The Perfect Union – Men and Their Cats (14 photos)

When American photographer David Williams began photographing men with their cats, he couldn't have imagined the series would become so popular. Now, several dozen photographs and stories about men who adore cats have been transformed into a book and a separate Tumblr blog.





"I started shooting the 'Men with Cats' series in 2009 in Colorado. The first subject was a colleague of mine at the grocery store. He had a long beard, listened to heavy metal, and adored his cat. Then I started looking for more and more real men who you wouldn't suspect of loving cats."

With his book, David wants to inspire people to be more considerate of cats—adopting them from shelters and helping strays. He strives to change people's perceptions.

"I hope the photographs and stories in the book will help people break free from gender stereotypes," says Williams.

Paul and two of his six cats, Cuauhtémoc and Mateo



"Cats are pure zen. Living in Mexico City and sharing this city with over 20 million people can be quite tiring. The best part of my day is coming home. I close the door and know my six cats are waiting for me. It's incredibly relaxing."

Santiago with Adele and Nikos

"I'm not really a cat person. The life of any animal is important to me, and I had other pets at home. However, my cats mean a lot to me; I found love in them."

Yen and Mowgli



"I talk to my cats, and they talk back in their own way. I make up stories about how they spend their days, build cat forts, and even decorate them for holidays."

Jim with Baya and Arthur



"Arthur is a girl, but we didn't know that when we got her. The vet told us later." But we decided to raise her as a cat anyway, because by then we'd painted the room blue and drawn cars on the walls. Just kidding, of course, but we bought her a blue collar. And the cats themselves don't seem to care about gender."

Simon and Diablo



"I decided to be a cat person because I'm at work most of the day, and when I come home tired, Diablo seems to revive me with his energy."

Brent and Sammy



"Most people who live in the mountains have dogs. It's a 'mountain man' mentality, I guess. I've just always loved cats. I grew up with them."

John and Yuki



"Cats can be very demanding. If she wants food or a treat, she'll be ruthless until she gets it." As a rule, what she needs most is my lap and my attention. If my lap is out of reach, she lies down on the table in front of me. It's a small price to pay for endless love and friendship."

Alex and Freya



"Now that my wife and I have two small children, it's become more difficult to give our "firstborn," Freya, the same amount of love and warmth as before. Every evening, as soon as the kids finally go to bed, we naturally want to rest. However, it's precisely at this moment that Freya never misses the opportunity to demand affection. She usually wins."

Matt and the Filet-o-Fish



"I was driving through New Jersey with a friend, and we stopped at a McDonald's. As we were getting back to the car, I heard meowing coming from the dumpster, so I went to check it out. I don't know if she was dumped there on purpose or just got lost, but she ended up coming home. She was so sweet and seemed to be thanking me for saving her. By the way, she ate my Filet-o-Fish on the way home."

David and Cocoa



"After we adopted our cat from the shelter, we thought about a name for a few days. Finally, my girlfriend suggested 'Cocoa,' and I was thrilled."

Amani and Pozza



"He loves watching TV, salmon, and grilled chicken. His favorite show is 'The Walking Dead,' and anything that makes a housewife happy."

Ian and MJ



"He leaves stinking surprises where someone he hates sleeps."

Jack with Salem and Django



"They've been trying to get your attention all night and won't rest until you wake up."