Catterview With Kurtis Scaletta and Bertie.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Bertie also looks a lot like my Lilly Monster.
Bertie:
1. How do you feel about being named after a literary character?
Though my tastes tend to run towards more sophisticated fare, I do find Mr. Wodehouse's stories to be a nice diversion, and don't object to being named for Bertie Wooster. He is a likable character and a good literary invention. I do identify more with Jeeves, since he is the more sensible of the duo, but would rather be named Bertram than Reginald so at the end of the day I am satisfied with my name.
2. Will you be eating some turkey this Thanksgiving? I always bring home some for my cats.
I've let the kitchen staff arrange the meal without my input, but I am quite sure that turkey is on the menu. I enjoy eating birds of all shapes and sizes, from the lowly (but tasty) sparrow to the plump wild American turkey.
3. Do you like catnip?
I've never seen what the fuss is about, to be honest. Yes, it smells nice and minty, but the way the other cats carry on and cavort is embarrassing to me as a feline. However, a little bowl of slightly warmed milk in the morning....
4. What would you do if Kurtis's wife stopped giving you milk everyday?
Angela knows just the right amount of time to heat milk and I quite look forward to it. I would be very disappointed if she chose, for some baffling reason, to stop serving it to me. The truth is that she enjoys the little ritual as much as I do, so I don't think it will happen.
5. How do you really feel about Kurtis?
As a human, or as an author? He's quite all right for a human, I guess. I mean, he has his little habits, but don't we all? He is good to us cats, and mostly otherwise stays out of our way, and we can ask little more of his species. As an author, I find his books passable, being for children and all.
Though my tastes tend to run towards more sophisticated fare, I do find Mr. Wodehouse's stories to be a nice diversion, and don't object to being named for Bertie Wooster. He is a likable character and a good literary invention. I do identify more with Jeeves, since he is the more sensible of the duo, but would rather be named Bertram than Reginald so at the end of the day I am satisfied with my name.
2. Will you be eating some turkey this Thanksgiving? I always bring home some for my cats.
I've let the kitchen staff arrange the meal without my input, but I am quite sure that turkey is on the menu. I enjoy eating birds of all shapes and sizes, from the lowly (but tasty) sparrow to the plump wild American turkey.
3. Do you like catnip?
I've never seen what the fuss is about, to be honest. Yes, it smells nice and minty, but the way the other cats carry on and cavort is embarrassing to me as a feline. However, a little bowl of slightly warmed milk in the morning....
4. What would you do if Kurtis's wife stopped giving you milk everyday?
Angela knows just the right amount of time to heat milk and I quite look forward to it. I would be very disappointed if she chose, for some baffling reason, to stop serving it to me. The truth is that she enjoys the little ritual as much as I do, so I don't think it will happen.
5. How do you really feel about Kurtis?
As a human, or as an author? He's quite all right for a human, I guess. I mean, he has his little habits, but don't we all? He is good to us cats, and mostly otherwise stays out of our way, and we can ask little more of his species. As an author, I find his books passable, being for children and all.
Kurtis:
1. Describe a typical day in your life
Wake up before my wife, make coffee, eat breakfast, check my email and facebook and so forth. Shower, shave, get dressed, go to my "day job" at the University of Minnesota. I often have lunch with my wife, who works nearby. Go home, have dinner, write or revise or read, depending on where I am at with projects. Go to bed.
If it's a weekend, there's usually a few chores and errand to tend to, but otherwise much the same.
2. Do you have any non-feline pets?
We have five feline pets, and might like a dog or a rabbit or a hamster or hedgehog or a few of each, too, but for now we only have the time/space/money for the five kitties.
3. How many pet cats do you think is too much? 10? 15? or can there never be too many?
It's really not about numbers, it's about all the cats having sufficient food, space, attention, veterinary care, a litter box of one's own, etc. When the cat habit starts to affect the happiness and well being of the cat, that's when you really go from "cat person" to "crazy cat person."
4. How did you come to be Bertie's human?
We were looking for a playmate for Torii, and we saw Bertie's profile online and thought he was perfect. We went to the animal orphanage where he lived, took him into the meeting room, but at first Bertie was rather aloof. We weren't feeling much of a connection, but Bertie was obviously just checking US out. After we put him back in his little cubby hole, he started meowing at me, very cutely. So we went back to the meeting room, he curled up on my jacket and purred, and it was obvious we were meant to be together after all.
5. How do you feel about being owned by cats?
They take good care of us, and I appreciate it.
Posts
November 26, 2009 8:44 AM
Kurtis is named after a character? How cute. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Bertie, Kurtis. Don't eat too many birds
November 26, 2009 11:15 AM
Great interview, and I so agree on the "how many cats" question. We have six, but they're all a family and we take good care of all of them and so I feel that even though the number is a bit big, it's not that bad.
November 26, 2009 9:31 PM
So cute! Great cattereview!:)
http://fantasysink.blogspot.com/
November 27, 2009 9:07 AM
Entertaining flow of chat! I had fun reading your conversations.
November 27, 2009 10:25 PM
Meow - cute interview