… with Nikita Richards from St. Carol`s
Hi Nikita, you love English literature, especially the writer Thomas Hardy, and you love cats. How did you get your cat Samson?
I was in Halifax and went to university. At the time I had finished school and was working. My friend Linda had three cats that she had rescued. And Linda`s friend Marilyn hat started a rescue group and was looking for volunteers. She found an abandoned cat for me.
But being a working student, did you not want to be independent?
I love animals! I always wanted to have my own cat. Marilyn called me and said: “We have just captured a cat. You should see it. It is so docile!” So I went over to her place.
What happened then?
The cat was very timid, it ran under the bed. So I just sat still on the sofa. Eventually he came over and laid on my legs. I could pet him and he rolled over. It was amazing! I instantly wanted him.
Why did you call your cat Samson, after the super-strong hero, if he is so timid?
Oh, my cat is a very strong individual but he would never hurt a fly. He never bit or scratched me.
How old was Samson when you got him?
The vet said that he was probably 2 years old when he was captured. Today he is four. He was abandoned. His owners moved away in the middle of winter and just left him outside. A neighbour fed him. Samson had also been abused.
Has Samson changed in the meantime?
He is still afraid of loud noise, also of rustling paper and plastic bags. And he likes woman better than men. You have to be very gentle, very quiet with him.
What do you do to make him comfortable?
He loves belly rubs and chin rubs and he loves to be brushed. You could brush him until all his hair fell out! He is just so docile. He just wants love. Samson is absolutely the best!
Interview: Northern Peninsula Pets
Photos: Courtesy of Nikita Richards
