Cat from Dinant {Belgium}

Christmas is all about giving, and more often than not those who give the most are the poorest of all.

In the Belgian city of Dinant, at the entrance of the Church of Our Lady (Collegiale Notre-Dame), you will find two beggars, Ivo and Yan, and their pets, Kenzo the dog and Tchoutchou the cat. They were the perfect representation of that Christmas spirit.

"We are so very grateful for our pets," Kenzo's owner said. "We'd do anything for them. First, we think about their wellbeing, and only then do we eat."

Kenzo the dog was the one who set the right example. "Six months ago, Kenzo found a three-week-old kitten in the bushes. He refused to leave it behind. We had no choice but to bring the kitten along and to bottle feed it until he was grown enough."

The cat and dog truly taught those two beggars the spirit of Christmas.

Related post => Hihi the cat showers his beggar human with love

Cat from Brussels {Belgium}

FELINE PR MANAGER CHARMS HER WAY INTO CUSTOMERS' HEARTS

In the Brussels' café Au Soleil, the PR manager is a good-looking feline: Jean-Claude.

Jean-Claude (who's actually female) is taking her job seriously. While Au Soleil is popular among locals, tourists mainly go there because Jean-Claude is extremely skillful at luring them in.

Her technique: lying on her back behind the window and exposing her belly while baking in the sun. Within seconds, tourists and passers-by are charmed.

“Tourists take more pictures of Jean-Claude than of our famous Manneken Pis,” the bartender says. "They always end up entering to share a drink with their new favorite feline."

Jean-Claude loves the visitors of Au Soleil. She sleeps next to them and is not too shy to ask for cuddles. “She's been living at the café for over ten years, so she's used to the noisy crowds,” the bartender says. “She originally belonged to the café's previous owner, but when he sold Au Soleil to someone new, Jean-Claude was part of the package.”

Jean-Claude is almost always present at the café, except in the evenings, because then she's making her rounds. Each day, she visits the neighboring shops, so everyone knows her. If she "forgets" to visit, the shopkeeper goes to Au Soleil to ask if everything's fine with her.

Regular visitors, too, are disappointed when their favorite feline isn't around. Some of them go there specifically for Jean-Claude and bring along food and cat treats.

Now she's waiting for you to bring her a Christmas present.

Practical information:

Au Soleil is situated in the center of Brussels, at walking distance from many famous attractions such as the Grand-Place, the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate, and Manneken Pis.

Address: Rue du Marché au Charbon 86, 1000 Brussels.

Check out Au Soleil on TripAdvisor for more info and pictures.

Related post: Meet the cat of Mokafé in Brussels, Belgium

Cat from Petra {Jordan}

Meet the cat that guards the pink city of Petra, Jordan

My friends from the travel blog Far Away at Home just got back from a trip to Jordan and sent me these pictures of the cat that guards the entrance to the canyon nearby Petra's historical site.

Famous for its rock-cut architecture and secret chambers, Petra is on many a traveler's bucket list. Several feral cats are lucky to call this World Heritage location their permanent home. The cat in these pictures is the most photographed of all. He truly is the guardian of the pink city.

“This cat loved to cuddle,” says Werner Gladines from Far Away at Home. “Until a dog came by. You'll notice in the last pictures that he looks very alert.”

Have you visited the historical site of Petra, Jordan? Did you see the feral cats?

Other posts by Far Away at Home: The cat of the Abbey of Reigny in France /  The feline guardian of the fortress of Najac / The hungry beach cat of Riva Ligure, Italy

Cats from Tokyo {Japan}

What could be more fitting than a cemetery post for All Saints' Day?  This photo series by Alexandre Bonnefoy was taken at the Yanaka Cemetery in Tokyo, Japan, and appeared in the book Neko Land.

“The Yanaka Cemetery and the surrounding streets, south of the Nippori station in Tokyo, are the mark of a large number of cats. The area is even known for this, and many small shops are overflowing with cat-related products. When the sun sets, the cats can be found in large numbers at the cemetery to hold a siesta on the tombs.”

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon FR 

Cats from Woluwe-St-Lambert {Belgium}

I spent Saturday afternoon at the Halloween open doors event of Cat Rescue in Woluwe-St-Lambert (a borough of Brussels).

The first time I heard about this cat shelter was two years ago. I wanted to help a homeless pet but couldn't find a good match as I was still grieving Avalon. A friend sent me a link to the Cat Rescue website, Romero's picture stayed open on my computer for several days (he was still called Herbert back then), and I adopted him on December 22nd, 2014. He's now happily purring by my side.

But today, I'd like you to meet the other cats of the shelter.

Come on in, there are lots of Halloween treats inside...

Get yourself some quiche and a vegan Halloween muffin.

Now let's focus on the cats...

My favorite was Balou (second picture) who looks rough but is 8.2 kg of pure love.

Ophélia (first picture) was a real sweetheart, too.

While I was there, a visitor optioned Hector.

The cat shelter provides enough wet food, kibble, and kitty milk to keep the cats healthy and happy... 

And a large outdoor area to get those kitty legs moving.

By the way, how lovely are those autumn colors.

Don't leave just yet. Get some presents for your cats and fellow cat lovers first. 

Address: Avenue de Mai 216, 1200 Woluwe-St-Lambert, Belgium (close to the metro station Gribaumont)