Hi, My name is Shemeer and Cats of Kochi is an attempt to make wonderful Fort Kochi more accessible to everyone. I try to cover Local Busineses, Artists, Events, Stories, People, Places, Heritage, etc that can help both travellers and locals. You can reach me at shemeer@folktaler.com or hello@catsofkochi.com
How did it start?
When I first arrived in Kochi after spending 12 years in Bangalore and many years before that in various parts of India, I felt a strange sense of displacement. Despite being born in Kerala, I was, in many ways, a fraud Malayali—disconnected from my roots and searching for belonging.
Walking the historic streets of Fort Kochi, I couldn't help but draw parallels between myself and the foreign merchants who once sailed to these shores centuries ago. Did they too feel this peculiar mixture of familiarity and alienation? This sense of being both insider and outsider simultaneously?
What surprised me was how quickly the residents of Fort Kochi embraced me. Perhaps it's because this coastal enclave has been a melting pot of cultures for centuries, with more than 39 different communities settling here over hundreds of years. This rich tapestry of diversity created space for someone like me—neither fully local nor completely foreign.
More Than Just a Blog
In my free time, I write from the perspective of my rescue cats, creating distinct personalities and voices for each one.
The project serves multiple purposes:
- Helping travelers discover Fort Kochi through an unconventional, cat's-eye perspective
- Promoting adoption and fostering of cats in need
- Documenting both historical and contemporary aspects of Fort Kochi
Cats are famous for their curiosity and for exploring every nook and corner of their territory. This makes them perfect guides for uncovering hidden gems that even longtime residents might miss. Their energy and inquisitiveness inspire my own explorations.