Boris the Cat

Boris is one of the coolest cats I know. He's friendly, he's confident, he's mischievous and he's adventurous. These qualities all make Boris a perfect cat model, so I had an absolute blast with this portrait session.

Boris's owner is actually my neighbour, and the way she ended up adopting him is a bit of a heart-warming story.

One night, a mother and daughter turned up at my doorstep holding a cat with a paper collar. They asked me if I knew who he was and where his home might be. I didn't. As it turns out, the then-nameless Boris had been taking up residence in the family's garden for the past few days. To find out if he had an owner, the mother put a paper collar around Boris's neck saying, "if this cat is owned, please call this number".

After waiting several days without a call and confirming with a local vet, it seemed very likely that Boris didn't have a home. So, as a last resort, the mother and daughter started searching the neighborhood on foot for Boris's owner.

I was so amazed by the incredible effort this family had put into finding Boris's home. I told them that I worked at the RSPCA and offered to take Boris to the shelter, assuring them that he would be well looked after. They seemed relieved and gave Boris a few final pats before heading home. 

Once I had Boris inside, I remembered that my neighbour's much-loved elderly cat had recently passed away, so I thought she might enjoy the company. As soon as I heard my neighbour arrive home, I went outside to ask her if she'd like to look after a cat for the night. Her face lit up and she agreed without any hesitation. By the following day, she was already smitten by Boris and there was no need to take him to the shelter.

It goes without saying that that one night turned into many, many more. After jumping through all the hoops with our local council, my neighbour officially adopted Boris later that month.