Dances with Wolves
– a Sam Wallace story
QUESTIONS FROM OUR READERS
Are you a cat or a dog person ? I grew up with dogs ( two German Pointers ) and two cats but then went to cats and have had cats ever since . But we have a family dog as well , so I am an “ animal person ”. I don ’ t care what it is , I love it !
There ’ s a lovely story behind the cover photo of Sam Wallace wearing a wolf hat while cuddling his cat .
It starts with the cat called Dances . When Sam , a co-host for radio station The Hits ’ breakfast show , moved into his new home he found a stray cat had taken resi-dence under his house and it was not in good shape . “ He was in a pretty bad way ,” says Sam , TVNZ ’ s former weatherman . “ He was really , really sickly , with a big cyst on his ear . He was in all sorts of trouble , and really ill .” After some coaxing and treats , he managed to get the cat out and to the vet . Two-thousand dollars later , Sam had a good-asnew cat and a dent in his bank balance . And he had to come up with a name for his new pet . So picture Sam as Lt . John Dunbar in the 1990 movie Dances with Wolves . The cat is the wolf . In the film there is a moving scene where Lt . Dunbar is trying to make friends with the wolf . He gives treats , the wolf moves forward , and then dances away . Eventually the wolf comes in close and the two become friends . That ’ s how Sam came up with the name Dances for his new cat . Except he got it wrong – on watching the film recently he found out that the wolf was called Two Socks . But that ’ s OK , because Dances suits Dances and Sam suits his wolf hat ! What Sam , who is an animal lover , says he didn ’ t get wrong was helping save the life of a stray cat , even though Dances has cost him even more money since . “ I had this little sick creature that I couldn ’ t bear to let it be unwell , so I took him under my wing and championed the project . Then , after the original $ 2000 dollars , he got into a cat fight and that cost another $ 1000 . “ I cannot see an animal suffering I would do it again .”
When you go away does your cat go to a cattery or do you use an in-house pet-sitting service ? I have never used a cattery . Dances is a lover not a fighter , he has the most gentle nature . Every time he gets in a fight he loses badly and more often than not gets an infected wound . So when we go away , my sister or mum come around to feed him .
What is your cat ’ s favourite treat ? Temptations … he goes mad for them !
Do you ever brush your cat ? He won ’ t be brushed . Not his bag . He likes to be patted but only on the face or head … otherwise he turns into a fluffball with a weapon in each corner .
What ’ s the worst “ present ” your cat has brought home for you ? Semi-live mice . It ’ s worst when they are alive because you have to become the executioner .
Does your cat stay inside at night or patrol the neighbourhood ? He has a cat door … but nine times out of 10 he ’ s annoyingly on the bed directly between our legs .
How old is your cat ? Six years old … but he has the spirit of a kitten !
Does your cat sleep with you ? Most nights … but never under the covers , only at the end of the bed .
What would your dream pet be ? A tiger or a monkey .
* Thanks to Sam for giving up his time to share his story and having Pet Life in his home . Thanks also goes to Heidi , the producer of The Hits , and Sam ’ s co-hosts , Sarah and Toni , for helping him choose his front cover attire . ( A mermaid outfit did run as a very close second !)
Jo Clough