Yes, and he really was. A friend of mine who had a bit part with Mason in "Botany Bay" says that James was a true cat lover. My buddy warmed up to Mason when James was trying to find homes for his "kitties", and my friend, though not a cat lover, agreed to take one of the fur balls to hopefully ingratiate himself with the actor. Not much career-wise came from it, but about a year or so later my friend ran into Mason who remembered my buddy and asked how the "kitty" (his word) was doing. My friend had long since given up the animal and hoped that Mason would not ask to go to the house to check on the cat, which, fortunately, he didn't.