After I lost Amiga, Star, and Gumby in a span of eighteen months, I took some time off cats. From January through October 2017—when I picked Ollie and his half-brother Dresden up from the airport—was one of the longest times I have gone without a cat in my life.

I wanted two

I knew I wanted an Oriental Shorthair or Siamese because the breeds have always been close to my heart. I knew I wanted two because I do not think Oriental Shorthairs generally do well as only cats. I also wanted some Felitan blood to connect me back to the work my mother and Barbara Levitan had done.

I found Ollie in British Columbia. Despite a claim that no discount applied for buying two, I negotiated a discount for buying two. I waited an extra month because Dresden was younger and I wanted them to travel and settle in together.

Ollie was a classic tabby. As a child in the 1980s, I had been entranced by the great bullseyes on other breeds and wondered why we did not have them in Oriental Shorthairs. During my time away from showing, the pattern had been resurrected.

Back into the ring by accident

I had no intention of getting back into showing. Then the breeder asked whether I would take Dresden to the CFA International in Portland. If I was going to show one, I wanted to show both.

Ollie was considered too timid, so I started him on stretching, handling, and brushing. He showed just fine.

A judge handling Ollie on the judging table at a cat show
Ollie showing just fine.

Keeping him lean during his march toward Grand Premier was a hassle. I counted every calorie and weighed him until he was where he needed to be. At one 2018 show, he made the final in five of six rings. Then he retired from showing and stayed where he belonged.

Ted holding Ollie in the cat-show hall
Ollie and me in the show hall.

A retired man of firm routines

Retirement suited Ollie. He was first under the blankets at night, first down the stairs for breakfast, and available for the first hug of the day. He served regularly as the volunteer office cat, although “volunteer” may overstate the amount of work performed.

He was dignified, observant, and firmly attached to me until he discovered Mrs. UltraVires had fingernails. After that, coffee and chin scratches with her became part of the morning calendar.

Ollie hopes you have a lovely Sunday with all your meals and hugs delivered on time and each of your rituals performed correctly.

Of course, he did not work, being retired, so his view of Mondays was a bit sunnier than mine.

Mr. Easily Overstimulated

He could still be timid. He could also become overstimulated.

Ollie sitting upright with his mouth open and his classic tabby pattern visible
Mr. Easily Overstimulated, making his position clear.
He was prone to rolling, grabbing, nipping, and purring like a misfiring big-block engine.

The forever home

Ollie was different from Dresden, but they were everything I want in an Oriental Shorthair: affectionate, smart as whips, and intensely social.

He became an office cat, a heating-pad professional, and the wisest boy. Mrs. UltraVires did not like cats—or think she could—until Ollie decided he approved of her.

Ollie resting in Ted’s lap while being scratched
Ollie approved. That settled the matter.

There is no clean ending

In January 2025, after months of wasting that multiple veterinarians and extensive testing could not reverse, Ollie’s body had enough. We had been holding him for hours at a time during his last week. We kept him warm, held him, and talked to him until he left us.

I had known him longer than Mrs. UltraVires. He was the sweet, wise cat who brought me back to the breed and persuaded her that life with cats might be possible.

There is no way to go on but to endure.