Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

About the Artist

Alexandra Butova is our columnist, journalist, and photographer, living in Riga, Latvia. She has has been with TopTropicals since Day One (2002), writing about magic plants, travel, and of course cats - from the CatNation she belongs to.

2023: Alexandra's 75th Anniversary and 20 years with TopTropicals.
From Alex to TopTropicals:

"...My dear and beloved family, thank you for our longstanding friendship. Thank you for helping me find the path to the tropical jungles that I had lost many years ago, which now can be followed by my cat paws until the very end.

Once upon a time, in ancient times, when Old Cat Alex was a reckless kitten, she discovered an amazing world of plants through the books by N. Verzilin: "Travels with House Plants", "Following Robinson", and "Through Gardens and Parks of the World" were her favorite books for a long time. And then, in the hustle and bustle of adult life, the magical road made of green bricks, winding through gardens, forests, and jungles, imperceptibly slipped away and seemed lost forever...

But it was only an illusion, because everything has its own time. In 2003, Alex the Cat stumbled upon Top Tropicals! And what do the owners of this tropical empire do with stray cats and dogs? It is well known - they resque them and turn into pets.

And now 20 years have passed... What would I do without you? You have become my second family. The emotional and spiritual bonds that connect us are not afraid of thousands of miles or the Atlantic Ocean. I cannot imagine myself separately from you..."


Articles by Alex Butova