a catty post

i don't mention oliver on the blog very often. i think it's partly because i often forget we have him. he doesn't talk back or sass at me. so refreshing...

it's hard to believe we've had oliver for nearly four months. he's getting big, not fat but very long. i've snapped pictures of him now and then as he's melded his place in our home, and i thought now would be a good time to share. 

remember how in my first post about him i mentioned banning oliver from our room due to my aversion to having cat hair in my bed? it was honestly my biggest hang-up about getting a pet at all. oh! how far i've fallen:

punk. 

a hefty portion of his day consists of lying on my bed. i kind of gave in once he grew too big to hide under the couch and once it became clear that the novelty of having him was not wearing off for hazel and lucy. and really, it's not a big deal if the bed is made. he doesn't shed much at all (which surprises me greatly as he's nice and fluffy). who am i trying to convince here? i'll let you guess...

after the first bout of shyness wore off, oliver fell into a daily routine: the girls get me up and he darts into my room. he stays there shifting from the bed to his second favorite place to hang out:

the window sill. if this sanctuary is invaded by the mini she-devils, he heads to the one place he knows they can't reach or taunt him:

behind the washer and dryer. i'm kind of nervous he's going to get stuck back there. so far so good...

during the girls' nap and when grant gets home, oliver feels bolder and reposes in various corners of the main room (where he blends right in and goes unnoticed):

 
his main ambition in life is keeping a reasonable distance from the kids:

he's so sneaky too, hiding right under their noses:

they are learning to be softer with him but we're constantly exclaiming, "don't grab the kitty's tail/ears, lucy!" or "hazel, quit picking him up!" or "well if you would pet him nicely he wouldn't scratch you." etc. etc.

all in all, he's been a valuable addition to our household and not nearly as high-maintenance as i'd imagined. he doesn't scratch at the furniture too much and usually it's the rug as he's stretching. he has only had one accident to date and it was because we confused him by changing his litter and litter box. his biggest vice is being hyper late at night and early in the morning, darting around, weaving in and out of our feet causing us to trip or step on him. on the good side, he likes to sit with grant and myself as we watch movies at night. he'll climb on the back of the couch and stand on our shoulders purring. he loves having his ears and around his lower jaw scratched. he pretty much acts just like all of the dragons in this movie (except the flying part...and the killing people and stealing sheep parts...).

it's hard to be annoyed at that sweet face even if his dirty little paws are on the table.