War has been raging in Ukraine for 6 months now. Many residents have been forced to leave their country with their animals to flee the bombardments and seek refuge in a safe place. This is the story of Jennifer Shyshkina, a young dancer who now lives in Aix-en-Provence with her tomcat Simba.
Jennifer Shyshkina adopted her furball named Simba in the fall of 2021. Since then, the duo has been inseparable. “From the start, Simba has been the greatest love and support in my life. This boy helped me deal mentally with a painful breakup and then the start of the war. I can’t be more grateful,” Jennifer told My Modern Met.
When enemy bombs reached her hometown Kyiv, she took refuge with Simba in an underground shelter before deciding to embark on a long journey.
It was then that she embarked her tomcat in a car and traveled the route leading to the Romanian border and then to Bulgaria. After 2 days of grueling journey, the duo finally arrived in France, where they put down their suitcases in Aix-en-Provence.
In Ukraine, Simba never left his apartment. He was what is known as a plump indoor cat. However, during the trip, Jennifer noticed that her cat was eager for discoveries and extremely curious.
Once well settled, the young woman therefore bought him a harness and a leash that he immediately integrated well.
From now on, Simba enjoys pretty walks in nature. According to his mistress, he loves to roll in the dirt, greet the horses and roam the fields in search of a few field mice
“I love this cat more than anything. Looking at everything that’s happening in my country, I’m just happy that we’re quiet here,” Jennifer shared.