30 Pics Of Finnish Cats Living Their Best Winter Life

If you own a cat, you know that these fluffy little creatures can brighten up your day in an instant!

According to the findings of a web-based study by Sam Gosling, a psychologist at the University of Texas in Austin, and his graduate student Carson Sandy, “there are significant differences in major personality traits between dog people and cat people.”

The same study found that cat people were generally more open than dog people. The openness trait involves a general appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, imagination, curiosity, and variety of experience. These people are more likely to hold unconventional beliefs.

Yet, even if you are not a cat lover, the compilation of pictures of Finish cats will bring a smile to your face! Have you heard of Sämpy and its furry friends Hiskias Hääppönen, Elmeri, and Nelli, all from Northern Finland yet?

Riikka Hedman, the owner of Sämpy and the other cats, says that they are all neutered male cats.

Sämpy is a 6-year-old domestic cat and isn’t a special breed, even though he looks like a Norwegian Forest cat. Additionally, Elmeri, the gray cat, is 11 and he is also a domestic cat, while Hiski, the biggest tabby without white paws, is a half-Norwegian Forest cat and is 2 years old.

She also explained that there is a gray-white cat on her pictures as well, Nelly, but she passed away a year ago.

These cuties have captured the hearts of many internet users, most of them in Finland. Sämpy has over 113,000 followers on Instagram and another 44,000 fans on Facebook.

Everyone is eager to see a new photo of the cat, as well as his friends Hiskias and Elmeri.

Riika says that Sämpy adores outdoor activities:

“He is so happy when he goes with me on a small trip to the old forest near our house. There is a small river there, as well as many other exciting places, and interesting scents. Elmeri and Hiski prefer to stay in the yard, at home, but sometimes they come along for a walk. My cats jump over obstacles I build in the back yard for them, especially in the winter. It is easier to demarcate the jumping area when there is a lot of snow.”

Riikka won the 2014 Photographer of the Year title in a Finnish photography magazine’s competition and was thrilled to receive a ‘super-fast’ camera.

“I was practicing shooting with my new camera and got a great jump shot of Sämpy. I sent the picture to a local newspaper and it became so popular that a journalist was sent to make an article about the cat. When the article came out I got a lot of wishes that the cat would have his own Facebook page. After Facebook, I created an Instagram account for Sämpy.”

Sämpy’s owner believes that the popularity of the social media accounts is due to the fact that she takes the photos outdoors, in funny situations, beautiful surroundings, in funny situations, and without forcing them to do anything, as for a good picture, “the cat needs to be natural and do its own cat things.”

So far, there are two books about Sämpy. The first one, ‘Kissan vuosi’ (‘Cat Year’), was published in 2016. After the publisher contacted Riika and asked for a photo book about Sämpy. The second book came out only recently.

For three years, Sämpy and Riikka have together also published calendars. Riika points out:

“It’s not that easy to pick pictures for a book, but luckily there are professionals at the publishing house. I also wrote some text, but the books are mostly picture books. In the captions, I use the local dialect, which has also been a much-lauded. I do not have any specific plans for the future, but proposals are certainly welcome.

If anyone wants to make Sämpy a character in an animated movie, a wallpaper, or a key chain, it is all fine, as long the cat doesn’t have to leave his home himself. Sämpy hates traveling.”

Ohh, I would stop at nothing to have one of these adorable cats at home and hug it during a long winter day!

Have you ever thought of owning a cat?

Scientists have proven that cats are awesome cats and having one at home brings numerous benefits.

First of all, owning a cat lowers the stress levels, and thus reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Having a cat around triggers the release of calming chemicals in the body and thus lowers your stress and anxiety levels.

Several UK studies have found that people (especially women) prefer to sleep with their cats over their partners, and they even report sleeping better with the pet than with a human bed companion.

Men should consider having a cat at home due to one interesting reason as well. Namely, research conducted by leading pet researcher Dr. June Nicolls found that women were more likely to be attracted to men with pets, as they perceive them as nicer and more caring than those without.

Cats are great for your kids as well, and in 2002, the National Institutes of Health released a study that found babies under a year old who were exposed to a cat to be less likely to develop all kinds of allergies.

Additionally, it turns out that the cat purring is one of the most comforting sounds in the world, creating vibrations at a frequency of 20-140 HZ, and it has been long associated with a therapeutic healing ability on human bones and muscle.

Finally, a study of more than 7,000 people by Indiana University Bloomington discovered that watching cat videos on the Internet boosts viewers’ energy and positive emotions!