House Of Nekko

I had the pleasure to paint about the House of Nekko, this amazing cat playground, which was created passionately by Peter Cohen, the founder of Zen... more

by Dora Hathazi Mendes

Original - Sold

Price

Not Specified

Dimensions

58.000 x 44.000 cm.

Title

House Of Nekko

Artist

Dora Hathazi Mendes

Medium

Painting - Ecoline - Watercolor Ink

Description

I had the pleasure to paint about the House of Nekko, this amazing cat playground, which was created passionately by Peter Cohen, the founder of Zen By Cat, which is a non-profit organisation dedicated to raising both awareness and money to help fight against FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) and save cat’s lives.

With every purchase related to this painting, you donate from my artist profit to this important cause! Every amount count, if you can buy a Fine Art Print in any size, a single greeting card, or any unique product such as a Puzzle, Tote Bag, a Pillow, etc, we are equally grateful for your help! Please read full description under.
Or use code ZBBNBR for my entire gallery at check out, for any image you like from my Collections, so we will know that with your purchases you want to support and donate for FIP Research.

My painting is an imaginary composition carefully created from the cat walks, and amazing details of the House of Nekko, including 25 cats from which 23 are currently resident and sharing home with Peter. Start at the right up corner, Butter is sitting at front of the window, left Vanilla in a yellow look out, and to the right Poppyseed who just recently crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Next to the entrance Cheesecake is enjoying a catwalk around the tree. Bokumo, Blackbird and Professor are watching the Koi fishes and the turtle in the pond, and having a relaxing time. Front of the aquarium Nutter and Mini Bean having their siesta, at the center of the image Smokey exercising in the colorful cat wheel. Mango is at the great lookout on the green spiral, the 3 black cats Smudge, Nugget and Jupiter Jones are enjoying the green shelves on the wall, while Climber the tortoiseshell cat is lazily stretching in front of the painted tulips at this highest point of this space. Coffeebean the snowshoe Siamese resting on the green arch, under there is Secret and Chocolate each sleeping in a basket. Mikan going down on the blue stairs, and Donut enjoying a blue basket. The two blue cats, Rumple and Cookie Monster staring out of the window, Crumple is at the top of the cardboard tower, where also Little Mocha is playfully peeking out from a box. Finally Kabocha the red cat is enjoying the warmth of a pumpkin bed. Similarly as in the house created by Peter, on my painting, the cats can also walk freely around, each place are connected.

And now the story of House of Nekko and Zen By Cat by Peter Cohen.

When Peter, the founder of Zen By Cat, bought his house in 1988 two cats were already living in his yard, and he adopted them. Tragically both were hit by cars at separate times soon after their adoption. Only the grey cat survived, thanks to extensive surgery, and Peter decided all future adoptions would be for indoor cats only. Although the grey cat was able to make a full recovery, she was very lonely and Peter decided to adopt two kittens to keep her company. Thus began his addiction to cats.
Over the years the adoptions continued and the number of cats grew to 24. Peter, having an extensive background in construction, transformed his home by installing intricate, colorful catwalks on his walls. These additions also continued over the years and now there are catwalks in all the rooms in his home, along with other features such as a coy pond and a ‘kitty room.’ House Of Nekko is the name of Peter’s House, meaning House Of Cats in Japanese. But the story of Zen By Cat begins with a kitten peter adopted in, 2016, Miss Bean.
Miss Bean was diagnosed with Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). With her condition rapidly deteriorating Peter seemingly had no choice but to euthanize her. But before the decision was final, Peter received a message from a friend of his. She said she knew a vet at UC Davis, who might be able to get Miss Bean into a Drug Trial for young kittens with FIP. Peter decided he had to try. Over the course of the next 31 days Peter and Miss Bean went on a roller coaster of improvements and setbacks against FIP. Sadly, Miss Bean lost her fight on July 26, 2016.
In honor of Miss Bean and all other victims of FIP, Zen By Cat was set up as a nonprofit to raise money and awareness for FIP research. Since this, Dr. Pederson and others at UC Davis, have made great strides in their research and have successfully cured around 25 cats from FIP, including Peter’s cat Smokey.

ZenByCat is dedicated to raising both awareness and money to help fight against FIP and save cat’s lives. Their goal is to find a cure and show how living with cats improves both human and feline lives. Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) affects up to 2% of kittens and was 100% fatal until now. Zen By Cat was created specifically to raise money to help researchers bring the breakthrough drug that saved Smokey, along with other drugs like it, to market and help all cats that face FIP have the same chance of life as Smokey. ZenByCat has no paid employees and is dedicated to ending this truly horrendous disease. 90% of revenue raised goes directly to funding a cure for FIP, with only 10% reserved for overhead awareness and fundraising.

Please consider donating by purchasing a Print or a unique product related with this painting about House of Nekko, and help to fight against FIP.
For more information visit ZenByCat at https://www.zenbycat.org

Uploaded

July 30th, 2019