Cat Rescue

As Brian and I have been spending lots of time in the garden this spring, we have seen more and more of our friend Oreo. Oreo comes running the second we open the backdoor and seems very hungry and skinny. When we feed her she gives us a lot of attention, purring and sitting on our laps. She has melted our hearts. Brian and I discussed saving Oreo from the outdoors and decided that we did not like the thought of anything happening to this sweet cat. We decided to bring Oreo inside to live with us.

Brian and I have kept an eye out to see where she comes from. We went outside at strange hours to see if she was around. Oreo doesn't wear a collar and always comes running when we open the door. We decided that anyone who has this cat is not giving her the love she needs.

So, Brian took her to the vet two days ago. She got her shots and is a perfectly healthy, 3-5 year old female. After the check-up, Brian brought her home. She didn't claw or put up much of a fight. She just meowed and tested all windows.

That is where Brian and I faltered first: the windows. We were trying to keep Oreo in the bathroom, away from Livia. We decided to crack the window just enough so that she could see out but not fit through the crack. Since it is relatively nice out, Brian and I promptly forgot about the open window.

Oreo did not forget. She waited. She waited until Brian and I were both asleep. Sometime between the hours of 5am and 7:30 am, that industrious cat managed to open the window just enough to squeeze through. This window is not easy to open. It would have taken a whole lot of kitty strength to get out.

Upon waking, I noticed Livia, who had been hiding from the new cat in the livingroom the evening before, was acting happy as ever. She was meowing and looking for her breakfast. That is when I knew Oreo was gone. Before I even saw the window I knew that Livia was gloating in her territorial triumph. Then I saw the window, lined with cat fur.

Brian tried to go outside and find the cat but to no avail. I didn't have much hope that she would ever trust us again. However, Brian knew he would get Oreo back. Later that night, Brian went outside with some food and Oreo came running, same as usual. Brian brought her back inside and, again, she didn't put up much of a fight.

Last night, she still tested all of the windows but she isn't fighting to get out. She seems happiest next to Brian napping. I don't think Brian has much of a problem with cat naps either:

Although Livia and Oreo don't get along very well right now, we know it will get better soon. Livia stays in the livingroom (oddly fitting) and Oreo is in the bedroom. There have been several standoffs with hissing and growling but they just seem to be testing each other out. Both seem like happy cats when they are not looking at each other!

We haven't decided if we are going to keep calling the cat Oreo. That name was just something we started calling her one day for fun. Here are some of the names we have been considering:

1. Leela (character in Futurama)
   
2. Atia (mother of Emperor Augustus)
   
3. Dame Judy Cat (after a great actress)
   
4. Francie (after the main character in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn)

Opinions? Ideas for a name? Post a comment!