Scottish man, 31, who rescued a stray kitten in Bosnia reveals he ‘bonded straight away’ with the animal and has since taken cat on two-year worldwide tour of 21 countries
- Dean Nicholson, 31, from Dunbar, found starving stray while cycling in Bosnia
- Said he instantly bonded with the kitten who quickly fell asleep on his shoulder
- Adopted the cat and called her Nala before taking him on his adventures as well
- Feline has since hitched a ride with Dean on a 21 country tour spanning two years
A Scottish man has revealed how he ‘bonded straight away’ with the stray kitten he saved in Bosnia and has since taken the animal on a worldwide tour.
Dean Nicholson, 31, from Dunbar, had given up his job as a welder and decided to travel the world, when he came across a tiny starving cat, who quickly climbed onto his bike and fell asleep on his shoulder.
After adopting the feline and calling her Nala, Dean took his new companion on a 21 country tour over the course of two years, and has penned a book of his adventures titled Nala’s World.
Appearing on Lorraine today, Dean explained his life has changed for the better since meeting Nala that the pair plan to travel to Greece, Russia and Thailand together in the coming months.
Dean Nicholson, 31, from Dunbar, had packed in his job as a welder and decided to travel the world when he came across a tiny starving kitten
A Scottish man has told how he ‘bonded straight away’ with the stray kitten he saved in Bosnia, and has since taken the animal on a worldwide tour on his bike
He told the presenter: ‘Right from the minute I found her, life changed for the better. Right from the second she found me, she didn’t leave my side.
‘I fed her some pesto, she climbed up onto my bike I thought she was going to escape but she went up onto my shoulder and fell asleep and that was when I decided to keep her.’
He added later: ‘I just think she was dumped up there and she was a hungry wee cat, but she just bonded with me straight away and has never left my side since.’
Nala, who now has her very own passport, is the second most travelled cat in the world and Dean even has a tattoo of her paw prints.
Nala now has her very own passport, is the second most travelled cat in the world, and Dean even has a tattoo of her paw prints
Dean and Nala are planning to head to Greece next, where they will spend their time working for animal sanctuaries.
He explained: ‘It’s a bit harder with coronavirus. You have to keep an eye on the rules and regulations changing around us.
‘But the plan is to go down to Greece to work for some some animal sanctuaries and then over to Russia in the spring and try and get over to Thailand. ‘
Speaking of his decision to travel the world, Dean said: ‘I was just fed up of the whole 9-5 lifestyle we all seem to live.
‘We go to work and then come home and sit in front of the telly.
He admitted that people treat him differently when he’s with Nala, because they aren’t so intimidated by the ‘ big guy with tattoos and a beard’
‘I decided there’s no better way to see the world than jump on a bike and start cycling.’
He admitted that people treat him differently when he’s with Nala, because they aren’t so intimidated by the ‘ big guy with tattoos and a beard’.
‘Even cycling down the street’, said Dean, ‘Before I found Nala it was was a big guy with tattoos and beard, but as soon as you see a cat on his shoulders then it changes things.
‘It opens conversations for everyone, people buy me beers when they see me on the street and it’s quite good.’
Viewers quickly took to twitter to hail Nala the ‘luckiest cat ever’, and call the bond the pair share ‘beautiful’
Viewers quickly took to Twitter to hail Nala the ‘luckiest cat ever’, calling the bond the pair share ‘beautiful’.
One wrote: ‘That’s amazing – from nothing to being the luckiest cat ever, what a great adventure Raising hands What a brilliant bloke’.
Another said: ‘That’s just amazing. What a beautiful bond they both have.’
‘Beautiful story’, wrote a third, ‘What a guy and what a cat.’