Darlin’ Happy Anniversary!

Here’s our lovely Oscar  It’s exactly one year since we drove across the country and came back with our shy and retiring cat. He spent the afternoon and evening hiding under the bed. I worried he was dehydrated, homesick or ill. Then he came down stairs and cried, running back up stairs before returning and doing the same thing several times. Then it dawned on us, it was bedtime and he had decided that he would sleep with small daughter. Not very often a young adult takes to bed at nine 0’clock! (And that has been his spot until she left for Uni in September.)

After three days, he decided he quite liked us and would maybe stay after all. Greeting us with small chirrups and gravelly purrs, enjoying being stroked but never quite sure. Norwegian forest cats love to climb, so he could be found on top of wardrobes, kitchen cabinets and bookshelves. Spending many hours gazing out the window but apparently seeing nothing.  The spiders and flies sheltering in the window frames were easily spotted but never the birds in the trees. At times he was quite cross-eyed and a bit of a teenage boy – washing was the last thing on his mind – until we discovered he loved to be brushed.  With his furry feet he learnt he could slide across the floors when he chased balls, crashing into things and coming up unscathed! 😀

Over the months he has grown into a beautiful, sleek cat, grooming himself but still enjoying a good brush. When we lost our lovely Swedish Bruce we weren’t sure we would have another cat but the cottage was too quiet without a pet. Oscar doesn’t feature as often as Bruce on the blog as he has had a slow introduction to the garden and walks on the lead. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t stand at the door and yell to get out though!

And no, there is nothing wrong with his eyesight, we just watched a lone bat flit over the garden as dusk fell and a brief “huggy walk” round the garden. He notices the seagulls flying overhead, the tiny birds in the cherry tree and can hear a vole from across the garden. And he’s strong. Dragging a reluctant human over the grass to wait in a hedge while he investigates the leaf litter or a tussock of grass. Or playing hunt the chicken and finds he has met his match in Esme! Loving to rough house, chases and hunting, reciprocating with bedtime cuddles and morning hugs, chirrups and purrs and on very special occasions – a good lick with one very rough tongue!

Favourite place to sit  – on the landing – so he can watch everything that’s going on even when he appears asleep. So we are glad we got our Oscar; still early, by nine o’clock he’ll be ready to play and see if he can convince anyone to take a walk in the moonlit garden!