No recipes, but I've learned how to do this
!-
Posted on 01/03/2011 6:17:51 AM PST by marthemaria
St Petersburg's famous museum, known for the world's most admired art collection, is also home to some surprising residents
The splendid and revered Hermitage Gallery is a must-see for any tourist visiting St Petersburg.
Once the home of Catherine the Great the mueum has always been home to a great number of cats.
A lesser known fact about the museum's astonishing history is that felines have inhabited the cosy cellars for centuries - surviving Tsars and Communists.
Initially they were brought in to protect the masterpieces from being ravaged by vermin.
But now with poison to do that job the cats have a rather more relaxed lifestyle, safely removed from the cold and often hazardous city life.
If it was not for the hermitage the 50 cats would be on the street and in consistently sub-zero temperatures, inhabiting your own palace is certainly the preferred choice.
One cat was found by builders, badly injured and starving in the freezing cold.
He now sits majestically in his throne-like bed, answering to the name Viscount.
Tatiana Danilova leads a group of devotees whose job it is to ensure the moggies are kept in the lap of luxury.
She insists they have no favourites: "When a cat gets sick, especially seriously sick, it becomes the most loved by us.
"I think this is in our Russian nature - we love those who are unhappy more."
In a country not necessarily renowned for its animal welfare the feline's fates are entirely reliant on charitable donations.
The cats may be forbidden from the actual gallery but there is a clear sense that their histories and futures will always intertwine.
(Excerpt) Read more at uk.news.yahoo.com ...
My sister toured the Hermitage several years ago and was surprised at how dirty it was. Hopefully, they have cleaned up their act since then.
Cats naturally gravitate to their proper place in life. I miss mine terribly even after several years.
Ping!
Does it smell like a big catbox?
(full disclosure: I actually like cats...sorta.)
I visited the Hermitage last summer and was completely awed. It sis not strike me as dirty.
How do we know they weren’t being raised for food?
just kidding.
Care to share any recipes?
Ducking and running away in serpentine fashion.
Love to read stories where people actually help the animals.....it kind of restores my faith in the goodness of people.....but then...someone will come in here and take that away....
Fatalism is also part of the democrats sick version of morality. They have accepted being losers. That's how they can think that those who succeed must be crooks or 'steeling from the poor'.
Pinging my daughter to this one...
Pinging my daughter to this one...
I wonder how many were left after the 900 day siege of Leningrad by the Nazi’s.
I think about 1 million people starved.
No recipes, but I've learned how to do this!-
Cats of the Hermitage video....
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20110103/video/vod-cats-guard-art-at-st-petersburg-muse-dfc7e2c.html
I know what you mean about missing your cat. We had to put down our 17 year old cat yesterday:-(
Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. It’s so hard to have to say goodbye to our furry family members. I’ve had to do it so many times. It never gets easier to do. : (
I’m not looking forward to that day.
Hopefully not for 15 more years.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.