Feline Fashionista Loves Her Couture

Move over Adriana Lima and make way for Hummus!  OK, that just sounded weird right?  But we promise that you’ll love this story about a fashion forward feline who loves to meowdol couture outfits!  Meet Hummus and her CAT COUTURE project!

As a kitten, Hummus the cat was diagnosed with Feline Leukemia and couldn’t play outside or be around other cats.  However, she​ took solace in fashion and likes to model new looks in her personal, cat-sized photo studio at home.

Her owner (Jason McGroaty) is a professional (and very talented we might add) photographer, who just published a book called CAT COUTURE with thirty full-color portraits that are beautifully presented with a commentary on Hummus.  This delightful picture book captures Hummus’ sassy and quirky personality in all its glory.

In the book, the extremely fashionable Hummus is shown modeling various outfits, including sailor, punk, banker, artist and many more. She is such a diva and you simply can’t flip thru this book without smiling ear to ear!  Even Jason (below) can’t contain his excitement! >^..^<

Curious to learn a bit more?  We were, so as inquisitive editors we interviewed Jason to find out the inside scoop on CAT COUTURE, and of course, Hummus!  We asked him the following questions and here’s what he shared with us:

Q:  Did you get Hummus as a kitten?  Were there any interesting/unusual circumstances in acquiring her?

Hummus was born in December 2007 in a foster home in Convoy, County Donegal, Ireland. She spent most of her time surrounded by the older cats of the home and was the last kitten to be adopted. Hummus was the runt of the litter.

She was adopted at 3 months, and a few years later, her health began to deteriorate — she lost a lot of weight and was tired all the time. A short time after, Hummus was diagnosed with feline leukemia virus, which meant no outdoors, no bird-chasing, and no galavanting with other kitties. She still leads a very healthy and full life. The virus has not affected her quality of life; she won’t let it, and we won’t let it. She chases her toys and teddies around the house all day and loves all of our attention!

Q:  Where did Hummus get her name from…the chickpea dip?

There is no real reason behind Hummus’s name, for instance back in our home on Irish turf, Karen and I have befriended quite a few stray cats in the area. We have names them all however there’s no real reason behind their name, simply a feeling. They range from Thimble, @$$hole Cat, Peanut, Flaps, the list goes on. Sometimes I will give them names and sometimes Karen will and Hummus just popped into Karen’s mind once she wrap her up in her arms.

Q:  When did you begin to experiment with ‘dress up’?  Did she take to it right away?

I wanted to break into the fashion photography industry with its models, makeup, studios, and stylists on demand. But, I did not, and do not, have access to these professionals, services, or equipment all the time. So, I did what any normal person would do,  I dressed my cat up like a total fashion diva and started taking awesome fashion portraits! The first shoot was so simple, I grabbed some old clothes a necklace, through a backdrop behind Hummus and she loved it. Doused by treats and chin scratches (her favourite), how could she complain!  

Hummus is the best model to work with. However, she has demands , copious amounts of cat treats.

Q:  Any particularly memorable/funny moment(s) taking (or trying to take) photos of her?

Once of my favorite photographs would have to be ‘The Cat of Wall Street”, I was jet set for New York at the time and I had some spare dollars in my wallet. I had planned to do a Wall street cat photo shoot for some time and it felt like the right moment to do so. I set up the studio, ripped apart my shirt and pinned it back so it would fit Hummus just right. Karen, Hummus’s cat mom, stood above the set and….well, made it rain dollar bills. Hummus loved it, she was constantly biting at the falling money and trying to catch as much as she could.

Karen and I couldn’t control our laughter as we stood in a tiny cat studio, throwing dollars at a cat dressed in a suit. These are the moments that I love.

Q:  Describe her purrsonality

Hummus is a sweetheart, she is very affectionate and loves the attention she gets from Cat Couture. Her favourite part of the project is creating the costumes, she patiently waits as she has her measurements taken and tries out new fabrics. I think she likes the repetitive touch as she sits and purrs the entire time.

Q:  How old is she now?  Health ok?

Hummus is now 8 years old and is feeling/looking great!  Although her leukemia is under control, she still manages to hurt herself. Only recently she managed to tear the ligament in her knee as a result of her lust for adventure….she likes to climb on everything. However she is resting up and will be back to normal very soon.

Q:  What inspired you to create this book?

Why Hummus’s quirky personality of course. The whole project has inadvertently become a visual memoir of our family dynamic and I think that is what made Hummus shine….it was always there, we just threw some fancy garments on her and she acted like the true diva she is all the time. We simply adhere to her rules/demands.

Q:  Any new/upcoming projects planned with her?

Oh yes! We will be announcing our upcoming exhibitions, shows, TV appearances and more on our social media channels soon!

Summary

Thanks to Jason for allowing us to share his photos and  be sure to follow him and the ever so fashion forward Hummus on their social media channels here:

Instagram:

The Cat – @HummusTheCat
Cat Dad – @JasonMcGroarty

Facebook:

JasonMcGroartyPhotographer

Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.  Does your cat like to dress up?

CONTEST WINNERS

We held a contest for 5 lucky winners to receive a signed copy of CAT COUTURE…here are the winners (from left to right):

Buff, GG Pumpkin, Mimi, Emily and Angel