Someone once told me that as a photographer I shouldn't post photos of my cats as part of my social media, that it wasn't seen as professional and that some clients just don't like pets.
I do understand not everyone is a pet person and I fully respect that, the obligations of owning a pet are significant because they rely on us so much. For most of my adult life I didn't have any pets, even though I have always loved cats, there was a black kitten in my garden as a child that I convinced my parents to let me keep. In the end although my dad was not overly keen the cat liked him the most, to the point where little Sacha would sit in my dad's shed with him while he drilled and milled away on furniture pieces.
In 2008 I got my first kitten, a rescue of sorts, he was a kitten born in a barn on a farm and the farmer just wanted to get rid of some of the over population of cats. So hence why my kitten was called Barney. Then about 4 years later I took another little rescue cat called Nelly and that was it, I was good with two.
But after I moved into my newly renovated house a black street cat started to frequent my garden, it was obvious he had been out in the rough for some time, his battle scars and the signs of winter wear on him. Naturally scared but he came and looked through my glass door. So I began to feed him and try to give him treatments to aid his ear mites and various other apparent ailments.
A year of building trust and one very cold January day there he was again at the back door. The Christmas of 2014 had been a very mild one and January 2015 hit hard with the snow and the cold. I couldn't bring myself to leave the little manky cat outside, so I opened the door and he walked in, that was when Manky Moo joined my family.
He had obviously belonged to someone at some point as he used the litter box from day one and he was very good with my other two, I had him neutered and vaccinated, it was touch and go at first because he wasn't in the best of health but he bounced back. He was diagnosed with FIV and he had bad teeth issues but I kept him anyway because I loved him.
Two years ago he moved with us to my new industrial loft. Overall he had 3 wonderful years and he had such a little character. Now with all my cats, they fall victim to the camera. I take shots almost every day, of something that catches my eye, my cats, light and I love to capture my cats in their moments of peace or chaos. The photos here are the last photos I took of Manky Moo before he passed away at the weekend. FIV and non responsive anemia got the better of him and he became ill very rapidly in the last month. There was nothing the vet could do so I took some days to spend with him, photograph him, love him overall and then we compassionately let him be put to sleep at home.
Photography is my passion, my way of capturing light, life, beauty and time with my camera and that includes images of my pets, and I do not believe it takes away from my integrity as a creative to show how I capture moments of my life that are important.
Rest in Peace my little Moo, I have lovely captures to remember you fondly <3
