IN PICTURES

Internet Sensation Girls and Their Cats Comes to Portland

Fashion photographer BriAnne Wills comes home from NYC to add Portlanders to her beloved photography series.

By Eden Dawn October 21, 2015

Photographer BriAnne Wills and Tucker in Crown Heights.

I found Tucker on a busy street in Kiev, Ukraine. He was emaciated, filthy and crying for help. I took him home, thinking he was probably going to die. But as soon as I fed him and gave him a warm bed, he perked right up. My husband and I already had a cat so we didn't think we could keep him, but we soon fell in love and he's been with us ever since. Now he lives happily with us in our Brooklyn apartment.

Designer Lindsey Reif

Lindsey and Ramona in NE Portland. Ramona is a 4 yr old Persian mix adopted from the Oregon Humane Society. She has her own Instagram @ramona.grams and is lovingly referred to as Beyoncé for her diva-like personality.

Macrame Artist Emily Katz

Emily and Cowbear in NE Portland. "Cowbear lived on the streets until she was picked up by our friend (@melanieisansty) and taken in. The scrawny cat ate all the catfood for 3 days, and then had a litter of kittens on a pile of clothes. My partner Adam took the mom (Cowbear, and yes she came with that name) and one of the kittens (who later went a bit crazy and found a more compatible home). That was over 15 years ago, and she is still roaming the neighborhood taming her territory and loving on us daily."

Art Producer Monica Choy

Monica and Linus in SE Portland. Monica has two cats- Linus and Zorro, but Zorro had other plans and couldn't be found in time for these photos. They were adopted 4 years ago on Monica's birthday after her husband artist Souther Salazaar drew her a little coupon to pick out a kitten from a feral litter found on their friend's property. "I was only supposed to choose one, but these two were so bonded that I couldn't bear splitting them up - I had to take them both. When they were growing up, they were inseparable little twin-cats"

Portland Monthly Style Editor Eden Dawn

Eden and Ruby in NE Portland. Eden lost her childhood cat after 22 years and was heartbroken, swearing she could never have another. After a month she missed cats in her life so much she started browsing the adoptable cats section on Craigslist - just to look. "I saw a picture of tiny little 5 week old Ruby who had been abandoned by her mom and then the owners moved away. One look at that small furry face, I sprung into action and picked her up that night. Ten years later, she still acts like an ornery kitten alternating between cuddling, fake fighting, and sleeping."

Hair & Makeup Artist Viridiana Cervantes

Viridiana and Max in NE Portland for #girlsandtheircats #girlsandtheircatsOR Viridiana adopted Max from the Oregon humane society @oregonhumane as a kitten 3 years ago after her old cat was hit by a car and she needed another furry companion to help ease her pain. "Max was already a charmer and as we were leaving all of the staff came to say goodbye to him and told me he was going to grow up to be a lover. They were so right."

Girls and Their Cats - NYC

It started with a love of felines and a way to network. When Oregonian BriAnne Wills moved to New York City last September for her husband's job, she realized she had left all her contacts as a fashion photographer behind. She knew a series would be the best way to both keep herself busy and network in her new life, so she decided to continue working on a collection of nudes. After setting up a casting, the model she chose had a picturesque cat, and Wills realized the combo of lovely lady and cute kitty was the key to success. And with that, the Girls With Their Cats series was born.

In less than a year, the simple idea of fashionable women and their beloved cats has snowballed with press from Buzzfeed, Time Out New York, and DailyMail. Originally planned to be a collection of 20, Wills said the emails of proud and pretty cat owners wanting to be photographed kept streaming in. Now up to 55 girls and counting, Wills new goal is a coffee table book. Specifically, an international book of girls and cats from all over the world.

To that end she’s begun the process of jumping around the country finding new gals and gatos to photograph, adding the adoption story of how each cat came to the family, with one of her first stops to come home and snap photos of Portlanders. Take a tour of Wills girls and fancy felines from her Portland visit and NYC archives.

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