More than 9 years ago, Nancy Troquet-Eering started photographing her cat June. The photos were so popular with family and friends that she created an Instagram page. And now her account ‘junethekitty’ already has more than 170,000 followers. Nancy has added another account for all the cats she encounters on the street in Purmerend and gets in front of her huge lens. “Sometimes you have to be very quick because otherwise they are already gone.”
Poes June is already so well known that even tourists from America came to Purmerend. “Americans love this kind of thing. And June is a real diva,” says Nancy, “and now that she’s getting a bit older – she’s nine – she doesn’t feel like posing anymore. It really takes up a lot of my time and patience.”
For almost a year now, Nancy has been taking to the streets photographing cats in the wild. She also puts up those photos Instagram. It’s already starting to get quite a few followers. “People really like to see their own cat or cat again.” When they report to Nancy they get a photo print.
All cat types, sizes and color shades pass by. One is dreaming behind the window, the other is shy in a tree and a third is walking furiously with a mouse in her mouth. Today with the cold, drizzly weather, the cat hunt doesn’t really go smoothly. “Still, it’s almost never that I come home without a picture,” says Nancy.
Today’s harvest after an hour of wandering is a cat behind the window. “And I actually already knew that one.” But do not be sad; Nancy already has so many beautiful photos up her sleeve.
One time she leaves home on foot, the other time she takes the car to chase the cats in another neighborhood. “I come to places in Purmerend where I have never been.” And June is always waiting for her at home. “Even though she is more grumpy these days, I hope she stays with me for a long time.”