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For the third year in a row, our Munich start-up LucyBalu hosted the "Cat Model Contest".
After the huge success of the past 2 years, we had high hopes that many people would once again want to enter their furry housemates for the title of Cat Model 2022 – and our expectations were even exceeded! We received over 5000 entries. Challenges and community votes decided who made it into the final.
Let us introduce our 16 furry housemates who made it into the final:
Our 8 live-shoot cats shone at the shoot weekend in Munich:
Aslan - @aslan_n_friends
Aslan also comes from Istanbul. He was found by animal rescuers at a dog feeding spot – maybe that's why he loves dogs so much? He's very cheeky and, like a magpie, steals anything edible. He really doesn't like being shut out and sometimes even jumps against the door when he wants to be let in.
Wuschl was born as an "ordinary farm cat" and was very sick and injured as a kitten, which is why he now only has one eye. He was bottle-raised by his owner Beate. Wuschl is a gentle and sensitive tomcat who drools quite a lot while purring and also loves being carried around the house on someone's shoulders.
Tigger originally comes from Istanbul; his owner Caro brought the tomcat to Germany with her after completing a semester abroad in Turkey. Unfortunately, he was very sick with cat flu and had to endure many vet treatments. As an outdoor cat, he now enjoys his life in Germany to the fullest, but he also demands his fair share of petting.
Fabius, aka FabFab, came to his owner Yvonne at six months old. Back then he was very small and shy. He's still small, but now only shy in unfamiliar places. He loves to cuddle and his purr sounds like a kettle. He has no problem wearing a cat harness and goes on little walks with his owner.
Lucky is very people-oriented and follows his owner Silvia everywhere she goes. Intensive cuddle sessions in the morning are a must. If both his owners are unavailable, he's happy to settle for his sister Finja instead, playing and cuddling with her.
Last year, Lucy went from being a big-city cat to a village kid. As a great explorer, she has to check out absolutely everything, but she's also quite the athlete with her favourite little balls. Extensive cuddling in the morning and evening is a must, though she prefers to keep her distance when the dishwasher is being unloaded.
Tomcat Lio comes from the area around the beautiful Lake Wörthersee in Austria and is a bright, curious cat. However, he also has a shy side, which mostly shows in unfamiliar places. At home he's also a very chatty fellow and starts up early in the morning if his owners stay in bed too long.
Milo loves clicker training and by now has almost 40 tricks in his repertoire. He also walks better on a leash than many a dog and responds to commands. He and his sister Mizu will soon be trained as therapy cats.
The 8 home-shoot candidates struck a pose at home:
Oliver was born a stray in a cellar in Kyiv. He had a severe infection and an injured eye that the vets unfortunately couldn't save. With lots of love, patience and care, Oliver recovered, and today he's a very sweet, cheerful and fluffy tomcat. Oliver loves to eat, and a lot of it. He likes fruit, vegetables and herbs. He also knows around ten commands, which he loves showing off together with his dog friend Kerry. Before the war in Ukraine, Oliver's owner often travelled with him. They visited several cities around the country as well as the seaside.
O'Malley is a very chatty tomcat and loves being petted. His owner Bianca is currently getting him used to walks in the park. He loves dunking his toys in the drinking fountain and then pushing the soaked toy across the parquet floor.
Hildi has lived with her owners for a year, is used to wearing a harness and accompanies her owners everywhere. Riding the train, bus, tram or car is no problem either. She also fetches toys like a dog and is a bit picky when it comes to food.
Honey was born in February this year and moved into her current home with her sister in May. She follows her owners everywhere and complains loudly if she isn't allowed into the bathroom too. Honey prefers to drink water straight from the running tap, and her favourite things to play with are balls and her sister.
Small and delicate Khaleesi didn't grow up in the best environment, but she's found her forever home with her current owners. She's an outdoor cat and is currently perfecting her mouse-catching skills – three to four mice a day is normal for her. She can also give a high five and is a self-proclaimed world champion in non-stop purring.
Miyu belongs to one of the rarest German cat breeds – the German Longhair – and is a little klutz with a squeaky voice and a fondness for children's snack-bar wrappers. While sleeping, she likes to tumble off the couch, trips over her siblings while playing, or skids into her water bowl while running. She also has a talent for opening sliding doors.
Aki comes from a wonderful Bengal breeder in Rhineland-Palatinate. He's bright and cheeky and shares his opinion loudly. He loves balls and sisal mice and fetches them like a dog. He also likes bringing his toys to bed at night when he's bored. On walks, he follows his big brother's every step.
Bella comes from beautiful Hamburg and loves anything made of leather, such as handbags or shoes – perfect for cuddling. She loudly lets everyone know what she wants and is the only one who sleeps in her owner Wiebke's bed every single night. And treats will win her over every time.
With their unique personalities, we would have loved to crown every single cat the winner! In the end, however, the community and the "Geliebte Katze" team of course had to decide on just one furry housemate.
👉HERE👈 you can read more about the story and the winner.
