Cats from Venice {Italy}

This is a guest post by Marianna Zampieri from Cats in Venice

You've probably heard of the Library of High Water or Acqua Alta Libreria in Venice, a mythical place where tons of old books, maps, and magazines are stacked in gondolas, bathtubs, and waterproof bins in case the canals would flood. To complete the look, the library is also home to several cats.

The library is only fifteen years old, so it's not as ancient as many people claim. About twelve years ago, two female kittens occupied the library. When they became pregnant, the owner, Mr. Luigi, gave away the cats but kept the mom, Tigre, and two of her daughters, Dominique and Mussipull. One of them, Pirro, came back but was unfortunately stolen a few years later.

Tigre, Dominique, and Missipull are always present at the Library of High Water, except for the winter, because then they prefer the warmth of a home.

Tigre is very fond of Mr. Luigi. She's like his shadow. If he moves, she follows him. If he talks, she looks at him with love. It's a real treat to witness their relationship.

So, if you can't find Tigre, you have to look for Mr. Luigi first because they're bound to be together. And if you still can't find her, you have to look inside a box on one of the shelves because she's usually hidden.

Sometimes, Tigre can also be found in the "erotic corner" of the library, which is, of course, forbidden to kittens. Adult cats only!

Dominique is a real hunter. She often brings back presents such as mice and pigeons.

Mussipull is nicknamed “machine” because once he starts purring, there's no stopping him.

There are two newcomers at the library - Ziggy and Cocó. Mr. Luigi decided to adopt them because he was so heartbroken after three of his cats, especially Pirro (son of Tigre), were stolen. Originally from Vicenza, Ziggy and Cocó are hard to tell apart because they're almost identical. For the moment, they “work” only part-time at the library because they still need to get used to the long working hours.

By the way, their three pictures are now on sale in the library as magnets.

For more cats in Venice, make sure to like Marianna Zampieri on Facebook.

You can find the Library of High Water (Libreria Acqua Alta) on Calle Longa Santa Maria Formosa (Campiello del Trinidor) 5176 in Venice, Italy. 

Cats from Tashirojima {Japan}

“The island of Tashirojima is situated in the north of Japan, at the same height as the city of Sendaï. Tashirojima is known for its population of approximately 150 cats. They are the principal attraction of this island that counted over 1,000 inhabitants in the eighties. There was even a school, now in ruins. Today, only a few fishermen, of whom the average age is 60 years old, are left. 

To get to the island, a single boat departs from the city of Ishinomaki. Unfortunately, the tsunami has severely touched Ishinomaki, both on a material and human level, and its port has been destroyed. Tashirojima, too, underwent material damage, cutting it off from the rest of the world for quite some time. The American army even refueled the cats of kibble by helicopter. 

After the tsunami, fishing was suspended for several months as the infrastructures on the port were damaged. Nowadays, there are only three or four boats left and only one trawler in use.” 

Tashirojima was once a major producer of silk worms. As mice were its biggest enemy, cats were introduced onto the island to hunt the mice. The silk production has stopped, but the cats are still there.

Around five o'clock in the morning, the fishermen come back and unload their nets to sort the fish. The cats never miss their appointment to try their luck at receiving fish in poor condition that will not be sold.

Text and cat photos: Neko Land: Une vie de chat au Japon

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon FR