cat was quite happy in its box.
88
The Box Review
2015 Winner The Classic Who knows where this came from, it is what is - timeless. Beaten up, taped together yet undeniable puurfect. A box for all cats. 21 x 25 Appears unexpectedly with much surprise.
89
Section Four
Explore
Cat Showing We took a trip to a cat showing competition
London Cat A Café The cat cafe trend comes to London, and it’s everything you’d want it to be
Have you seem this cat 4 of 4
93
Catalogue
Cat Showing We took a trip to the Preston and Blackpool 49th Championship Cat Club Show. We found some cute cats and discovered possible the best competition ever.
94
Cat Showing
You need to go to a cat show..
like asap
95
96
97
Catalogue
‘There were cats everywhere, it was incredible.’ - Everyone who has ever attended a cat showing competition.
98
Cat Showing
The Persian is a long-haired breed of cat characterised by its round face and short muzzle. It looks really really grumpy and has a moustache.
I don’t think enough people have experienced cat showing. I think it truly can be described as underrated. Forget going to Alton Towers for the day; this is where the real fun is. My first experience of cat showing was in March 2015 and I wasn’t sure what to expect at all. I walked into a large school sports hall, a humble venue for such an event.
99
I wasn’t certain I was at the right place; I’d travelled across the country just to get there. When I saw a small family all dressed in cat themed t-shirt’s I knew I’d probably found it. These weren’t the only cat themed t-shirt’s I saw. Each time one caught my attention it seemed more unusual, eccentric and beautiful than then last. I made a mental note to purchase one at the end of the day.
100
Cat Showing
101
Catalogue
Unimpressed (but still cute)
102
Cat Showing
Continued
As I walked in to the showing hall one thing immediately popped into my head; ‘holy crap that is a lot of cats’. In hindsight I guess this isn’t that surprising, but at the time I wasn’t exactly sure just how popular cat showing was. After posting the mandatory Facebook status and filling my snap chat story with the closest cat in site I started to speak with the cats (well.. Cat owners).
her whole life and could not help but do anything to her best ability. That’s how she went from simply a cat owner to enter cat show competitions. She’s now got over 12 cats and is heavily involved in the showing organisation. She was a genuinely interesting and pleasant person to speak with and told me quite a bit about the showing process.
I spoke with a lady who has been in the game since 2000. (The game? Why not). She explained to me how she had gotten a pet kitty as a way to distract herself from her music.
It was instantly clear how lovely, forthcoming and friendly everyone at the event was. They each had a unique story about how they got into cat showing and all had a very clear and heart-warming bond with there cats.
She was a piano teacher and somewhat a perfectionist. She told me how she was she was extremely well disciplined due to playing the piano
The competition was quite easy to understand. The judges chose three winners from each breed; a kitten, a pedigree and a neutered cat. From these 103
three one was then chosen to go for the ‘Best of Show’ title. With each win or nomination a cat can progress to larger championships. The largest UK competition is the GCCF Supreme Cat Show which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham I spent a long time petting, stroking and hanging out with cats as well as speaking with cat owners. It was a lot of fun. The highlight of the day though was undoubtedly the best of show winner. The lady I spoke with at the beginning of the day won, and she was overjoyed for her cat more than anything. It was very cute.
The Cat Cafe Owning a pet makes us healthier and happier, but for many of us, long hours at work, tight budgets and small flats means it’s just not feasible. But there’s good news for animal lovers; you can now cosy up with a cup of tea while spending time with furry friends, as the global movement of animal cafés has reached the UK.
104
105
Catalogue
106
Cat Café
‘Out of the 13.5 million people in the UK who have a pet, 24% of us own a cat – and it’s no secret that as a nation we love cats.’
107
Catalogue
“As a cat owner and lover I was inspired by the documentary that aired last year about Japanese cat cafés and after a visit to Tokyo, decided this was the perfect thing to do.”
The international phenomenon originated in Taipei, Taiwan where the world’s first feline café, Cat Flower Garden, opened in 1998. Curious tourists soon discovered the pet paradise and brought the concept over to Japan. The first Japanese cat café opened in Osaka in 2005, and now there are said to be nearly 40 in Tokyo alone. Japan has now gone far beyond the original concept, and some of the trendiest places to visit nowadays have owls, rabbits and goats hanging around. Tokyo’s Fukuro no Mise, which means the ‘Shop of Owls’ have full guests lists for up to two months. Out of the 13.5 million people in the UK who have a pet, 24% of us own a cat – and it’s no secret that as a nation we love cats. Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium was the first of its kind to open up in East London in, last year. The successful cat café takes bookings 50 days ahead and usually about 90% of them book out about 5-6 weeks in advance. The bookings that linger about are the 9am timeslots, butusually from two weeks ahead, every single slot will be taken. The Aussie owner, Lauren Pears, managed to raise an astonishing £108,000 through crowdfunding in order to put her dreams into reality. Though the business has been a success, the owner is a little wary about the sudden rise of cat cafés everywhere. “Cat cafés are still in their infancy here and we’ve seen a very recent cautionary tale springing up in Singapore with the sudden burst of cat cafés in the city. Earlier this year, one of them was closed down after serious animal welfare issues resulted in the deaths of several cats.” She emphasises that even though the job is fun and rewarding, it’s also comes with serious responsibility. “There was some definite ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ going on in Singapore and it’s a good example of why local authorities have to be as thorough and careful as Tower Hamlets were with us, making sure that everything has been thought through and standards will be maintained.” The Food Standards Agency permits animals in a café in the UK, but legislates that “reasonable precaution” must be taken (and demonstrable) to prevent domestic animals from accessing food preparation areas.
At Lady Dinah’s, all non-human attendants are also thoroughly vaccinated, neutered and otherwise medically approved, so that customers can enjoy feline company without any fear. Former fashion student Katie Jane Glazier will be opening Pretty Pussy Parlour in May in the centre of Newcastle. “As a cat owner and lover I was inspired by the documentary that aired last year about Japanese cat cafés and after a visit to Tokyo, decided this was the perfect thing to do.” The décor, amazing cat-themed furniture and heated floor mats for the lucky cats made Katie decide that Newcastle needed a place like this. “We loved the idea that the cats had been rescued and were enjoying a better life in the café environment. The can-do attitude of the people who set up these businesses in challenging city environments was inspirational.” “With the modern world being so busy and people being increasingly time-poor, folks don’t have time to keep their own pets, so having the ability to visit a café with pets when they like is pretty appealing.” But more cafés are popping up all over the UK. In November last year, Kate and Oliver CharlesRichards ran a successful crowdfunding scheme to open The Kitty Cafe in Nottingham, which will open on 21 March. Masion de Moggy Cat Cafe also opened in January in Edinburgh, as well as Cattitude, which is planning to open in the Scottish capital this year. The team behind Cattitude plan to have between ten and fifteen rescue cats at a time, fostered from the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, residing at the cafe. “If visitors happen to become too attached to their new feline friend, they’ll have the chance to give them a fur-ever home as all of the cats will be up for adoption,” explains Kim Manners, owner of The 3 Fat Cats business which specialises in unique cat scratch furniture and pet products. Two new cat cafés are fighting to be the first one to open in Birmingham. Both The Happy Cats Café, run Ally Bartlam and Damian Polino, and The Cat Café, with owners Eric Sawyer and partner Alex Zef, are using crowdfunding projects.
108
Over in Dublin, the Georgina O’Neil plans to open the Crazy Cats Café later this year, if they manage to raise 50,000 euros. In Wales, Linda Jones plans to launch the Cheshire Cat Café in Llandudno with 10 resident cats, where people can book 90 minute slots to sit down and relax with the cats. James Bowen and his cat Bob that captured everyone’s hearts in the international bestseller book A Street Cat Named Bob: And How He Saved My Life are currently crowdfunding a project to start up Bob’s World Cat Café in London. James envisions the café as a safe haven for “not only cats that need the love, but for the people who love cats, too.” But it’s not just cafés for cats, the first micro pig pop-up café in Britain will also be open as an event running from May 21-25 this year.Visitors will have the chance to enjoy the companionship of the cup-sized animals at the Proud Archivist on Regents Canal. Dog enthusiasts are in for a treat with the first of its kind canine café opening up shortly in Shoreditch. The new dog paradise is set to feature four-legged fancy dress, fashion shows for pooches and its own dog Olympics. Set up by Kristjan Byfield, The Happiness of Hounds café will offer man’s best friend doggie goods like cookies, clothing, herbal tea and cupcakes. There will even be a specialised menu for the four legged companion. A 2011 study from Miami University found that pet owners tend to be healthier and happier. According to study researcher Allen McConnell: “Pet owners had greater self-esteem, were more physically fit, tended to be less lonely, were more conscientious, were more extroverted, tended to be less fearful and tended to be less preoccupied than nonowners.” So it’s clear that a cuddle from a four-legged friend can be good for us, but for those who can’t keep a pet at home, animal cafés certainly seem like the perfect alternative. Article by Camilla Brugrand for The Independent
Cat Café
109
@catalogue_mag
Instagram?
Credits Oh Hello Window Cat Original Interview with blog creater Jackie Images via hellowindowcat.tumblr.com __
Catnip Photography/Words: By Catalogue Content submitted via freecatine.com __
Sphynx within there oddity Original Interview with Alicia Ruis Images via aliciaruisphotography.com __
Cat Showing Photography/Words: By Catalogue Assistant: Amy Cardus Thank you to Judith Mercer for allowing us to attend Preston & Blackpool Cat Showing as well as all the cats and cat owners in the article. __
Cat Rescue Photography/Words: By Catalogue Model: Freyah Brookes Styling: Farah Pop Assistant: Sophie Abbott Location/Interview:Yorkshire Cat Rescue Thank you to YCR founder Sara Atkinson. __ Cat Treats Photography/Words: By Catalogue Recipe: Kristina Gill via designsponge.com __ The Most Important Cats On The Internet Content submitted via freecatine.com __ Oops Content submitted via freecatine.com __ The Big Box Review Photography/Words: By Catalogue Thank you to Elliot Pashley and his cat Blossom. __
Cat CafĂŠ Photography: By Catalogue Article: Camilla Brugrand __ Thank you for the continued help and support with the magazine: Lauren Graham Pam & Andrew Thornes The University of Huddersfield Nick Deakin David Sedgwick Daniel Kelly Luigi Amitrano Amy Cardus Sean Crumlish
I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.
This magazine is an exporation of the submissions to freecatzine.com Visit the site to contribute to the next issue. Designed by Josh Couch.
@catalogue_mag catalogue-mag.com