… with Paula Simmonds from St. John`s
Paula Simmonds on a visit in Goose Cove (all photos Paula Simmonds)
Paula Simmonds is originally from St. Anthony, she is married to Rex Simmonds who is originally from Goose Cove. Paula`s sister is librarian Josalyn Simms-Elliott from St. Anthony.
Paula`s cat Molly is an American Bobtail and Paula explains to us why Bobtails are such amazing cats.
Molly, an American Bobtail cat (Photo Paula Simmonds)
Paula, your cat doesn’t have a tail! What happened?
My cat Molly is an American Bobtail, the tail is very short, stubby. It is a mutant phenomenon. She could have come from a litter of six kittens and be the only one with this mutation.
What amazing facts did you find out about Bobtails?
They are a bit different from your ordinary domestic housecat. Their hind legs are longer than the front legs. It is a characteristic of the Bobtail cat. Their body is long and slender. Their ears are slightly higher and bigger. Molly is also bigger than most domestic females.
So Bobtails are really something!
Yes, Bobtails are very active, very intelligent and they are very acrobatic! Molly is hugely entertaining.
Like circus acrobats?
Molly will run across the room and roll on her back. Bobtails are very personable, very affectionate. Molly will cry when I leave the room. And she is very picky to what she eats, she does not like fish. Very odd, I must say.
What? A Newfoundland cat that does not like fish?
I used to feed my former cats shrimp or cod, but Molly doesn’t like it at all. She does not drink milk either. And she is shy: when people come to visit, she disappears for some reason.
All photos Paula Simmonds
Have you ever had a cat like her?
No, not at all. Molly likes to be covered when she is sleeping. She crawls under a blanket! When I pull the blanket up, she will pull it down again. As if she was saying: I am sleeping now, close the blinds! She also loves the ca which is odd as well!
Bobtail cats love car rides!
Lucky you! My cat hates the car.
Molly just sits in the car, gazing around. A perfect cat for long travels.
If you research the Bobtail cat, you will find it is the preferred cat for truck drivers for these cats love to ride in vehicles and they are great company.
Well, she had traveled a long way to safety when she was an abandoned kitten, hadn`t she?
Yes, she was found in a cardboard box in the parking lot at Wal-Mart in
Carbonear. Someone found her, took her home for a week and nursed her back to health. So they thought.
But soon they realised, they could not keep her and drove her all the way from
Carbonear to the SPCA in St. John`s. Molly was only 8 wks old and very underweight for her age.
Bobtail cat Molly as a kitten
How did she become your cat?
I have had four cats and a dog in the past. They have all since passed. I lost two cats in one year, a Persian and a domestic cat, both 15 years od. A week after my last cat died, I said to my daughter, I am going to adopt a cat; I always had a cat ever since I was a child, and I always will.
So what did your daughter do?
My daughter and I went to the SPCA. There were so many animals that were looking for a home, it was hard to choose. I was looking for an adult female at first, that was my intention anyway.
The people at the SPCA said: “Normally we don’t show the animals unless you’re completely serious about adopting”. They are very strict there. But I was very serious.
They showed me the cats, and as I was leaving, one of the staff said “Excuse me, we have kittens as well, but in a different room from the others.” So she showed me the kittens as well.
What happened?
I went in the room, and the first cat I saw was Molly, a little white fur ball with a little tail: so energetic. I took her right away.
How did Molly react when she arrived at your home?
First when we got home, she was a bit scared. She did not come out of the crate for an hour. I did not approach her at all but I put food out to try and coax her out. She finally came out after an hour or so, but hid behind the fridge right away.
I had to pull out the fridge to get her. Strange environment, I guess. It does take time for a new animal to adapt, and that didn’t bother me.
So you had her spayed despite the fact that she is an indoor cat?
Yes, I had her spayed in January, also microchipped, just in case Molly do hap-en to get out, I have a better chance of getting her back.
Yes, spaying and neutering is paramount, I can’t stress that enough.
Thank you, Paula, for this interview!
