Louie's Persistence Paid Off

At the pleading of Thing 1, and her promise to take Olivia with her should she get her own place, I took in Olivia a few years back. Not long after that, Thing 1 moved out ... and left Olivia. Thing 2 was thrilled, but she's not a very good cat mom, so Thing 1 kidnapped Olivia. Thing 1 had a male dog (Roo) and a male cat (Louie). Roo and Louie are buddies, so Roo was initially excited to see Olivia, but she had no use for a pet of any kind ... especially a dog. Louie, however, was immediately smitten and did everything he could to win her heart. She eventually came around and they became best buddies, but she continued to smack Roo across the face every time he got close to her.

When Thing 1 and her husband moved to an apartment, they could only have two pets, so Olivia came back to live with me. After a year in their new apartment, they were told their dog was no longer allowed. They didn't have enough time to find someplace else before their lease expired, so Thing 1 and her husband stayed with me for a month. Louie was thrilled! His beloved Olivia was back! Olivia was ambivalent about Louie ... and she still hated Roo. Fast forward a week or two, and Olivia and Louie were best buddies again, playing and napping together.

Thing 1 and her husband found another place and moved out ... once again leaving Olivia. Ugh! When Thing 1 and her husband bought my old house last fall, I left Olivia for them (at their request). Louie, once again, was thrilled to have his lady love back. Olivia, however, treated him a necessary nuisance. She played with him occasionally, but generally had no use for him. Roo was happy to see Olivia until she smacked him again. He now gives her wide berth.

Louie, still madly in love with the fat, striped lady cat, did everything he could to win back her trust and her heart. It took almost five months, but Olivia is now his constant companion. Once again, they play and nap together. When you see one of them, the other is close behind ... which is good ... because Olivia taught Louie how to ditch his collar, so neither of them have bells to alert you to their presence and location.

Olivia is happy to be back with Louie, but she still hates Roo ... and she has no idea what Gus is. He's the size of a cat, but looks like a dog, and has more energy than Olivia can comprehend. She avoids Gus at all costs, choosing high places for her and Louie to nap, out of reach of the tiny, far too busy Gus.

My daughter and her husband love their new home with large, plentiful rooms and high ceilings. Roo and Gus are best buddies that have a yard to play in and explore, Louie has finally won back the heart of his beloved Olivia, and the large house provides the cats a veritable smorgasbord of places to nap.

Life is good!