This is Curry's first interview! She interviewed my friend John, who selflessly rescues cats and finds them good homes. John has worked with cat rescue organizations in Columbus, Ohio, but to me, his most notable work involves the stray cats he rescues from his own neighborhood. In fact, that's how I came to adopt both Willie and Grayson. John rescued Willie as a gangly teen, and I took him in shortly thereafter. Grayson's story is a little different. John couldn't say no to a petite, three-legged, pregnant cat. Affectionately known as "Stumpy" (I know, I know), she gave birth to four healthy kittens in June 2009. I took in Grayson, my neighbor adopted Bailey, and Frisco and Spice went to a third happy home; Stumpy has been spayed and still lives with John. Here, Curry discusses cat rescue and other topics with John.
Curry: Uncle John, you are one of my favorite people. Thank you for taking this interview. Let’s start out with you telling everyone how you came to love cats.
John: Let me start by saying thank you for interviewing me. I'm honored, as I've always been a fan of yours, even before you were famous. I have always had animals in my life and have always loved them. I did prefer big dogs for a long time though because I thought they were the most loving. Growing up, our cat wasn't too interested in attention from me, so I came to the conclusion that cats are aloof and don't care for much attention because they're so independent. Everyone else seemed to think that way, so it seemed to make sense. Well then I met your Mom. She had three cats who were different than other cats I had met. They were very close to Sandy and loved interaction.
Curry: Yes, they were my siblings Maggie, Sage and Thor. I miss them.
John: They were great cats. This started me thinking a bit differently about all cats. A couple of years later, I got a kitten for a girl I was living with. She already had one cat, but wanted another. That kitten showed a lot of interest in me and I bonded with her. We called her "Little Kitty" back then, but today her name is Bast (or sometimes Abby) and she is still with me. I was so taken with her, I started reading a lot about cats and their behavior, which made me even more interested in them. I was learning that they are very social creatures who can love deeply. After breaking it off with the girl, Bast and I started adopting other cats in need.
Curry: Some people think that cats are feminine, and you’re a straight guy who loves our kind. How do you justify this to closed-minded people?
John: Well I try to avoid closed-minded people, but sometimes I do try to get through to the occasional person who still believes that stereotype, which is a ridiculous one. Between cats and dogs, cats appeal much more to my masculine side. They are the most efficient killers in the world and are braver than any other animal I know of. I don't know of any dog owners who sustain the same number of injuries I do from my cats. I get gouged, scratched and poked on a regular basis. And it takes a much bigger man to walk against the stereotypes than to simply conform.
Curry: I'm a non-conformist myself. So, tell me a little bit about your own cats.
John: Bast was the one who taught me the most. She went straight for my heart and got it. She helped me learn about cats. She is small, soft and amazingly beautiful. When Bast was a year old, I decided to get her some friends. I found Johnny & Ariel, brother and sister, at the Sawmill Animal Hospital. No other creatures in my life, including humans, have ever been so close to me. These two quickly became my soul mates and we depend HEAVILY on each other for much love. Achilles was my fourth. I found him outside my apartment and when I walked up to him, he acted as if he knew I was coming and went right along with me. After much posting, no one stepped forward to claim him, so I had to make a decision. I decided that 3 was enough, so I took him to the Capital Area Humane Society. When I was standing there at the counter about to hand him over, I looked him in the eye and he looked back at me and I realized that although he had no idea what would happen, he did know that he was in my hands and he had given me that trust. He looked me right in the eye, wondering what I was doing with him. It was then I realized I could not hand him over. So here he has stayed. Thank GOD. He gives better rubs, bumps & cuddles than anyone! A few months later, a lady at work brought in 2 little kittens (Hollywood & Speed) that she found on her back porch. She was going to take them to the shelter. At one point, they both got set on my desk & hung out there for a while. Big mistake, because I then said I'd hold on to them for a while. Well they were just too cute and I didn't see that big of a difference between 4 & 6. But then a week later she found their other brother, BlackJack, so I took him in too (unfortunately he has since passed on). Blizzard, my last permanent cat, came from the people in the apartment behind me. They were moving and they were going to just let him go outside. I'd met him before as a kitten and wondered how I could get him out of that place (they had raised other cats and then simply put them out to be homeless once they were adults). So it worked out that they just came over & offered him up. At that point, I had already been fostering & finding homes for other cats & kittens I had rescued, but I wasn't about to try to find him a home because he was just too gorgeous. I have three others currently, Stumpy, Pei Wei and Lucky, who could go to another home if I could find good ones, but they might end up staying with me. Lucky is an all black cat who crossed my path the summer of '08. I found a home for him but he came back a few months ago. Pei Wei crept up to my front porch that same summer while I was sitting out there. And I found Stumpy last year outside my front door, pregnant and missing a back foot. I found homes for all 4 of her kittens, but you already know that, because one is your roommate, Grayson. So in case you're not keeping count, that's 10 total right now.
Curry: That's a lot of cats! And I thought our family was big. Can you estimate how many cats you’ve fostered or helped find a forever home?
John: In the last 7 years, I have taken in over 40 cats. Only 6 have passed over the rainbow bridge so far.
Curry: What was your most rewarding experience helping needy cats?
John: I don't think of any as more rewarding than the others. I help because in each case I'm presented with a decision to make and I make the one I know God wants me to make. The fact that many cats who may have been abandoned now get much love on a daily basis is pretty rewarding.
Curry: I know my mom is thankful that you rescued Willie and Grayson for her, but I have to ask: was Grayson always such a pesky little kitten?
John: Yes. First of all, Grayson is a male and we males tend to be a little too high strung. Secondly, he's very young and still has a great deal of energy. In addition to those things, he grew up with a lot of other cats around, which means he never learned to respect the privacy or personal space of a cat like you, who came to expect a certain amount of space and respect. Just hang in there and keep trying to teach him and don't be afraid to learn a few things yourself!
Curry: Other than hanging out with cats, what human hobbies do you enjoy?
John: I enjoy computers, phones and other cool electronic gadgets - I like taking them apart and learning how to fix them. I also love to kayak and fish - usually together.
Curry: Ooh, I wish I could go fishing with you. But I digress... The President adopted a dog. What do you think of that?
John: I think it's great that our President set an example for the nation by adopting an animal in need. However, it would be nice to see some cats in the White House as well.
Curry: What advice do you have for a human who is thinking of adopting a cat?
John: Read! Read about behavior and needs. Read about what makes cats do what they do. Read about declawing and other procedures. Read about what it's going to take to care for a cat. And finally, DON'T SHOP, ADOPT!!!!
Curry: Thanks for all this great information, Uncle John. You are an inspiration to other animal lovers. Say hi to your cats from me, and tell Stumpy that her son Grayson may be a pest, but he has a great home with us now.
