BLOGGERS + CATS...

So many cats, so little time... I'm really glad to introduce Hila of Le Projet d'Amour and darling Kobi as our next interviewees. Hila's is one of my favourite blogs - I know when I check over there I'll find not only gorgeous imagery but thoughtful, considered writing that always makes me think. But nothing about her beautiful blog let on that she had a cat! (Or maybe I'm just very unobservant.) I now realise it's my life's calling to find more hidden bloggers with cats - I will make that my raison d'etre - you can help me by emailing me if you are a secret cat freak and want to be interviewed, or if you know of one. I promise your submissions will be treated in the strictest confidence, until such time as they are plastered all over the internet.

Onwards, to lovely Kobi - I want to hear his chattering now - you don't get that with Lola. I feel robbed. Thank you Hila, and Kobi!

The basics: What breed is he, how old, how did you come to live with him, why did you call him Kobi?

Kobi is a regular Tabby cat and he’s about 3 and a half years old. He had a difficult start to life before he came to live with me. His first owners mistreated him and the litter he was born into. They were all kept outside without much cover and fed very little. They were eventually rescued by the RSPCA along with their mother, but unfortunately she died soon after. After spending some time at the RSPCA, Kobi was scheduled to be put down along with his sister, but luckily, they were both rescued by a kind lady who works for a rescue organisation in my local area. This organisation fosters all sorts of animals until they find a permanent home. I saw Kobi’s picture on their website and I immediately fell in love. Something about his little face told me he would be my little guy. I made an appointment to visit the lady who rescued him and the first thing he did when he saw me was give a little meow, crawl onto my lap, and fall asleep. It was decided then that I would definitely take him home. He was about 5 months old then, and he’s been with me ever since.

He was named ‘Colby’ by his foster carer, so the transition to ‘Kobi’ wasn’t too confusing for him. I named him Kobi because that was the name of my grandfather’s dog in Israel, whom I adored as a little girl. He has lived up to his namesake who was also a big, loveable, gentle and pensive creature.

How would you describe Kobi's personality?

He really is the sweetest, gentlest and most affectionate cat I’ve ever met, which is quite ironic as he also happens to be a big cat, so most people assume he would be territorial or aggressive in nature. But he’s the exact opposite. I like to describe him as a big smoochy teddy-bear. It took a while for his real personality to develop when I first got him as he was understandably frightened by his past experiences with people. But eventually, he began to trust me and has developed the most easy-going personality. I’ve honestly never been scratched by him, nor does he scratch the furniture. He’s also not really a loner, he likes to be around people, to sit on their laps and to interact with what goes on in the house. One of his cutest personality traits is that he’s very talkative, which has earned him the nickname of ‘pigeon’ because when he talks to you, it usually doesn’t sound like a meow but more like a cooing pigeon. The minute my feet hit the ground when I get out of bed in the morning, he will start chatting away and following me around the house all day.

Also, another nickname I’ve given him is ‘little professor’. He’s my writing companion and he’s seen me through all the stress and late night writing sessions that came along with writing my PhD. Although he’s extremely talkative and affectionate, he can also be very pensive and observant. He will sit and stare at my laptop screen for hours, almost like he’s trying to understand what I’ve written, and he loves to pass the time by watching my typing fingers move across the keyboard, with the most intense concentration.

What is Kobi's favourite food?

He will literally eat anything. I once caught him eating pineapples I had taken off my pizza on my plate. And then he promptly threw up. He’s partial to chicken and tuna though, and loves his dry cat food (kibble).

Where is Kobi's preferred lounging location? Does he have any signature poses?


He has a favourite chair in the living room which he’s pretty much colonised as his own. No-one sits on it anymore besides him. It’s the best seat in the house of course: a big and lovely wooden deck chair with a bunch of pillows, positioned where the sunshine drifts through all day. He also loves to sleep on my bed at night and is happy near any window sills. If I’m working from home, he will usually sleep next to me on my desk, on my lap, on my books, or near my feet.

He does have two signature poses when he’s sleeping. One I call the ‘I’m sleeping on my side like a human’ pose, and the other ‘I’m halfway on my back with my mouth open’ pose. Both are unbelievably cute.

What is a day in the life of Kobi like?

He gets up when I get up and he usually receives his food before I have my coffee. While he’s waiting for me to finish my coffee, he catches some early morning sunshine (we live in Western Australia so it’s almost always sunny) and then starts following me around on my morning routine of getting dressed. If I’m working from home, he will usually have a day of watching me write interspersed with breaks in the garden so he can chew grass and talk to the birds. If I’m not at home, he just sleeps all day on his favourite chair. He’s not an outdoor cat, so he only goes outside under supervision. One of the things I love about him is that he always greets me when I get home and starts non-stop ‘talking’, as if he’s telling me about his day.

Do you have any amusing/weird/cute Kobi moments or stories you'd like to share?

The cutest Kobi story I have starts off a bit sad. He was recently attacked by a feral cat in our neighbourhood, right in front of my eyes. It happened in a split second. He had to undergo two surgeries and doses of anaesthetic, poor little guy. When I took him home from the vet and let him out of his cage, the anaesthetic near his back legs hadn’t worn off yet, so he couldn’t walk properly. He tried to run to me as soon as I opened the cage door, but instead of running, he sort of dragged himself like a seal. It was both adorable and heartbreaking at the same time. Luckily, the anaesthetic wore off quickly after that and he wasn’t in pain. But the thing that really got me was how happy he was to see me after his stay at the vet. While I’m used to his regular ‘talking’, this time round when he saw me he started this loud, excited, high-pitched chatter and wouldn’t stop nuzzling me like a dog. Most people think cats are aloof and don’t display the same level of loyalty or affection as dogs, but I think that’s wrong, and Kobi is proof of that.

Also, it has to be said: cats tend to stare at you when you’re getting dressed, and Kobi is no exception. I always find this a bit funny because, well, they have this ‘knowing’ look. Every time Kobi stares at me when I get dressed my boyfriend will calmly comment, ‘He knows what you’re doing’.

Quickfire round:

Birds or mice?

Birds (although he never attacks them, just ‘talks’ to them).

Sunlight or radiator?

Sunlight

Tap or bowl?

Bowl

Lap or laptop?

Lap

Snuggling or stretching?

Both, but I think he prefers snuggling.

Cats or humans?

Both, he gets along really well with other cats. He’s most loyal to people though.

{All photos © Hila}