What the Irish Rovers have in common with Clancy the cat

PENTICTON – Clancy the cat's incredible story of a journey from the wilderness of the Yukon back to his home town Penticton has caught the attention of a well-known Canadian band.

The Irish Rovers were so impressed by Clancy's tale, they decided to help him complete his journey back to a loving home.

The legendary Penticton-based feline made the news last year after wandering away from his owner on a trip to the Yukon. He managed to survive the northern wilds for five months before, amazingly, showing up in Dawson City where he was eventually repatriated to Penticton to the care of the local group AlleyCATS Alliance.

Once back in Penticton, Clancy found himself homeless, because his previous owner could no longer accommodate the hardy miracle cat.

Jody French took Clancy on in a foster capacity after hearing of the cat’s plight from her roommate. At the time, she agreed to provide shelter for Clancy until a new home could be found.

“I’ve been looking after him for three or four months now,” the West Kelowna resident says, adding she's found Clancy to be “quite the boy”.

“He’s been a real treat. We have a lot in common, him and I,” she says.

French found herself quite smitten by the travel-worn cat and they became soul mates of a sort. She found she and Clancy could relate to each other.

“I have health issues, and have been on a long term disability for three years. Clancy has a lot of pain from the miles he put on his pretty paws in the Yukon. That’s created a connection between us,” French says.

“I can’t see him with anybody else but me.”

French wanted to keep the cat, but due to her limited income couldn’t afford the $150 adoption fee required by AlleyCATS Alliance.

She wrote a note on her Facebook page, describing Clancy and her plight, offering him up for adoption.

That’s when the Irish Rovers stepped in.

They saw the Facebook posting and contacted French and AlleyCATS Alliance President December van den Berg.

“They said they wanted to help out. After reading about Clancy they thought it was a cool story and liked the fact he had an Irish name,” van den Berg says. The Rovers offered to pay for Clancy’s adoption fees, as well as providing him with $100 worth of food.

“It’s mind boggling. They got hold of Clancy’s story and are going to pay his adoption fees for me — so it looks like Clancy is going to be mine,” French says. "Otherwise I  would have had to give him up for adoption.”

Dr. Oz of the Rose Valley Veterinarian Clinic also offered free veterinary services to Clancy for life, which left French speechless.

“He even took Clancy in on Christmas Eve without charge for treatment,” she says.

French and Clancy will be attending a photo shoot with the Irish Rovers at the Grand Hotel on Wednesday, March 4. She’s also been given a pair of tickets to the Irish Rovers concert in Penticton on March 7.

Unfortunately Clancy, who French describes as a bright orange tabby — a red-haired Irishman — will not be attending. French’s father is Dublin-born and a big fan of the Irish Rovers.

Besides, Clancy isn’t big on crowds.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.