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| You have to admit I am kinda cute... |
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing journo and PR dude Owen Thomson about the other lady in his life, Ghost Cat. GC has done it tough but landed in a great home and has OT wrapped around her glowing white paw...
Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m a freelance journalist, copywriter and
communications consultant. I’ve had a love for animals ever since I was very
young, even though we didn’t get our first cat until I was 14.
How did Ghost Cat come into your life? Whenceforth the name?
Seven-years-ago we were living in a terrace house in
inner-Sydney when she just appeared in our back garden one day. She was clearly
in very average condition, with heavily matted and dirty fur and a bad dose of
conjunctivitis. After about a week, we decided we’d better adopt her and get
her some medical care. As for her name, well, she was all-white and seemed to
almost glow in the dark, so it just seemed a natural choice.
Tell us her specs - age, breed, features, quirks
Ghost Cat’s age is something of a mystery. When we
first got her, we were given estimates of anywhere between four to six years.
That would now make her anything from 11 to 13. In terms of her appearance, she
looks suspiciously like Blofeld’s white cat from the early James Bond movies,
especially Diamonds are Forever. She’s also super tough. Once, during our first
few weeks together, our burglar alarm went off accidentally. Poor Ghost Cat was
so upset she sprinted the length of the hall and smashed head first through our
back glass door. We found her an hour later in a neighbours yard without a
scratch on her.
She's had some health problems lately. Aside from your veterinarian, where do you go to seek information when things go wrong?
Nowhere else, really. I think the idea of seeking out
serious medical advice, whether it be for animals or humans, from sources like
websites or Internet chat forums is questionable at best.
Any favourite pet related websites or links you could point us to?
Sadly, no.
How does Ghost Cat feel about veterinarians?
Absolutely cannot stand them. I get the impression
most of them are actually frightened of her. Considering her size (about eight
kilos), enormous claws and extremely scary spits, growls and yowls, that’s
perhaps understandable.
What are three qualities you want your veterinarian to possess?
Honesty, integrity, and a genuine love for animals.
Any pet peeves about vets?
I think a lot of them are in it for the wrong reasons
and see animals as a means to a moneymaking end [I disagree but I do understand
this perception – stay tuned for further discussions of vet economics – ed.].
Any pet peeves about cats?
No, not really. Cats are what they are and you just
have to love them because of, or in spite of, their many idiosyncrasies.
If Ghost Cat were granted the ability to respond verbally (ie in spoken English, not meows) to three questions, what would you ask her?
How did you get that enormous scar down your back?
Have we given you a good life?
Why do you keep pooing on my Persian rug?
