Q & A: Why this New Hamburg author is looking to meet interesting cats across Canada
The cats interviewed with be featured in Nancy Silcox's new book
An author from New Hamburg has written about famous Canadians and their pets as well as animals with jobs.
For Nancy Silcox's next project, she's focusing on the lives of Canadian cats - why are feline friends so fascinating?
Silcox joined CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition with Craig Norris to share more about her upcoming book.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity
CRAIG NORRIS: Tell us about this ongoing project here - writing about famous Canadians and their pets.
NANCY SILCOX: Well this is my 4th pet book. The first one was written for the University of Guelph OVC [Ontario Veterinary College] called Famous Canadians and their Pets. I did two called 'Working Like a Dog, Doing Nothing like a Cat', where I traveled across the country talking to famous people and famous pets and all of them had purposes. All of them had jobs somewhere in clinics, somewhere in businesses, everything under the sun and it was wonderful. I even did the Arctic, where of course, I talked to sled dogs. Well, I didn't but you know what I mean.
NORRIS: Well, you probably talked to them. So this time around, it's cats.
SILCOX: Well, I am a dog and a cat lover. I do have three cats including a very large Main Coon cat - very very smart. But I don't know, I think with all the kerfuffle about cats during the American election, you know, childless cat ladies and of course Taylor Swift and her cats. I thought no, we've got to talk about Canadian cats. So my idea was, again, that I would talk to people across the country. I'm aiming for 50 from Newfoundland up to the Arctic out to BC. And we're talking about cats who are special, cats that perhaps have made the news, cats who have perhaps saved people, rescued people, cats who have a job. Of course, I think it's really important that people know that when I write these pet books, all the money does go to pet rescue organizations. When I did the book for OVC a number of years ago, that was when they were building their cancer clinic at the vet college. The book did very, very well and all the proceeds of that went to help build the clinic. The books have also been a great help to SPCA [Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals], St. John's Ambulance therapy dogs. But cats, I knew that that would be a challenge. Dogs are easier to perhaps locate and recognize but it's amazing the number of cats. What I am aiming for, again, is 50. I'm in my first 10.
The very first cat that I interviewed, or his person, was Coal and this was just several weeks ago. Coal is the last surviving cat of the cat colony that lived on Parliament Hill. There were 15 of them or so and then they decided to disperse them and one cat remains and he's with a very, very loving owner.
I've also talked to Gary in Calgary, Gary skis. Gary is quite an athlete. He has his own goggles, he has his own coat and he curls around his person's neck. His person is James Eastham in Calgary, and they ski. He's the mascot of a ski resort but those are perhaps more spectacular cats.
I have also talked to Ivy on Manitoulin Island and Ivy's owner, who is Rose, she has a very interesting story. She was indoors with her cat and heard the cat howling and howling and howling and thought I better find out what is the problem. She went outside and her neighbour had somehow gotten himself hung up on his electric garage door. He had his arm caught in the electric garage door and he couldn't get out and it was the cat who howled enough to bring the neighbour and to get him.
NORRIS: Wow, that's something you hear more of dogs doing. That is amazing and cats get the rap that they're just complacent.
SILCOX: We also have some local cats and that's one of the reasons why I wanted to talk to you this morning is because I would love to feature more local cats. You're aware of Danny Michel? Well, Danny has a very interesting cat whose name is Chauncey and Chauncey is a snowdrift leaper and a snow tunnel digger. I'm going to be talking to Danny and Chauncey.
Another famous cat in this area, perhaps you remember two years ago we had a theft from Pet Value in North Waterloo? Crosby was stolen and poor Crosby had a rough time being smuggled here and there and everywhere. There was a reward put out by Pet Patrol, I think it was a $1000 reward. Crosby was located and is in a loving home and I'm going to be talking to Crosby tomorrow.
NORRIS: So if someone is out there listening and they think 'wait, I have an interesting cat', how do they get in touch with you?
SILCOX: Well I'm looking for shop cats, for cats in school, cats who are in prison. Apparently there are prison therapy cats, performers. They can e-mail me. My e-mail address is canadapetbook@gmail.com. It doesn't have to be a Gary who skis down mountains but I'm looking for special cats. Cats who really make a mark.
NORRIS: So you and I, we've chatted on Facebook before. You always seem to have something going on book wise. Is this the only thing you have coming up right now, the cat book, or do you have more on the go?
SILCOX: No, for the last two years I've been writing. I do write human biographies too, and for the last two years I have been writing two. They're both complete. My one on David Silcox, and the name is familiar. It is my husband's brother, he passed [away] last year. He was the deputy minister of culture for Ontario, he was also the president of Sotheby's. I did his biography and I have just finished the biography of local boxer Fitzroy Vanderpool. It will be out this spring.