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.