Marina & Carmen
ph. Jonathan Llense
story by Serena Evely
Because she defines herself as a genuine “cat person”, Marina began researching breeds of cats: she discovered that Korats are playful, sociable and very attached to the humans they live with. She fell in love with "their gray coat, their green eyes, and their small size" and adopted Carmen; for life.
Good intentions
“After moving away from my parents' home, where there were always cats, I waited many years to feel more responsible and available to share my life with a cat (and to have a sufficiently large flat!). I remember very well saying to myself at a certain moment that I was ready to take responsibility for a small animal and its entire life. I was making a solemn commitment and didn’t want to leave this future relationship to fate alone: I began to research different breeds of cats and became fascinated by the Korats and their history.”
Faithful companion
“The Korat breed is very old, originally from Thailand and very strong thanks to enthusiasts who always tried to preserve their original characteristics. The breed is renowned for forming a strong attachment with their humans and for enjoying life indoors, as is the case with Carmen, who follows me absolutely everywhere. Am I working? She sits on my lap or willingly slides under my jumper to watch the screen with me. Am I taking a shower? She sits on the radiator next to me. She even waits for me to go to the toilet so she can go too (her litter box is right next door), it's funny!”
Love and friendship
“Sometimes you tend to think of your pet as your child, but for me she's really my best friend. I feel like that puts us on an equal footing, where we each have our own species, personality and space to express it . Obviously she lives for her own pleasure and survival, that's natural, but she's so pure, like animals in general... And so this relationship with her is certainly inspiring. She is the one I can express my feelings with most freely. And she is also a small, easy cat who loves everyone: when Pierre, my partner, moved in with us, they quickly became friends. I love the fact that they are so close, but I must admit that I sometimes tend to get a bit jealous and I want to be his favourite...”
