Oscar Returns, Now With Brothers

We had not seen our stray cat Oscar for several months and were starting to assume the worst. Then, as we sat down to eat dinner a few weeks ago, Carter pointed out to us that Oscar was at the kitchen door. After an absence of many months there was Oscar meowing at the door and waiting to be fed. He has us well trained.

I immediately leaped up from my chair and dashed to the pantry to get Oscar some food. Some things never change and Oscar would eat the canned cat food and the chicken we were eating for dinner but turned his nose up at dry cat food. We also still are not allowed to get within 20 feet of him. He’ll come right up to the door demanding to be fed, then he darts off to the woods when we put the food out. Once he is sure the coast is clear he comes back and eats.

We all forgot about eating our own dinner as we huddled at the door watching Oscar the stray cat eat. I had been telling Jason for awhile that I wanted to get a cat, that it was time to have a house pet again, I’m still not up for another dog since my beloved Bear passed, but I’ve been asking for a cat or a micro pig. Jason has unequivocally vetoed the micro pig. “I will not have a hog living in the house” is his standard response, so I campaigned for a cat as well. Jason isn’t really a cat fan, he’s definitely a dog person, but when faced with the choice between a cat and a micro pig it was an easy choice for him.

As we huddled by the door watching Oscar eat on our back porch I told Jason it was time to officially retire the notion of Oscar being a pet we could actually interact with. I told him it was time to pick out my Christmas present and I wanted either a micro pig or a cat.

After almost two years this is how Oscar allows us to interact with him

Oscar looking at us through the door. As long as there is a door between us we are allowed to be only a few feet away from him. This has been going on for almost two years.

A good friend of mine is one of the co-founders of Nashville Cat Rescue which is a superbly run rescue. They had over 1,000 adoptions in 2014. Jason got in touch with my friend to complete paperwork and get on the approved adopter list. She immediately told us about a kitten named Jingle. Jingle was being fostered with his brother Jolly, and she asked if we would be interested in adopting two. Jason said no. I brought up the micro pig again. Jason had a change of heart and said yes. A few days before Christmas Jason, Carter and I went to meet Jingle and Jolly and bring them home. I got my Christmas present a few days early and Oscar now has two “brothers.”

My crazy cat lady starter kit, Jingle and Jolly

We wondered if Oscar would continue to come around after Jingle and Jolly arrived. Oscar has seen them several times now as they have looked at each other from opposite sides of the kitchen door. He appears to be undisturbed by their presence and still comes around when he wants to be fed. I’m still hoping for my micro pig one day as I think it would be a nice compliment to the fainting goats, horses, donkey, mini horse and cats that currently reside at the farm. However Jason appears to be completely unreasonable and unwavering on that topic.

Jingle