One Year With Olive

By the human

One year ago today my life changed. While visiting my folks back in the States, I stopped in at the local animal shelter "just to look". Opus had been sad and crying out in the night for months after the passing of his brother. I decided that IF I could find the right cat, I might just take one back for him.

meeting Olive for the first time

I spotted "Patches" on the internet long before I packed my bags and boarded the plane to America. The shelter had sent me a list of declawed cats who were currently living at the shelter. Patches was on that list. With Opus on my lap, I looked at the photo of Patches from our home in Italy and couldn't help but wonder if she was "the one".

getting pretty in hopes they might pick me!

At seven years old, Patches had been the product of divorce. She and the dog she had spent her entire life with were taken to the animal shelter by a bitter husband who had (presumably) been left by his wife. His excuse for not keeping the family dog and the tiny calico cat? He coldly stated that they were his wife's animals and he couldn't take care of them.

getting to know each other

The first cat I spotted when I walked into the shelter last February was a tiny calico cat. She gazed at me from the other side of the glass window, her olive colored eyes melting my heart from the moment she looked at me.

looking cute in the window

Two days later, with a new pet carrier, a new pink collar, a fuzzy pink blanket, and paper work complete, I walked out of the animal shelter and "Patches" began her new life. The first question my husband asked was if we could change her name. I called her by name many times those first few days together. When it became clear that she did not know her name, we changed it.

A new name for a new life.

love at first sight!

After spending the reminder of my vacation with me in the States, Olive and I boarded a plane and headed home to Italy. Opus was thrilled to have a cat in our home again, but a nervous Olive was a little more hesitant. After six weeks in the pound, five weeks at my parent's house, three plane rides and a new country, Olive was beyond nervous. For the first week she growled and hissed at the mere sight of Opus. It broke my heart as I could see that Opus wanted nothing more than to play with his new sister.

going home

Slowly by slowly, in quiet ways I noticed that things were starting to change. In time, Olive learned that she could trust her new home and the people (and cat) in it.

home at last ....

It was a year ago today when I first laid eyes on Olive. She looked so sad and lost in the animals shelter. She was a nervous little thing as she was surrounded by strangers, both humans and animals.

It warms my heart to see her curled up with us on the sofa, puring away with a heart full of love. She has been a wonderful addition to our family and we feel so blessed to have her in our lives.

FOREVER!