Photo by @ardenwray
Cat people are our people. In this series, we'll be sharing stories from our amazing community of humans with cats. We want to celebrate the joys, quirks, and every day moments that make us so grateful to have these furry family members in our lives.
This month, meet Gabriella Nassief Borg. Gabriella is the founder of House of Borg, a one-stop-shop for interior design consultations, styling & staging services, plus a curated marketplace of eclectic home goods and vintage finds.
A quick look at Gabriella's Instagram and it's hard not to feel instantly delighted by her home. Bright bold colors, whimsical thrifted trinkets, all immaculately styled in an effortless fashion.
While her interior decor is on point, it's the guest stars of her feed that steal the show for us. Her two cats, Olive and Miso. Having grown up with cats her entire like, Gabriella is a self-proclaimed cat person with no plans of stopping. Read on to hear about the heartfelt story of her bonded pair of besties.
Olive + Miso on the Kip Cushion, from $99
Describe the day you got Olive + Miso
We had been looking for a cat for a while and when my partner and I saw a listing at our local cat shelter about a bonded pair we read their story and instantly fell in love. I drove over to the pet store the next day and after passing the screening process they were ours.
I’d never had a bonded pair before so I was a little nervous at first but they slowly warmed up to our space and within a month it was their home. I think all our future cats will be bonded pairs, they’re best buds and I think it made the adjustment easier for them.
Have you always been a cat person?
Yes. I’ve had cats throughout my whole life and I believe I always will. I appreciate a cat’s personality so much and the low to moderate maintenance of a cat is appealing to me. It’s kinda like having a roommate that you make breakfast and dinner for. Otherwise, they’re happy to do their own thing or hang out when you want company.
Any inspiration behind their names?
A friend of ours suggested the name Miso because of her fur colour and after that Olive just instantly looked like a round Kalamata to me.
Olive on the Kip Cushion, from $99
Describe them each in 3 words
Miso: Energetic, goofy and curious
Olive: Lazy, loving and quiet
Describe their perfect day
Olive’s perfect day, which is literally her every day, is: sleep, eat, sleep, pets, more sleep and eat.
Miso’s perfect day is: Chasing bugs or springs, playing fetch, napping on our laps, getting yummy treats and following Olive around.
What’s the weirdest quirk about them?
Olive had a hard life before us, while not necessarily weird she does spend 90% of her time sleeping upstairs. It’s nice to know that she has a safe space and can feel relaxed now.
Miso’s weirdest quirk, which is more like a party trick, is that we taught her to sit when she was a kitten and she still knows how to do it when we give her treats. Otherwise, she eats with her hands sometimes and brings the kibble up to her face. I haven’t had a cat do that before.
Olive on the Kip Cushion, from $99
What are they doing right now, as you answer this?
Miso is outside in the catio (screened in porch in our backyard) catching rays and Olive is on her designated snoozing pillow in the bay window upstairs.
What’s your favourite every day moment with them?
For Olive, it’s the way she parades on top of the covers to wake us up for breakfast in the morning (girl loves her food), and for Miso it’s when she winds down and is ready for lap naps in the afternoon.
Out of the following, which is their fave pastime: Sleep, Climb, Scratch, Eat, Play
Olive: Sleep
Miso: Play
What do you think is the biggest misconception about cats?
That they’re disinterested, cold or uninterested in people. I actually think they can be quite the opposite, and very warm. I think people look to dogs for unconditional love but I think it exists in both. Cats may be more subtle but Miso runs to the front door when she hears us coming home everyday, so I think that’s a good example of how attentive they can be.
What’s the biggest struggle with cat furniture?
Definitely the scratching, although I will say that you can train a cat to not do this. Also having ample scratching posts around is a big help. One of my hacks is jute rugs. I have one in our living room, and by our front door and back door. It’s essentially a scratching post for your floor!
Photo by @ardenwray
To follow Olive + Miso's adventures while simultaneously filling your feed with dreamy interior design inspiration, follow @houseofborg on Instagram.
