… with Paul S. Tucker
A Soldier Defending the Defenceless
Canadian soldier Paul S. Tucker with his kitten Atticus (Photo Amy Tucker)
Paul S. Tucker is a Canadian soldier stationed in Belgium with the Canadian Forces in support of NATO. Paul grew up in a military family that moved around a lot. Today, his parents Kathleen Tucker (columnist for the Northern Pen) and Leonard Tucker live in Ship Cove.
Paul rescued a kitten near the Belgian town of Soignies where he and his wife Amy live.
How did you find this kitten, Paul?
My wife Amy and I were driving home after supper at a friend`s house. When I turned the corner, the headlight passed over a small animal. I recognised it as a cat right away. We thought it was a really small cat. I pulled over but it hid in the thicket.
How were you able to catch it?
It took us three to four minutes to get the cat out. The bushes were full of stinging nettles. The kitten hid from us. Its tail was black, so it looked in the dark as if it didn`t have a tail. Luckily the rest of the fur was white so I could see it. I tried to chase it around until I finally caught it.
How did the kitten react?
It was scared and tried to get away at first. Later I came to the conclusion that it was a feral kitten. My wife tucked it into a sweatshirt and it settled down and relaxed because it liked the warmth and to be wrapped up.
Did you decide there and then to rescue it?
Yes. We took it into the car and brought it into our house. It was very hungry and it was filthy. We have another cat as well, she is from the SPCA, 10 to 12 years old and very territorial, she does not get along with other cats.
So what happened when the kitten arrived?
Our cat Abby went right up to him and sniffed him and gave him a big hiss. Then she just went about six feet away and kept her distance while staring at thim intently. But now they are playing together, and when Abby gets tired she puts the kitten into its place.
You named the kitten Atticus. Was it healthy?
We took Atticus to the vet. It turned out he was only six weeks old when we found him. He had fleas and he got his shots. He is okay now. He is very big and strong for his age – he is just three months old – and eats a lot of food.
What kind of food?
We found out that he would go crazy for real meat, like chicken or sausage. He would hide it and growl if somebody tried to take it away.
Did you see more feral cats in your town?
There are quite a few wild cats in Belgium, it is very common. You don`t want to take the adult cats into your home because they have been in the wild and don`t want to be near you.
