Paws for Thought
Paws for Thought is a humorous book for cat lovers. It reveals the terrible truth about life with the Earth Mother (me), Poor Roger (long-suffering my husband) and a whole cast of 'special needs' cats as seen through the eyes of Stumpy Malone, a little black cat born without hind paws. Everything he writes about is true!
When did your passion for cats begin?
I was brought up in a council flat in London, so we didn't have pets when I was very young. My grandmother always had cats and those early friendships blossomed into a life-long love affair.
When did you first decide to start rescuing them?
I must be honest - I never did 'decide' to get involved in cat rescue! I joined Cats Protection when I was about 25 and paid my subscription, but didn't do any 'hands-on' rescue work until I was contacted by a volunteer who asked if I would help her out. Two years later I had six cat pens in my back garden and was finding homes for around 200 cats and kittens a year!
How rewarding is it to have done this for 30 years?
It is quite simply the most rewarding thing I have ever done, even if I did get into it by accident! The paid jobs I had enabled me to pay the bills, but the work I did with the cats was a total passion.
Please tell us about the 'special needs' felines that currently reside in your house.
We have a wonderful brain-damaged ginger boy, Benjamin Wobble, who has mobility problems and suffers with fits and Whizzy, who was run over before she came to live with us and had to have a hind leg amputated. Then there is Stumpy Malone, the 'author' of the book, who has no hind paws and Bonnie Bun-Bun, who is 21 years old and extremely deaf (and slightly incontinent, but we won't dwell on that!). We also have Miss Elizabeth, who has heart problems and Miss Isabelle, who lacks co-ordination and is definitely not the sharpest tool in the box. Our rescued Persian, Bella, spent 8 years in one room before she came to us and has only recently plucked up the courage to venture into the garden, where she is fascinated by butterflies - and slugs!
Why do you find cats so fascinating and entertaining?
I always think cats have got everything worked out and are just waiting for us humans to catch up! I look at their expressions when I'm wrestling with the television controls or my mobile phone and sense their superiority and impatience. They are beautiful animals and they are very good for us - there is never any danger of becoming over-confident when you share your life with a cat!
Please tell us about your roles in Your Cat magazine and The Cat.
I wrote a monthly column for Your Cat magazine for more than 10 years and retired from doing that when I retired as Homing Officer for Woking Cats Protection Branch in 2011. I still write for The Cat magazine, which is the official journal for Cats Protection.
What is next for you?
I can't resist writing about cats and have started another book which will feature a new cat, Miss Trixie-Tribble, who comes out with me when I go to schools and clubs to talk about cats and the work of Cats Protection. I love doing the educational talks because children need to understand how important it is to care for animals and to see caring as a sign of strength, not of weakness. We also have lots of giggles!