SwissMissMeg

A rainy Saturday in February calls for a quiet day. A cat at my feet and the possibility of snow in the air. Birds are gathering at the feeder just outside my window. Life is good.

After a busy fall, second semester is certainly keeping pace. So nice to have somewhere calm and quiet to come home to. My apartment is cozy and well-outfitted. I love hosting new friends and Moloko enjoys it, too. Thought I would take you on a little tour of the place from Moloko’s point of view, considering she spends every waking hour here.

Privet folks, my name is Moloko. I’m a Russian expat cat living in Montagnola, Switzerland. I’m six years old and this is my fourth country of residence.

I spend my days in a one-bedroom apartment in LoMo (lower Montagnola, as the cool kids say). The place has sunspots for days and lots of big windows for birdwatching. No screens when we arrived, of course, as we are in Europe. Meg had to hang those to keep me safe.

My Swiss neighbors believe that cats should be allowed to roam freely outside so occasionally I have to ward off a visitor to our wrap-around porch. I may look sweet and innocent but my scream will wake the dead.

One of my favorite activities is to hook my harness to this very long lead, allowing me to roam the porch. I don’t try to jump off, thankfully, as the electric vehicles come whipping around the corner in the street below. Did you know a electric Maserati exists? Neither did I. Thanks, Montagnola.

The neighborhood is pretty gorgeous and occasionally we take a walk farther afield. The fall leaves were fun to trample and the morning sunsets over San Salvatore are beautiful. Check out that fog in the valley below.

Life is pretty good for an expat cat here in Switzerland. I’m pretty spoiled as my vet makes house calls. I recently became an official Swiss citizen. A Schengen passport is the height of luxury, though I have no plans to travel anytime soon.

Since Meg’s school is only a ten minute walk from the apartment, I’m treated to midday walks. The air is so fresh here and I love exploring the woods nearby.

I’ve officially joined Neighborhood Watch to the great amusement of my neighbors. Our building (very common in its Brutalist style) has many good spots for perching. I get plenty of waves and smiles from passersby who are generally surprised to see a cat on a leash.

On the whole, life on Montagnola is very good for a cat like me. I want for nothing though I demand lots of snuggles and walks. Excited to welcome my old buddy Zach from Istanbul soon! We like to hang out. He gets me.