Oggy Spring Update

Oggy is completely used to us, he walks around in the garden, is happy with us, we are happy with him and there is not much news! Proet and he are not yet greatest friends but they are so curious that they keep seeking each others company... Below a couple of pictures that I made in the past week...

Oggy loves us and our visitors alike...

 ...reflected in the pool, on his way to the 'portail' for a stroll on the neighbours' path...

...in the sun... 

As usual he immediately stops doing his funny things as soon as the camera is clicking, but believe me, he's a very funny and active cat... We love seeing him run in the garden sideways, yawn, and wash himself holding both his hindlegs... as soon as there's new material I'll post again...

Oggy in the garden

Oggy is now officially a cat who goes in and out whenever he likes, through the catflap, and although he really likes to stay in the house (asleep on the big soft bed) he does occasionally go out into our 'forest'... and that worries me, because I am always afraid that he won't find his way back. I know, I'm silly - it is because I love him so much... Today I have therefore started teaching him to come when I call him. And as you can see in this little film - it's beginning to work...

Happy Birthday Swann!!!

In bed with Oggy II

Back from trip to Holland, Jeroen has been alone with Oggy for a week and they have developed a deep and steady relationship. Oggy is now permitted everywhere in the house, as well as 'outside' and he only wants to be on Jeroen's lap!! But now I'm the one feeding him again, and since he is a man I'm pretty confident that I'll be favourite soon...

It's an established fact in our house, that whenever you try to make a picture or movie of Oggy doing something funny, he immediately stops - and resumes after you have put away the camera! In other words, he has made the craziest somersaults, pulling blankets from chairs, chasing everything that moves - but I have no record... Luckily he sleeps too - and since two days, his favo spot is on our bed!

Needless to say that everything is absolutely fine and that we love him and enjoy his company enormously!!

Slowly getting used...

Oggy knows us now, he begins to get used to our sounds, footsteps, habits, he knows the house, hates the sound of the vacuum cleaner and loves his catnip mice... We have seen him jump more than a meter high, he is our first cat to actually like meat and fish, he tries to steal it from our plates and  truly, we really enjoy having a "real" cat! (not that he gets anything)(well - he does, but only on his own plate) And every evening he is on our laps! this picture I took just one minute ago -

Our other cat is not so fond of him but it looks like she is beginning to understand that Oggy isn't going away, so that's a start!

I will be in Holland for a couple of days and Jeroen 'the cat whisperer' is going to work with them. There won't be a post about the developments until Tuesday!

Oggy's first week

He's here for a week now - and we love him so much... He behaves perfectly - apart from when there's meat! Yesterday there was meat on the table and he just can't help himself, he gets obsessed and wants wants wants - which is new to us because all of our cats, including Proetje, never have been interested in fish or meat - they do like their dry food, but are mostly vegetarians, stealing a bit of yoghurt, mayonaise and butter. Up to now we could always leave the salmon or the shrimps or the steak on the table, but no longer! This is a very funny and authentic cat-experience for us!! No pictures or movies of that of course, the camera is only there when nothing happens, like here:

I have many of these :)

Proet and Oggy avoid each other and for the time being we keep it that way - it is good for Og I guess that he gets to really know and trust us before he encounters 'the other cat'... He has a great new place to sleep, on top of a big stack of cushions in the sunny laundry room...

Run Oggy Run

Oggy on Jeroen's lap

Two steps forward, one step back! We had quite a scare last night: just after I finished the post about how well Oggy and I get along, Jeroen came home, my mum called and we just didn't watch him for a couple of minutes. He was already freely walking through the house, and when we started looking for him, he was nowhere to find: he escaped through the catflap!! and disappeared completely. Luckily he cannot leave the premises, but the garden is 4 hectares and mostly forest. To make a long story short, we kept searching until 2.30AM, then we gave up. In the meantime, Proet on the other hand, patrolled to make sure the intruder wouldn't come back... When she fell asleep that morning around 7AM, Jeroen hurried into the forest for the second search... and found Oggy quite far away!! He was cold and scared and as far as we can see, very happy to be home again. So were we, and VERY relieved too... Oggy has not left our laps since this morning, we keep him in the TV room tonight and will give him more freedom gradually!

In bed with Oggy

Oggy and I are getting along fine! When I am home he can go wherever he likes in the house, when I'm out he stays in the TV room with the door closed (I'm still afraid he will escape through the cat flap). He doesn't mind, he likes the place - it has extra food and water, the litter tray, playthings and several nice places to sleep and rest and sharpen his nails. But the very very best spot in our whole house is the bed (see video) I guess he liked Swann's bed too, he definitely recognises the lay out!
When he strolls through the house Proet (our other cat) finds a high-up place and keeps an incensed eye on him until she can't take anymore - and she goes outside to enjoy feeling offended. As it rains today she doesn't stay out too long, and it all starts again... But I have high hopes for the future because they are both quite relaxed - for cats...

Coyote Ugly

Almost too beautiful...

Oggy on tour

Oggy is the sweetest cat in the world - but does he have a loud voice!!! Today I left the door open and spent loads of quality time with him throughout the house... I didn't take many pictures, but I can tell you that he is very brave, and curious... And he understands the catflap! Luckily it rained so hard that he didn't really want to escape...

Oggy meowing in front of the catflap...

Oggy eating in the kitchen

Tonight he and Proetje (our other cat who has never seen another cat since she was a baby) really met for the first time (there has been a door between them up to now) and it wasn't so bad actually. They kept their calm, bit of hissing and growling, but nothing to worry about... they are still sitting in front of each other but I have high hopes that they will soon get along!!

Discovering his humans...

Because Jeroen and I both work outside the house on Mondays and Tuesdays, we thought it best to leave Oggy in the TV room - so that he would have a space where he feels really safe. Not a bad idea, he has been sleeping a lot - and welcomes us (we take breaks to pay him short visits) with tail in the air and purring loudly...

But we have taken him on walks (inside) and he is careful, but brave - and not too deeply impressed. And if he thinks something is scary, he just walks back to the tv room, so that plan seems to work...

Tonight he is watching TV, not on our laps but from his stool.  

And of course Oggy also relaxes in his favourite spot...on top of Jeroen

Oggy's first day

What a lovely cat is Oggy! After Swann and Arnold left, he fell asleep under the couch, and after a while woke up, ate a bit, drank a bit and found our laps! Purring loudly.

We keep him in the TV room for a while (the only room in our house that has a door that you can close). And we'll postpone the confrontation with his girlfriend-to-be until tomorrow night... She hasn't noticed him yet, but she probably isn't going to be as happy with him as we are. These things take time, but in a couple of weeks they'll be friends I'm sure...

The birthdayboy is happy with his 'present'