Maya, Opium & Paï
ph. Lucas Charrier
text by Clara Bouteille
Maya shares her flat with her roommate as well as Opium & Paï. Two cats, two brothers, one black and one tabby. On the end of a leash, in a bag, in a train, Maya has decided to take them everywhere with her, whatever the cost.
A sign...
My name is Maya, I'm 22 years old, I live in Strasbourg where I study art. I share my flat with my roommate and my two cats. One is Opium and the other one is Paï, they are two brothers. Taking them in was a huge decision. To be more precise, I had my first cat: Coco. The spitting image of Opium. I got him through friends of my parents, whose cat had just had her first litter. He died 2 years ago. And since then, the same friends' cats have had new kittens. Initially, I didn't think I would adopt one! I went to see them, and there was this little black cat, the only one of the bunch. Like Coco, my cat that I had just lost. I believe in signs and this one prompted me to adopt him. Despite all this, I didn't actually make a decision until I had thought about it for two months. I was aware of the importance and the responsibility of having a cat (let alone two).
A support...
My mother was a great help in the adoption of both cats. After I left for Strasbourg, Coco was one of the reasons why my mother and I kept in touch. As he couldn't handle my flat in Strasbourg, I left him with my parents and so I often went back to see him. As for Opium and Paï, she offered to cover almost all the necessary expenses. This took a big weight off my shoulders. I think that my mother pushed me to adopt her cats because they would allow her to keep an important place in my daily life. So here I am with both of them! I didn't want to take just one, it seemed to me that they were better off with two, never alone. They know how to drive me crazy, with their peeing, their nonsense, their waking up, their problems... And yet, I have rediscovered the pleasure of being in connection with animals (even though I sometimes scowl at them…)
A strange biography...
I wrote a biography for each of them, with the idea of having a record of my life with them.
Opium, "the black one"
Loves to climb, anywhere, in the trees, the highest! Likes to eat hair, to suck earlobes, or...on nipples aah! Takes his tunnel all over the place in his mouth. Absolutely loves mouse toys, filled with sand. Follows in your footsteps and brings back the good stuff for Pai (looking for the bag of kibble, pulling him to the corridor, stealing the pâté, the treats too...) Has black stripes on his coat. Has the finger of God on his neck. Wets the bed...still in training, we'll get there.
Paï "the grey one"
Goes to the human toilet, likes to go near the shower head, and splash around. Loves to scratch the soil of the plants, loves bouncing balls or bells above anything else ( mainly at night!!). Allows himself to steal pancakes, manala, madeleine, muffins... to make a snack on the sly. When it comes to cuddling, it happens under the duvet or the blanket, sometimes the jumper, close to the belly. Never shies away from grabbing Lisa's ball of wool, and turning over the entire wardrobe of cashmere jumpers and knitwear... all over the floor of the apartment.
I dream about them constantly, last night for example. I was in a house surrounded by twenty bears, and I had to find Opium and Paï to protect them. Even in my dreams I feel the responsibility of having two cats.
