Hundreds of cats hang out in the huge Montmartre Cemetery where they prowl among the graves and sit on the headstones of famous former Parisians.
“These cats are always hiding and tend to be très timide (very timid), so often I had to tempt them with my feather teaser and handfuls of cat treats,” says photographer Rachael McKenna in her book The French Cat. “It's amazing how a couple of green feathers tied to a stick are irresistible to even the coyest cats. What I do is wiggle the teaser and a trickle of treats to lure her or him into position. Usually, the cat would follow me down the road to a setting I'd chosen and then, hopefully, click!”
“These cats are always hiding and tend to be très timide (very timid), so often I had to tempt them with my feather teaser and handfuls of cat treats,” says photographer Rachael McKenna in her book The French Cat. “It's amazing how a couple of green feathers tied to a stick are irresistible to even the coyest cats. What I do is wiggle the teaser and a trickle of treats to lure her or him into position. Usually, the cat would follow me down the road to a setting I'd chosen and then, hopefully, click!”
The cats of the Montmartre Cemetery in Paris, France, are well looked after. Every day around noon, a man (Saujot, a true cat lover) arrives at the cemetery hauling thirty kilograms of cat food on a little trolley. He walks six kilometers from home and pays for the food himself out of donations from cat lovers. Meanwhile, the cats, most of them tabbies or pure blacks, are sleek and well fed. Every day they appear from their hiding places behind the tombstones to gobble up their rations.
Goodness knows who the gendarmes fine if the strays of Montmartre decide to scale the high wall around the cemetery and go rat hunting through the back alleys of Pigalle and the Marais during the midnight hours.
Source: The French Cat by Rachael McKenna
waves two ewe all frum de land oh trout !!!! yur fotoz R awesum ♥♥♥
ReplyDeleteI love the first picture which just seems to go with October. They must be well looked after.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pictures! I'm so glad the nice gentleman is taking care of these beautiful felines. I love that most of the cemetery cats are black, too. Very fitting!
ReplyDeleteFascinating pictures...love the ambiance for the season. We had a black cat and she was just so sweet and precious---these are a great reminder, thanks for sharing, Sandi
ReplyDeleteHello, great post. I enjoyed the story of the photographer placing the treats in just the right place for the kitty's photos. They are all beautiful. Thank you so much for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteHow strange! I do like stories like this and if the cats are well looked after then there's no harm done. That man must be a very kind soul indeed, taking care of animals especially stray ones is a commitment and a half. The photos are really stunning, my favourite is the last big one. Very atmospheric.
ReplyDeletePopped over from #PoCoLo
xx
The cats look very happy. Thanks for sharing these great photos.
ReplyDeleteThe cats look well fed.
ReplyDeleteEmma and Buster
Great pictures - I don't think I've ever noticed the cemetery and now I need to go back to Paris (any excuse!) Thanks for sharing with #PoCoLo
ReplyDeleteSweet kitties! I love paris! Thanks for sharing with #HomeMattersParty!
ReplyDeleteA fantastisc Post... I enjoyed the pictures and your words.
ReplyDeleteHeidrun XO
So interesting- thanks for the all the background info- wonderful shots!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots! You've captured the sense of place beautifully!
ReplyDeleteAll of these are wonderful, but the one of the cat standing on the tombstone made me smile - you caught that at a perfect moment!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2017/10/blacksmiths-at-work.html
I love cats and I love cemeteries the both together is perfect
ReplyDeleteMollyx
What amazing photos. I love the one of the cat walking alongside the man. Thanks for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday
ReplyDeleteI love these photos, they seem so peaceful. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking to #pocolo
Wow! These photos are a masterpieces! What camera did you use to make them?
ReplyDelete