When it comes to black cats, they’re effortlessly cool. Those cute black toe beans, twitchy black whiskers, and luxurious, sleek black coats make them shine like no other. For one big boy black cat named Kole, he’s an impressive 17 lbs with eyes that immediately catch your attention thanks to their green-yellow hue and round pupils. He loves to pose for the camera, and unlike most cats, he’s actually got a thing for clothes. I caught up with his cat mom hoping to feature her cool rescue cat on the site, and thankfully, she agreed. So, everyone get to know this cool black cat you’ll be sure to love…
How did Kole come into your life?
I had wanted a cat all my life growing up, but I had been unable to have one indoors because my brother had severe allergies to them. Shortly after I was married, I began searching for a kitty. I was looking for a breed that would still be somewhat hypoallergenic, so that hopefully, my brother could interact with it during visits. I soon discovered that Siberians were supposed to be hypoallergenic, so I began looking for one. I came across a rescue page where someone said they had rescued a litter of Siberian kittens from a shut-down breeder who had inhumanely bred them. When my husband and I went to meet the kittens, little Kole was braver than the others and snuggled right into our laps. At that point, we knew Kole was ours.
How did he get his name?
His name was actually chosen by the rescuer. He was born near Christmas time, and he and his siblings all had Christmas names. I believe they chose Kole as a play on the word โcoalโ since heโs a black cat. But, I researched the name further when we were considering changing it, and I discovered that Kole was the diminutive name (or nick name) for Niklaus ( Slavic for Nicholas) like St. Nicholas. I have always loved all things Christmas, and I decided the name fit. Also, the day we got Kole it snowed, and we hardly ever get snow. Because of this, I call him our snow cat, and the snow just solidified that he needed a Christmas name.
What are his favorite hobbies?
Koleโs favorite hobbies are probably eating, sleeping, and cuddling. I soon learned that he liked to eat a little too much, and I had to restrict his calories. But every time he gets a meal, he sounds like a motorboat with his purrs, so heโs still a happy boy even with the restrictions. Like most cats, he loves sleeping, and his favorite places to nap are either on the floor sprawled out and belly up, or in the warmth of the lap of one of his favorite humans. Once heโs decided heโs going to nap on you, you better be prepared to sit for the next two hours.
I see that Kole is quite fashionable. How does he feel about wearing clothes?
Haha yes! I used to only get Halloween costumes for him and take a picture of him, and then remove the costume right away because I didnโt want to upset him. But, I soon discovered he didnโt actually hate the clothes. In fact, he seemed to like the attention and sometimes, the shirts even made him more cuddly. I never leave them on him for long, and never unsupervised, but he actually seems like a happy little modelโespecially since modeling always comes with plenty of treats.
Does he have any dog or cat housemates at home?
Yes, Kole has an older brother named King, a 6lb Yorkshire Terrier. King was always the boss until Kole came along. He even bossed around dogs who were twice his size. He thought he was going to get to boss Kole around too, but Kole quickly showed him at the age of 3 months that he was, in fact, the boss. It doesnโt help that Kole is 3 times his size. Kole really enjoys playing with King, often attempting to ambush him and pounce, but King doesnโt understand cat language, so he refuses to take part in this game. But they do often snuggle together on the couch with their humans.
Whatโs something special youโd like for people to know about Kole?
One thing that Iโve noticed about Kole that Iโve never noticed with another pet (and Iโve had a lot of them), is that he truly seems empathetic. I donโt know how much he can understand, but if Iโm feeling particularly stressed or upset, he always appears and comes straight to my lap for a long cuddle. Itโs as if he knows that I need him, and he always knows how to comfort me. Also, Kole has learned to talk back to his humans. He has different meows according to what youโre saying. If heโs being told not to do something naughty, itโs a whiny, โME-OOW!โ. If heโs asked if heโs hungry, itโs a thrilled, โMeow! Meow! Meow!โ. If itโs in response to some loving baby-talk, itโs a delicate, โme-owโ with plenty of head rubs. Heโs our special boy, and we love him.
I’d like to give a special “thank you” to Kole’s human mom for allowing me to share his story and photos with all of the Cattitude Daily readers. For more on this cool black cat, be sure to check him out here on Instagram.
All Images Courtesy of katsrkole on Instagram
