LOVE AFFAIR CONTINUES WITH FINICKY FELINE WHAT'S ORANGE-STRIPED, weighs !4 pounds, is 19 inches long, one-foot high and has for the past decade made a comfortable living for advertising copywriters, tuna fish- ermen, PR executives, pet food suppliers and an animal handier? Stumped? The only answer is Morris The Cat, the top «at of cats in North America and ;:erhaps the world when assessed in terms of recognition and public staying power. Morris pussy-footed into town recently to make an appearance at the Vancouver International Cat Show. While here he and Bob Martwick, the man behind the cat, made time between four radio and two television interviews to drop in to the North Shore News office for an interview. The fasous feline and entourage arrived in a sleek black Rolls Royce limo. Morris and Martwick travel reg- ularly throughout North America to make TV commercials for 9- Lives pet food products, attend cat shows, mingle with media and promote cat health and feline adoptions. The present Morris is really the second Morris The Cat. The origi- nal Oraage One died in 1978 at the age of 19. Martwick was without a Morris for a year until an elabo- rate nationwide search netted an heir to the Morris throne. Both Morris I and Morris If were saved from uncertain lives at humane society shelters. The first one, who Martwick named Lucky, just made it. ‘I was a commercial photographer lock- ing for an orange cat and they eT TI, 3y MICHAEL BECKER News Reporter were going to put him to sleep about 20 minutes after J found him,” Martwick said. Boih Morris cats have proved themselves able salescats. More than 80 Morris commercials have been produced over the past 20 years. When the Morris campaign was first launched, 9-Lives was selling cat food in about a third of the U.S. and here in B.C. Today 9-Lives does vig business throughout North America. With Morris 1] already at leasi 10 years old, Martwick is thinking about gearing up the search fer a successor. Cloning isn’t an option, Offspring isn’t an option either: Morris is neutered. ‘‘He’s neutered now because we sponsor spaying and neutering with the humane society. He’s a leader that way,”’ Martwick said. And even if he wasn't, because Morris is mixed breed, the chances of replicating the Morris look down to the whisker are slim indeed. The search for Morris II alone involved the assessment of 4,000 Morris contenders and the screen testing of four candidates before the lucky cat was chosen. Aartwick has lived the Morris See Morris Page 56 Thursday, November 30 10 A. — 5 P.M. . Special Discounts MORRIS THE Cat soaked up media attention when ke recently pulled up in a timo to the Nerth Shore News office. The man behind Morris is owner, Bob Martwick. wut OU NTE St Ast? FIBREFILL PILLOWS sie _QULEN 23, 33 53 - Wednesday, November 29 , Consider Partner's feelings PAGE 54 NEWS photo Mike SAVE TO 80% 35 HOURS ONLY SALE STARTS 10 AM THURS. TO S PM SUNDAY 100% COTTON FLANNEL SHEET SETS COMPARE NOW seer 29.88 tear 44.88 aaeony 59.88 see ee 69.88 St TUNCLUDES hit & STG cass | TWIN DOUBLE QUEEN KING 3 PIECE CERAMIC BATHRD M ACCESSORIES RUFFLED x 0. Ns LUXURIOUS 100% DOWN PILLOWS | SENSATION BATH TOWELS EE AUTE ULL WOVE GS LUXURY DOWN QUILTS BY NORTHERN FEATHER : construct iM ‘oe ver, cotton cover oul 1989 - North Shore News faketie'd Information on health care, games and tree refreshments for the Seniors!! Cais Free Panis APILAND ba fe HALL G35 Marine Dr., North Van + 900-8561 L sme hiner recee apne rt teen Rem PLACEMATS ee DOURLT QUEEN mis Fy. an 210080 LOTS OF FREE PARKING HOURS. MON , TUE SAT, 106 URS FRI Dayear ¢ Available PO Me ays E TAS TE PHL IT SOP EEG bet COOKS IE