So, in my absence from online little Oliver has made many changes. And, I do have to say that today I am most thankful for the C-A-T or at least whatever it is that dresses up in orange fur and appears several times a day.
I do like to fuss about Oliver. He doesn’t care. I have almost decided he isn’t really a cat. But, then again what other animal would be so independent and so pushy. I haven’t touched him, yet. It has been almost a year since he first wandered through the backyard… maybe longer. (These senior moments get longer and longer and occur much more frequently.) Anyway, as most of you may remember first there was the black and white cat that lingered along the property line, always watching but never participating. Then the orange fur ball came along.
Don’t ask why but Oliver seemed like a good name for him but it still fits. He is no longer the thin hungry tomcat that first drifted through the yard. He’s still all boy but he has filled out. Yep, we can no longer count his ribs when he appears.
At first Ollie would not eat close to the house. I put a plate of cat food at the farthest corner of the drive for him. Gradually I put it closer and closer to the house until he became willing to eat in the breezeway. He still eats there most of the time. He doesn’t dart off now when I go out. He just walks a couple of feet away from me and sits. He tries to pretend that he isn’t timid but I know he is. So, he ignores me unless I get within reach. He will do that cat wash thing… you know the thing they do. He will sit down and then thrust his hind leg up over his head just to show how agile he is. Then he will clean between his toes as if he isn’t paying attention to me. I know he is, but I act like I don’t.
A month or so ago we ran into a little problem. When I put the cat food out at night a little terrier appears and eats all the food. Then Oliver is left without a midnight snack. I began putting the plate of c-a-t food in the grill to keep it away from the dog at night. For a while Oliver would sit and look at the edge of the plate. Then he would reach up into the grill and pull the plate out. Of course that created a bit of a problem. All the food spilled onto the floor. I’m not really sure Ollie liked being showered with c-a-t food morsels. But, he would eat what he wanted and then the dog would come along and eat the remainder.
That’s one thing about a cat once he owns a person. They don’t like to share. I’ve noticed lately that Oliver no longer pulls the entire plate out and spills it onto the floor. He now sits on the side of the grill and pulls the plate out enough to eat what he wants but not spill the rest. It is driving the terrier crazy. And, I do swear that I think I saw Ollie smile when the dog barked at him while he was eating. Anyway, the orange fur ball has not yet learned to push the plate back into the grill. But, then again, no one at my house puts his plate away when he’s finished eating either.
Anyway, I can now get within an arm’s reach of the little boy and yes, he does come when he is called… that is, if he wants to. I am really thankful for the little thing that dresses up like a C-A-T, even if neither of us can be sure that he is one.
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