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Studio Metsä

Cats in search of a life-long home

19/02/2016

Kissa etsii loppuelämän kotia HESYssä - valokuva Studio Metsä

Cats, cats, cats! I’ve always loved cats.

Erika Lind lapsena kissojen kera - with cats

But growing up I didn’t have a chance to have one. My father has asthma and at the time was reacting terribly to cats. As a result it was always an absolutely-not for any animal but cats were the biggest no-no of all. So, I was left petting all the cats I could get my hands on outside of our house.

I remember a night I spent at my friend’s house who had just gotten a little kitten. My heart went to heaven upon waking up and having the little kittie come up to me purring. I thought, ‘how amazing would it be to wake up like this every day‘!

That’s what I dreamt about.

All animals have always held a very special place in my heart, but cats…there’s something special about them. Perhaps it’s their independence, their absolute resolution to showing how they’re feeling – no sugar-coating, no detours, just honesty (which I guess is also the very thing that some people are put off by). Erika Lind ja kissanpentu - Cats in blog Studio MetsäNot to mention their unwavering forgiveness – you accidentally step on their tail, they meow in protest and you kneel down to apologize and there they are, already purring, as if the tail-stepping never happened. Seriously! How amazing is this species.

At the age of 19, I finally got my own cat. Her name is Mimmi, she is now 13 years old (turning 14 this year!) and she is the most amazing cat in the world. Her and I used to take naps together when I was still living at home (that’s right, I got a cat while living at home with my asthmatic father. His reactions are long gone and he hasn’t suffered from any symptoms caused by cats thereafter) – so Mimmi and I would take naps together, I laying on the floor and she would sleep on my chest. When we lived in Helsinki and I would cry, she would come to me and lick the tears away. And every time I came home from work, she was already behind the door meowing and so excited to have me back.

How could you not love these gorgeous, fascinating beings?

—

As a result of this life-long love affair with cats, I have taken interest in their welfare and helping out any way I can. I first became more involved with animal shelters when I moved to Canada. I was volunteering at the local SPCA and began photographing the cats as time went on.

Since moving back to Finland, I have been involved with the local HESY organization doing photography for them here and there.

This week I went back to photograph some of the cats currently up for adoption.

MEET THE CATS:

Kissa makoilee HESYn tiloissa Helsingissä - valokuva Studio Metsä / Cats of Hesy

Halla – male – born in 2015

Halla makoilee HESYn tiloissa - valokuva Studio Metsä // Cats of Hesy Halla HESYn tiloissa - valokuva Studio Metsä // Cats of Hesy

Halla is a chill cat. He is glorious in his size, he is thin but long. He came to HESY with his siblings who are all a bit timid, but friendly. He will be adopted with another one of his siblings or alone to a family that already has a cat.


 

Kissa etsii loppuelämän kotia HESYssä - valokuva Studio Metsä

Mosse – male

As soon as I got there, Mosse caught my attention. He was by far the most affectionate of all the cats there. I immediately fell in love with him. He will need a family who have time to spend with him, petting and socializing.


 

Kissa etsii loppuelämän kotia HESYssä - valokuva Studio Metsä

Viiru – female – about 1 year old

She was an interesting little kittie – she would be very interested in what’s happening around her, but as soon as the door is opened to their little room, she ran away. She is clearly looking for love and affection but is, for one reason or another, a bit timid. I have no doubt that she wouldn’t be the most affectionate cat with the right, patient and loving owner.
Viiru will be adopted along with her friend Pesonen (featured in one of the photos) to a home with previous knowledge about cats and no children.

HESY-viiru-etsii-kotia-studio-metsa HESY-viiru-kissa-etsii-kotia-studio-metsa HESY-Viiru-Ja-Pesonen-etsivat-kotia-yhdessa-studio-metsa


 

Kissa etsii loppuelämän kotia HESYssä - valokuva Studio Metsä / Cats of Hesy

Viima – male – born in 2015

Viima is Halla’s brother and has the same timid personality as Halla does. He will also be adopted with another one of his siblings or alone to a family that already has a cat. He needs a family that has experience of cats.

Kissa etsii loppuelämän kotia HESYssä - valokuva Studio MetsäViima istuu HESYn tiloissa odottamassa adoptiota - valokuva Studio Metsä // Cats of Hesy


John HESYn tiloissa odottamassa adoptiota - valokuva Studio Metsä // Cats of HESY

John – male

John was a real charmer and has a gorgeous fur coat. He will be adopted along with Smith and they need a home that doesn’t have small children. Both of their fur coats need to be groomed daily.John HESYn tiloissa odottamassa adoptiota - valokuva Studio Metsä // Cats of HESY

Smith HESYn tiloissa odottamassa adoptiota - valokuva Studio Metsä // Cats of HESY

Smith – male


 

If you’re interested in adopting any of these cats, please go to the shelter directly to get to know them! Also, please remember that these cats deserve, and need, a life-long home and should be chosen as a great fit to your family, where everyone takes an active role in taking care of the cat.

HESY ry
Yhdyskunnantie 11
00680 Helsinki

Cats can be visited Wed-Fri between 3-6pm and Sat-Sun 1-5pm

Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika

Blogging Challenge #7:
From the good of the heart

31/01/2016

Hooray, and holy smokes, this is the last post for the 7-Day Blogging Challenge! Much to my surprise, I actually really enjoyed it. In a way it is like journaling (which is something I have been doing ever since I was a little girl), which at its best can be incredibly therapeutic and meditative.

So, what do you say? Shall we get on with the last Blogging Challenge post?

We shall!

Something else that has carried with me from childhood is my absolute love and adoration for animals. They are creatures that most often far outweigh the human in more capacities than one. They have the ability to make you live in the moment and forget about all of your troubles, not to mention teach you how to love unconditionally. I mean seriously, have you ever had a furry friend hold a grudge? I sure haven’t. They have the amazing ability to forgive and forget, something we could all learn from!

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.
-Anatole France

The sad part is that, as we have domesticated animals, they sometimes end up in the care of people who are entirely incapable of caring for themselves, not to mention other living beings. This is how animals end up abused, living on the streets and, in some worst case scenarios, dead.

We patronize the animals for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they are more finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other Nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.
-Henry Beston

Luckily we have organizations that work to help these animals, care for them and provide them with a chance for a new life. One of those organizations is HESY, The Helsinki Society for Animal Protection. I have been lucky enough to have worked with them and help out in any way I can. They asked me to come in and photograph their vet at work for an article they were publishing in their magazine. These photographs are from that time.

Vet at HESY, Animal Rescue Center, by Studio Metsä PhotographyAt the vet's office at HESY, Helsinki, Finland by Studio Metsä PhotographyVet in action at HESY animal rescue center by Studio Metsä PhotographyVet in dramatic light by Studio Metsä PhotographyVet listening to cat's heart at HESY by Studio Metsä PhotographyVet grooming a cat at HESY by Studio Metsä PhotographyCat getting vaccinated at HESY by Studio Metsä Photography

HESY magazine article, photography by Studio Metsä

And here are a few of the inhabitants at HESY at the time:

Black and white cat, Armas, at HESY by Studio Metsä PhotographyCat lying in bed at HESY by Studio Metsä PhotographyBunny at HESY by Studio Metsä PhotographyBlack and white cat at HESY by Studio Metsä Photography

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
-Mahatma Gandhi

To give back and help these animals, please follow this link to donate to their important cause (the page is in English and all bank accounts are in the IBAN format so you can make a bank transfer from anywhere in the world).

I’m excitedly waiting to have a chance to work more with HESY and other organisations alike. If you have a desire to make the stories in your company or organisation visual, get in touch with me through info (at) studiometsa (dot) com – I can’t wait to hear from you!

And now, folks, this is it. I have completed my Blogging Challenge! Thanks to all of you for supporting me and commenting on my posts. It means the world to me! So even though the official challenge is over, I will still keep blogging since I am having so much fun! :)

Happy new week to all of you lovelies!

Until next time,
xoxo Erika

Spreading joy every day in every day. Photographer and coach Erika Lind captured by the amazing Satu Mali

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