This fall I had the pleasure of interviewing Sir S. T. Inkerton, also known as Mr. Inky. He is an intimidatingly independent kitty with a soft spot for his owner, Yagmur Konuk, a research assistant in the de Lange lab at Rockefeller. Mr. Inky was rescued from St. Michael’s Cemetery in June and has since made a remarkable recovery, thanks to lots of love, rest, and wet food. He now lives a charmed life on the Upper East Side, with plenty of treats and toys, and a very patient Yagmur.
Audrey Goldfarb: How did you and Yagmur meet?
Sir S. T. Inkerton: Well, there were these humans who ABDUCTED me from my cemetery. I was in a very rough shape. Once they started to give me food regularly, I decided they might not be so bad. My human came to visit one day, and I hid from her quite skillfully. I knew she was a contender when she succeeded in tricking me to come out from under the bed.
AG: How do you like Yagmur as a roommate? Do you have any notes for improvement?
STInk: I mean… I like her. That’s why I hide around every corner just to scare her. She doesn’t seem to like it as much as the ghosts in my old abode – the cemetery.
She seems to think I must like her because I follow her everywhere but in truth I do it because she has no claws and cannot even groom herself – how is she going to protect herself? I’ve been trying to teach her by showing it to her by biting her hands but to no avail.
Food service, although a little unreliable on protein prep days, is good. We were doing good until she decided to kidnap me and take me to this place called the W.E.T… I thought I was in for a yummy time 🙁 Turns out it is V.E.T.
AG: What are your favorite games?
STInk: It’s got to be scaring humans or the disappearing peacock feather. I still don’t know where that feather goes. Sigh. AND TRADER JOE’S BAGS. TRADER JOE’S BAGS.
AG: How do you pass the time while Yagmur is at work?
STInk: Work? I thought it was called nap time.
AG: Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
STInk: I like to think of it more as a measure of whether they are worth my attention. Hanging outs and pets are reserved for only those who have earned my respect.
AG: Are you an early bird or a night owl?
STInk: I prefer to be all – human seems to be neither. She refuses my attempts to play at 2 am or 6 am. When is she ever awake? During the nap hours (9 am-6 pm)? She is quite weird.
AG: I love your ear tag. Where did you get it done?
STInk: Well, it was those humans again with the abducting and their V.E.T.s (Very Evil Technicians) I quite like it now. Gives me an edge, you know? 
AG: Do you have any other piercings or tattoos?
STInk: The white spot on my chest that human is obsessed with is actually a tattoo. I can’t find the heart to tell her.
AG: If you had a superpower, what would it be?
STInk: The ability to open those awful food bags. My repeated attempts so far have been unsuccessful.
AG: How do you unwind at the end of a long day?
STInk: My human tries to do this thing called reading. So, I love to help her out by sitting on the bad ones. I know a good paper when I see one.
Photos provided by Yagmur Konuk