Today we ask animal lover Jeannette (50) to give it their all about her cat Kenzo: a beautiful Norwegian Forest cat weighing no less than 10.5 kilos. They have known each other for two and a half years now and are an absolute match made in heaven. Why? She explains it below.
Where, with whom and how do you live?
I live in a nice apartment in Zwijndrecht, which is a small and quiet village ten minutes’ drive from Rotterdam. I am really very happy there, because I live in a quiet street with little traffic and a view of beautiful greenery. I always lived there with my dogs. I trained them and my mom babysits when I go to work. But unfortunately my mother passed away in 2018 and my last dog a month later. That was a sad time. It was immediately very quiet in the house.
And then Kenzo came into your life?
Yes, my son and daughter-in-law arranged it for me. My son didn’t want me to get lonely and he knows I love taking care of animals. That’s why he put me in touch with Kenzo’s first owner. The fact that my son – my great friend and hero – did that for me makes Kenzo even more special than he already is.
How did that first meeting go?
Kenzo’s owner at the time said it was a wayward animal – beautiful to look at, but otherwise shy and not playful. Not so much fun actually. But when I got acquainted, it turned out that wasn’t true at all! I sat down on the floor and Kenzo immediately ran over to me, crawled onto my lap and then let me cuddle with her. We immediately clicked – a real match made in heaven. I took Kenzo home right away!
You just told me that Kenzo is special. Why is that?
Kenzo was already two years old when he came to live with me. He really is a big boy, because even for a Norwegian he is tall with more than ten kilos. So we first had to get to know each other and learn to trust each other. But that worked out really well, because we are good friends and Kenzo feels at home with me. And I would like that too – here he can be himself, with all his crazy character traits and flaws.
Crazy character traits?
Yes, it really is a nice crazy animal. For example, he loves water and loves to shower with me. And when I have already finished showering, he just rolls extensively through the puddle of water that is still there. He’s also a bit of a clumsy klutz every now and then. Sometimes he takes a run up to jump on the kitchen counter and then makes a mistake in estimating the distance. I always laugh terribly loud when that happens, but Kenzo thinks that is strange. He looks at me very arrogantly, like:” What are you laughing at? “I love that.
Oh yes, I sometimes feel soft taps on my head when I sit on the couch at night watching TV. That is Kenzo who is behind the sofa and indicates that he is in the mood for treats. He is so big that it can easily reach my head with its paws.
Does he sometimes lie with you on the couch?
Yes, Kenzo actually comes up against me on the couch every night. And he loves that, because he loves to cuddle and cuddle. But since I bought him a new large scratching post, I find him there every day too. He really likes everything about it: the baskets, the hammocks, the play rope and the extra thick scratching trunks. Everything is used.
And have you ever lost him?
Kenzo only comes out when I sit on my terrace myself. He is a real indoor cat, so luckily I never really lost him. But a while ago I really couldn’t find him. I searched all over the house and eventually found it in my wardrobe – in a basket of bras, t-shirts and sweaters. There he was snoring wonderfully.
Can we say you love cats?
Yes, but I actually love everything that is alive. I did that as a child. Cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, fish and birds – I took everything home. My motto is therefore: every animal that comes in can grow old with me. And of course Kenzo makes it very easy for me. He is funny, sociable and very sweet. And it really is a beautiful beast to see.
Jeannette bought the scratching post Vista 180 Gray for Kenzo, because it is nice and high, sturdy and perfect for large cat breeds. Do you want to know more?
Here you will find everything about this sturdy scratching post