Manon on Nala’s cat talk and sleeping champion Chess

Manon on Nala’s cat talk and sleeping champion Chess

Woman holding grey cat with orange eyes

In a nice single-family home in Dirksland, South Holland, Manon (30) lives with her boyfriend Marco (32) and her two cats Chess and Nala – cute names, but are they actually cute?

Where did you and your cats meet?

Well, it actually happened quite by accident. I really wanted a kitten and my employer knew that. Her cat got pregnant quite unexpectedly – she was on the pill – and had a litter. And there I was allowed to pick two kittens. I chose a brother and a sister. 

Why did you choose these two rascals?

When I went to see the litter, it really was love at first sight. Chess and Nala were gorgeous anyway. They are crossbreeds Scottish Fold and British Shorthair and you can see that in their beautiful soft fur and their little ears. But of course they are also very sweet and affectionate. Both traits that clearly come from the two different breeds. My cats got the best of both cat breeds.

woman cuddling with grey and white cat

Do your cats have any other special traits?

Chess and Nala are both incredibly sociable and affectionate – they always come to me or my boyfriend to get a cuddle or lie on our laps. Especially when we lay on the couch in the evening, they are very affectionate with us. That is also one of my favourite moments with my cats. Chess pretends to be tough and Nala loves to chat!

Nala is pretty tough for a girl and loves attention. Where I am, she is too. Super cosy in my opinion. Nala is a lot more active than Chess and also likes to play more. She prefers playing with a soft ball or the Funky Rebel that comes with the cat tree. And she also loves to chat! 

Chess is the lazier of the two, though. He really is a champion at sleeping and prefers to do so in his cat tree. We have just bought a new one – the third cat tree from Petrebels already. Furthermore, Chess pretends to be very tough but he is not at all, haha. And when he wants attention he lets me know very clearly by meowing loudly.

Tweo cats sitting in a box

Back to the cat names for a moment. Who chose them and what are their nicknames?

I didn’t want standard names for my cats. You don’t hear Chess and Nala much and I think those names are very pretty and fit them well. But Marco and I also often call Chess ‘friend’ or ‘fatty’ and Nala we usually call ‘tuttie’, haha.

Teo cats relaxing on a big cat tree

What does a day with Chess and Nala look like?

When I wake up in the morning and go downstairs, they immediately come to me and I give them a stroke. When I go to eat, they also start begging for some treats and I give them that. When I come home from work they also get a cuddle and some food. But it’s never enough, because when my boyfriend and I are sitting at the table they come again to see if there’s anything left to get. In the evening on the sofa, the cats come and snuggle with us and the four of us relax. And before bedtime, I change the litter boxes, give them fresh water and kibble, cuddle with them and close our blinds. Chess never likes that and he clearly shows it. And the next morning this ritual starts all over again. So fun!

That you love cats is obvious, but what do you like most about them?

Cats – and mine in particular – love to cuddle. They are affectionate and always come to lie with me and my friend. But if they don’t feel like it, they just don’t. And that’s what I love about cats: they are incredibly stubborn.

Manon remodelled her living room and of course that included a nice new cat tree for Chess and Nala. She chose the Vista 170 in cappuccino. It matches her new interior perfectly and the cats love it, because it has enough space, nice thick scratching posts and lots of lovely places to snore.

Disclaimer: Petrebels does not consist of veterinarians or behavioral experts: all content, information and tips on this blog are intended to inspire and inform you. Does your cat have complaints or problems and do you have doubts about your cat’s health? Then always go to the vet or a behavioral expert.

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DE LUIE REBEL

Katten slapen gemiddeld 16 uur per dag en doen dat vol overgave: er wordt gerekt, gestrekt en schaamteloos gegaapt. Heerlijk. De Luie Rebel is er wel héél goed in. Die laat rennen en spelen liever aan een ander over en ploft met gemak overal neer voor een overheerlijk dutje. Maar het liefst ligt deze Rebel in een lekker zacht mandje of hangmatje.


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DE KRABBEL REBEL

Katten hebben van nature de behoefte om hun nagels te scherpen. Ze markeren daarmee hun territorium en worden er ontspannen en blij van. De Krabbel Rebel weet van geen ophouden als het om krabbelen gaat. Maak van je huis daarom een feestje voor deze Rebel en zet één (of meer) goede krabpalen neer.


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DE OUTDOOR REBEL

Buitenkatten houden van hun vrijheid en van avontuur. Ze verstoppen zich vaak in struiken en houden de hele buurt in de gaten. Ze kunnen zich uren vermaken met rondvliegende insecten en nemen – als het even meezit – een echte muis voor je mee naar huis. De Outdoor Rebel komt thuis om gezellig met de baasjes te kroelen en rustig te eten. En stelt het op prijs als er een fijn plekje is om uit te rusten voor het volgende avontuur.


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DE INDOOR REBEL

Sommige katten blijven liever binnen. Of het baasje wil dit graag. Indoor Rebels vinden het heerlijk om naar buiten te kijken – naar al het spannends wat zich daar afspeelt. Je maakt deze katten blij door het binnen net zo spannend te maken als buiten. Prikkel hun instincten met speeltjes en krabmeubels waar ze lekker in kunnen klimmen, want dan blijven ze gelukkig en gezond.


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THE LAZY REBEL

Cats sleep up to 16 hours a day with full commitment: lots of stretching and shameless yawning… Mhmm, delicious. The lazy Rebel masters this trait like no other and prefers to leave the running and playing to someone else. This lazy napper is able to lie down anywhere to take a well-deserved rest, but they prefer a nice and soft hammock or basket.


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THE SCRATCHING REBEL

Cats naturally have the need to sharpen their nails. This way they mark their territory. It also makes them relaxed and happy. The scratching Rebel will never stop when it comes to this. Transform your house into a “scratching paradise” for this Rebel and supply it with one or several good cat trees.


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THE OUTDOOR REBEL

Outdoor cats love adventure and freedom. They often hide in bushes to keep an eye on their surroundings. They can entertain themselves for hours with bugs flying around and they might even take home a real mouse for you! The outdoor Rebel will come home to cuddle with its owner and to eat peacefully. This adventurer would appreciate it if there is a nice spot in your house to rest before the next adventure.


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THE INDOOR REBEL

Some cats prefer to stay inside, this can also be a decision made by the owner. Indoor Rebels enjoy watching the outside world – and everything exciting that happens there. You can make these cats happy by making the indoor world just as exciting as the outdoor world. Stimulate their senses with toys and cat furniture in which they can climb. This way they remain healthy and happy.


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DER FAULE REBELL

Katzen schlafen durchschnittlich 16 Stunden pro Tag und tun dies voller Hingabe. Sie strecken sich, dehnen sich und gähnen unverhohlen. Herrlich! Der faule Rebell ist sehr gut darin. Er überlässt das Toben und Spielen am liebsten jemand anderem und macht stattdessen lieber ein kleines Nickerchen. Am liebsten bevorzugt dieser Schläfer ein weiches Sofa oder ein gepolsterte Liegefläche.


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DER KRATZENDE REBELL

Katzen haben von Natur aus das Bedürfnis, ihre Nägel zu schärfen. Damit markieren sie zum einen ihr Territorium und verhindern zum anderen, dass die Nägel zu lang werden und einwachsen. Kratzen, wetzen und schärfen macht sie entspannt und glücklich. Der Kratz-Rebell kennt dann auch kein Halten mehr, wenn es ums Wetzen und Kratzen geht. Mach dein Zuhause also zu einer Partyzone für diesen Rebellen und stelle einen (oder mehrere) gute Kratzbäume mit viel Wetzmöglichkeiten auf.


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DER OUTDOOR-REBELL

Freigängerkatzen lieben die Freiheit und das Abenteuer. Oft verstecken sie sich im Gebüsch und behalten die ganze Nachbarschaft im Auge. Sie können sich stundenlang mit fliegenden Insekten vergnügen, streunen herum und bringen im schlimmsten Fall eine Maus als Geschenk mit nach Hause. Der Outdoor-Rebell kommt nur nach Hause, um mit den Besitzern eventuell zu kuscheln und sich sein Fressen servieren zu lassen. Und er schätzt es über alle Maßen, wenn er einen schönen, gemütlichen Platz am liebsten auf einem Kratzbaum zum Ausruhen für das nächste Abenteuer angeboten bekommt.


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DER INDOOR-REBELL

Einige Katzen sind reine Indoor-Rebellen. Entweder, weil sie es vorziehen in einem warmen und gefahrlosen Zuhause zu leben oder weil der Besitzer dies so möchte. Indoor-Rebellen lieben es nach draußen zu schauen – und das aufregende Leben draußen aus sicherer Entfernung zu beobachten. Diese Katzen sind glücklich, wenn man drinnen die gleichen Abenteuer simuliert, die sie draußen beobachten können. Stimuliere deren Instinkte mit Spielzeug und Kratzmöbeln, in denen sie herumklettern und toben können, damit sie gesund, agil und glücklich bleiben.


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