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Photographer Documents The Secret Lives Of Cats Living in Hong Kong’s Stores (47 Pics)
When Dutch photographer Marcel Heijnen moved to Hong Kong, he noticed something quite interesting about the traditional shops there - most of them have their own cats living inside!
So fascinated with this culture of shop cats, Heijnen couldn't resist photographing the feline fellows. He even created an Instagram account featuring the Chinese kitties and uploads new photos of them regularly. Shop cats, market cats, alley cats - he's captured them all! You can find his photos on Instagram or in his new book which will be launching at Blue Lotus Gallery in December together with his pop-up exhibition.
More info: Instagram | marcelheijnen.com (h/t: creativeboom)
This post may include affiliate links.
"Yes, we know there is another bed; we just both like this one. And there's room. So--what's the problem?"
"Quick--take the shot before the itch on the end of my nose gets to be too much! Call it, Reflected Nobility."
It's amazing how many of the cats also look like their owners in this series. Seems like their personalities and vigilance-level are likeminded. I have only seen that with dogs and humans before. Great photographer!
Most of these shops are owner-occupying or else they cannot survive the extremely expensive rents. Very often the front of the unit is shop while the rear is accommodation, so these cats are actually house pets. These 'shop' cats appear to be well-fed and have absolute trust in their owners.
One thing that the photographer doesn't know that most of these cats stay in the shops. And if the shops are closed down, they will get rid of them or put them on the street. Only a few of them will take them home. Especially those don't have the collar. If you really want to make it documents you should really get to know their stories. I mean anybody can take many pics of the cats. For me this is just a cat pics nothing about documents
Those don't have collar will put them on the street I mean, and those who had collar meaning the owner of the shops really love them and they are the lucky ones
Load More Replies...While I really like animals, some of these shots are a little questionable from a perspective of food hygiene.
I like that some photos don't focus too much on the cats that it make a viewer look around, searching for where the animal is, like a "where is Waldo" segment. Some photos are so perfectly timed that it creates an interesting narrative, not to mention a parallel between feline to human life
in Asian society Cats bring good luck, that is one reason for having them..the other reason is to keep down the rodent population...
I wonder how the phenomenon got started and also why no one seems bothered by it. Love it.
Most shops are selling dried goods well contained in bags/bottles (saw pics of coffin store at ig). You never see kitties in restaurants
I think the kitties have duties of welcoming customers at day and play with mickey at night, shop owners won't send them back to street
There is a huge feral cat problem in that region of china. the govt doesn't do anything about it, but at least people feed and care for them
I apparently could never shop in Hong Kong. I have a severe cat allergy. Go to the hospital with asthma severe. But these guys are adorable.
You moron commenters! If someone takes pictures from war would you start blaming the photographer because of the war? Or if an artist makes a painting of an elephant would you start blaming with him because of the bears that are mistreated in the world? Criticize the work not the subjects or the issues that the work may create during viewer interpretation. What you're doing is as moron as blaming the reporter, sharing the news.
Just something about the taste of cat hair in my lo mein kinda puts me off. Absolutely fantastic pics. Especially like that the people are just as interesting as the cats
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Most of these shops are owner-occupying or else they cannot survive the extremely expensive rents. Very often the front of the unit is shop while the rear is accommodation, so these cats are actually house pets. These 'shop' cats appear to be well-fed and have absolute trust in their owners.
One thing that the photographer doesn't know that most of these cats stay in the shops. And if the shops are closed down, they will get rid of them or put them on the street. Only a few of them will take them home. Especially those don't have the collar. If you really want to make it documents you should really get to know their stories. I mean anybody can take many pics of the cats. For me this is just a cat pics nothing about documents
Those don't have collar will put them on the street I mean, and those who had collar meaning the owner of the shops really love them and they are the lucky ones
Load More Replies...While I really like animals, some of these shots are a little questionable from a perspective of food hygiene.
I like that some photos don't focus too much on the cats that it make a viewer look around, searching for where the animal is, like a "where is Waldo" segment. Some photos are so perfectly timed that it creates an interesting narrative, not to mention a parallel between feline to human life
in Asian society Cats bring good luck, that is one reason for having them..the other reason is to keep down the rodent population...
I wonder how the phenomenon got started and also why no one seems bothered by it. Love it.
Most shops are selling dried goods well contained in bags/bottles (saw pics of coffin store at ig). You never see kitties in restaurants
I think the kitties have duties of welcoming customers at day and play with mickey at night, shop owners won't send them back to street
There is a huge feral cat problem in that region of china. the govt doesn't do anything about it, but at least people feed and care for them
I apparently could never shop in Hong Kong. I have a severe cat allergy. Go to the hospital with asthma severe. But these guys are adorable.
You moron commenters! If someone takes pictures from war would you start blaming the photographer because of the war? Or if an artist makes a painting of an elephant would you start blaming with him because of the bears that are mistreated in the world? Criticize the work not the subjects or the issues that the work may create during viewer interpretation. What you're doing is as moron as blaming the reporter, sharing the news.
Just something about the taste of cat hair in my lo mein kinda puts me off. Absolutely fantastic pics. Especially like that the people are just as interesting as the cats
Many people want to have good income at home but they dont know how to do that on Internet there are a lot of ways to earn huge amount of money, but whenever people try that they get trapped in a scam so I am sharing with you a genuine and guaranteed way for free to earn huge amount of money at home anyone interested should visit the page and i am more than sure that you will be succeed. Best Of Luck! Regards a humble Human being. www.jobsnews11.comTM