Why collect in one space stray cats and people like save the cat in your yard than cafés is different from the zoo and the terms on which you will give to the family kitty from “Colissimo” the world day Pets says the Director of the cafés Ilya Smirnov.
Cafés “Colissimo” / Facebook
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– How did the idea cafés “Colissimo” and what is its concept?
Ilya Smirnov
– It was a normal dream, in principle, not binding: it would be good here to create a place where stray cats would find a home and warmth, and people rejoiced. Probably many people who feel sorry for animals that comfort your heart with some similar thoughts.
But sometimes I dream about something and then meet someone with a similar dream, and you start to discuss something, try to do step by step – and it turns out that everything is real. It so happened my wife and I, first of all were talking about here would be good, then tried to take credit – it was possible, began to search the room and found, well, it all started. Gathered from the cottages of the November freezing cats, all for a long time treated in total, in December 2016, we opened on New Basmanny cafés.
– What will you live, who supports you?
– Cafés there is a complete self. We only live on what we earn, other sources of funding we have. Cafés constructed on the principle of anticafe: visitors pay for the stay, coffee, tea, cocoa, milk, biscuits, fruits – get any quantities free of charge. You can come just to socialize with cats, and if you want even to join the arts and Sciences: we regularly attend lectures, concerts, master classes.
We tried to create a place to come and warm up by the cats. We can say that this is such an unusual shelter, because we do pick up cats from the street or accept those who are saved by someone else. And any cat can be picked up in the family, in the shelter.
But cafés – is primarily a space where people and the cat may feel a little happier.
Cafés “Colissimo” / Facebook
– How animals get to you, you have to choose – I guess you can’t accept all? What to do with the kitty before taking it to a shelter?
Cats most often we do pick up on the streets. That is, if we see a cat who needs help – take and catch. Catch, of course, is not always possible. But we try – sometimes several times. Selected cats are taken to overexposure to prepare for cafés: tests, treatment, sterilization, vaccination. In the cafe you can only bring a cat without infections, with notes on vaccination in the passport, with all required papers.
Cafés “Colissimo” / Facebook
“Overexposure” is mostly flat, our or our employees – and sit there for two or three of kitty, and much more. So when we hear something like “you must pick up the cat in our yard, we can’t, we already have two of my own” (and we hear this three or four times a day) we get upset, but nothing can help.
We believe that if the cat was found us, us it and to save; and if you do something, then you can decide what to do.
What we can promise to the person who wants to save the cat from the street is that we will take the cat when he will be fully prepared to move in cafés. Usually, this process takes 4-6 weeks. And often people agree and take the cat to prepare for yourself, and then transferred to the cafés.
– Pristroystvo animals is your main goal? Do I have to go to the cafés with the intention to take the cat?
– Speaking of pristroystvo cats in the family, it is important to note that although it is the most important task of cafés – it does not mean that there is only happy for those looking for a pet. There are so many people who just like to come here. We are happy and when people play with cats, and when the praise of our coffee. We have created such a warm and cozy world cafés so that people feel at home, well, or in this strange apartment, which is home to dozens of very nice animals.
Yeah, I almost forgot: sometimes we live and dogs. Most importantly, the dog was no bigger than cats and is not aggressive. Not so long ago I lived Biewer-York Toto, who was well, just like a cat. Of course, he quickly found his family, the cat population even a little upset.
– As in a small area gets so many cats? If they are interfering with each other, not fight?
For incomplete two years of work we put in the family more than a hundred animals. When a kitten finds a family in his place comes another. Not always the acquaintance of the newcomer with the team runs smoothly: sometimes newcomers are trying to imposing their own rules, but usually for a couple of weeks every once lapped. The room we have is quite large – about 150 sq m, and in every way fitted for the life of the cats, so any cat can walk around and not collide with others.
Cafés “Colissimo” / Facebook
Who cares for the cats? As you recruit, do you often have new staff?
– The human team is too special, we value and are proud of our girls and boys. They are all essentially volunteers, dedicated to the common cause. And know how to get along with cats and with people, and I know a huge number of different subtleties of the work in cafés – in common with them like a stone wall.
We receive many requests for work, but the core team is very stable, so we rarely invite new people to interview.
And we have a veterinary doctor, is the most competent and thinking what can be. Without it, nothing would come out at us, and many of our cats do actually owe her my life. Many of you have met veterinarians who regularly attend the international veterinary symposia, familiar with the most advanced medical practices? So when we met – I quickly realised how lucky we are.
– How is the selection of the host? Anyone who came to the cafe, can you take a cat? And how then to monitor the fate of pet?
– Every cat living in the cafés, we passed a difficult way. This difficult rescue from the street, and often long-term treatment – in General, it is always some kind of story where this cat came to us as a family. Therefore, we give their wards only to those who can seriously trust.
Come and just take the cat with him – fail. You need to fill out a fairly extensive questionnaire, to personally discuss the adoption of cat – and, if everything goes well, we bring the kitty to the new family. Check the conditions, sign a contract – and in a good way. Of course, in the future we keep in touch with new family and are monitoring the fate of the cat.
Cafés “Colissimo” / Facebook
– Are there cases of returns of animals, as is usually the case? How cats feel after this?
One of the most important terms of the contract that we sign with new parents of the cat – if for any reason the cat cannot stay in the family, he under no circumstances need not be disclosed to third parties, and have to come back to us. For all the time we had five or six returns.
The reasons may be very different – suddenly opened a severe Allergy in a child or people just realized that can not cope – we never over-dramatising the situation and in no way blame the adoptive parents. Importantly, the cat returned to us, and often in a few days the stress of moving passes, and he returns to normal life cafés.
– What is the difference between cafés and a petting zoo? How do you feel about the last one? Do you have any rules of conduct in relation to animals, is it always possible to take iron?
– All cafés is the space where the saddle cats. All life revolves around them, entertain them with games, treats, and most importantly, they are totally free at any time to go to a “kotarou” is this room where nobody touches it. This room leads a special hole in the wall is always open for cats. And it is important to note that koteyki not in a hurry to hide in “katanoi”: even when a noticeable influx of visitors, most home owners don’t leave the room, and prefer the company of their guests.
Cafés “Colissimo” / Facebook
This fundamental difference cafés from the zoo, which is the ignorance of people sometimes compare cafés. The petting zoo is a prison, and cafés is the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. Moreover, there are pusini, delivery and Kohli – each with its own character and personality, and we always warn guests of what to expect from whom.
– What is personally of interest to you – you love cats or more spare them? Do help the homeless animals strange, do not blame you?
– Cafés – it is a strange world, to talk about it for hours. How is it that we so strongly associated with cats? This affectionate and friendly animals, and we feel sorry for them, because cats are domestic animals, they must live at home, on the street, they are virtually defenseless. And we are happy that people come to cafés to share our love and our concerns.
Cafés “Colissimo”
Hard to believe, but during these two years, we have a few times heard accusations such as “there is nothing for cats when people are malnourished”, etc. – but almost always encountered genuine interest and support. But during this time, our cafés was visited by over 30,000 guests, that is we have tens of thousands of like-minded people.
I want to say everyone who is not indifferent to the fate of our little counterparts: let’s work together so that more homeless animals became domesticated. We will be happy if the story about what happened with us, encourage those who, like us, can’t pass a homeless cat.
Cafés “Colissimo” / Facebook