Happy 1st Anniversary, Oreo!

One year ago today, I did something I've never done before. I made the decision to officially become a pet parent, and adopted my first cat, Oreo. Originally, when I visited Oreo at a nearby animal shelter a few days before adopting her, I was looking into a few other cats to do some research. Oreo was also under another name at the time: Bloom. Needless to say, she was the most friendly and warm cat of the ones we visited. That's impressive considering the shelter was fairly restrictive with how I could visit the cats.

Even with the limits, I could tell she was worth adopting when she snuggled in my arms and enjoyed the attention I gave her. I only waited a few days later to officially adopt her, because I wasn't sure if I was able to afford it at the moment or if I was ready with my current living situation. After receiving advice along the lines of, "you're not going to know unless you try first", I rolled the dice and gave it a shot. Needless to say, not only is it nice to have company I can call my own, but she's been a big help on me mentally since then.

Yes, she bites and scratches me once in a while when she gets bored. Yes, Oreo has escaped into someone else's yard a couple times when she was outside without a leash or harness. And yes, I still have my sleep interrupted in the middle of the night. But adopting Oreo has turned out much better than expected. Tending to her litter box is much easier than picking up dog droppings by hand. I make sure she never goes hungry or thirsty. I know people who aren't usually into cats who are won over by the warmth and sweetness that Oreo exerts.

Oreo has come a long way since I first took her in. I remember for a few months when she refused to wear a leash and harness since it made her uncomfortable. But ever since she was curious about the outside and I was able to have Oreo make the association between the leash and being outside, that's when a new world opened up for her. Not only does she vocalize interest in going out every day, but she's gotten comfortable walking on a leash in the front yard on a sidewalk. Her fanbase is starting to grow in our neighborhood.

Oreo loves to hunt for little critters (insects, birds, etc.), as evidenced by the clip above. Though she'd love to be outside all the time, I make sure she gets some playtime with her massive collection of toys. Her favorites are the bird wands and chasing a mini-laser at night. Oreo's more emotionally observant than you might expect. Anytime I'd get stressed or mad, she always comes up close and cuddles on me, as if she's using some healing. To any naysayers who say cats are distant and cold, let Oreo stand as living proof to the contrary.

She's currently trying out a new leash and harness, as you might have also noticed. I'm still working on how to make Oreo less car sick, so I can take her to explore new places. So far though, Oreo has been a splendid addition to the household. I shall strive to continue seeing how far I can take Oreo in what she can accomplish. But for today, let's raise a toast to the first year with Oreo Cookie under our roof. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't know what to do now. So thank you for charming your way into my home and looking forward to the future. Cheers!