Ollie and Shadow
There’s no “buddy” like a brother.
If we could talk, the first thing that we would say is THANK YOU! To have a warm bed, endless food & water, fun toys, a mom, dad and twin sisters who show unconditional love to us. We are beyond lucky!
Our story is quite simple to our parents, one day we just showed up! But only we know where we came from. Only we know how we got from day one to eventually running the streets, combing the woods for food and shelter to survive. We often hear our parents say, “I wonder how they came to us”? “Where did they come from”? “What is their story”?
Well…. here is our story:
My name is Ollie (“Good stuff cheap”, that phrase seems to follow at times), but my nickname is Bean, like in Bean Sprout. I am a very soft orange & white cat, 7 years old, super affectionate, love to be brushed, pampered & cuddled. 5 years ago, it was a cold stormy November day, I was scared, cold and hungry and I found my way to a home, I made a lot of noise at the side door hoping that someone would hear me. They did, but it wasn’t instant that I was tended too. I’m pretty sure they thought I belonged to someone else. But after a few moments of crying for help, this lady came outside with a bowl of warm chicken and chicken soup broth (homemade to be exact, her mom’s recipe). Needless to say; I was not leaving after this meal YUM! For about 2 weeks, they kept me safe with shelter & food. They searched for possible owners, but no one claimed me. After a successful vet visit, and may I add the vet LOVED ME! She said she wished all cats were this calm and loving. I got my shots & chipped and never flinched. My new parents took me home and I settled in just as I always belonged.
Fast forward 5 years later:
My name is Shadow. (aka BUG, I love to search for these things & eat them too). I am a super-fast jet-black cat, who is quite rambunctious, like a Dennis the Menace I’d say. Yes, I’m guilty of snagging a piece of General Tso’s from an unattended plate, I mean I get into some things at times, who doesn’t? I am about 2 years old, and I love to play with toys and of course eat! I never leave any scraps behind and always clean my plate! Like my brother, Ollie, I was also just hanging around, I was part of a litter of kittens who ended up in a wooded area one fall day. Now my parents didn’t take me in right away when they first saw me. I was out running the streets with my pack for a season or two. One spring day, I just decided I should try out this home. I was hanging out hoping that someone would claim me. I had a few encounters with some not so friendly animals. They hurt me kind of bad, I was a nervous wreck & I needed care. My parents took me to the vet (Doc loved me too, I was so good at being a cat of the streets). I was fixed, chipped, got my shots and was brave. They brought me home and this is where I met my brother from another mother, Ollie! Now it wasn’t love at first paw, He had to show me who was boss. We were not best buds, yes it took some time to get used to each other. He would put me in my place as needed. After a few months, I learned my spot in the Marshall home. Half the time we brothers wrestle, but it’s just an excuse to hug each other that’s all. Mom says, “The way we act it reminds her of the Looney tunes cartoon of “Spike & Chester”. We are now spoiled indoor cats who love to look out windows and enjoy the scenery, we have no desire to go back to where we started. Mind you, there is no carpet out there nor a couch or TV or Friskies Salmon treats, so we will continue to sun bath peacefully in our home.
So Mom & Dad now have two sons they never had, and we are FUR ever grateful!
We hope you enjoyed our story and just some food for thought: “You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it”.
Many Meows and Peaceful Purrs
~Team Marshall
Mon Valley Paws 