Read time: 2 mins
We had a glorious Saturday morning speaking to Angela, a NHS worker who lives the country canal life alongside her trusty boy Duke.
So how did you and Duke meet, what’s your story?
Duke and his brother Scrumpy were in foster care with the Cats Protection, after their owner sadly died. I had just lost my previous cat and was sad to have no furball to look after and fuss. Duke and his brother were a couple of stunning ginger and white boys. Scrumpy was the timid one and Duke the more adventurous one, my mind was made up and they came home. Sadly we lost Scrumpy to cancer, but Duke loves being an only child and getting all the tummy fusses and treats. He is now the grand age of 16 but showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.
Duke sounds like the dream. What do you do for work, outside of all that fussing Duke?
I work for the NHS and work from home a lot after covid. Since lockdown, I haven’t been able to put the ironing board away as Duke sits on it in the window next to my desk to keep me company. He occasionally likes to interrupt zoom meetings by walking over the keyboard in typical cat fashion.
Classic cat, always needing to be the centre of attention. Do you have any cute nicknames for him?
Sausage. Snookums. Baddaduke.
Talk us through your typical Saturday morning routine with the Sausage.
I try to have a lie-in but Duke wants his breakfast and will try all sorts to get me up – hiding under the pillow and chewing my hair are his favourites. So it’s up and at ‘em to feed us both. I then usually go to my barre class while he goes back to bed. A few chores and maybe shopping. If I’m lucky it’s a quilting day and I sit and sew while Duke sits in my scrap fabric pile. That’s the main thing I look forward to. That or curling up on the sofa with Duke and a book.
Do you have any anthems to get you in the weekend mood?
I usually go for retro pop, it’s always on at the studio where I do my barre and pilates classes.
So that’s your routine, but does Duke live to any kind of schedule?
Oh most definitely. Breakfast at 6.30am or he’ll chew my hair. Up and onto the ironing board to supervise my work. Second breakfast is at 11am. Tea at 3pm. Second tea at 6pm and supper at 9pm. He’ll go out for a wander and then he’s in bed with me.
A very foodie day, we like his style. Has being a cat person always been your style, or more of a recent thing?
No, I actually disliked cats most of my life. Until I moved house and found it came with a cat, I never knew an animal could love you like a cat does. Duke is now number 6 in a line of cats and I could never be without at least one furry friend in the house.
Ahhh a true cat person now. What’s the coolest cat person thing you currently own?
My collection of Lea Stein brooches.
Last question, we know what cats are like, is there anything Duke truly hates with a feline passion?
The cat next door. She bit him on the bum once and he has never forgotten.
Get featured on Saturday Morning Coffee.
