Oreo and Tiger in the family room.

Oreo and Tiger

It may come as a surprise to some readers, but I actually haven’t been living alone for the last couple years. I actually have two roommates. They sleep a lot and when they are not napping, they can be a bit naughty. One is particularly curious and mischievous, while the other is rather talented on the piano and the computer.

Introducing Oreo and Tiger. They are cats.

I didn’t write anything before about them since I always figured they would have their own webpage, but because of their tendency to snooze, it took them a while to get one up! But now you can read all about them at this page that Tiger just put up: OreoAndTiger.com below.  (Note: in April 2019, I rolled their website into my own.  It turns out that cats are not good at maintaining their own website.)

About Oreo and Tiger

Oreo and Tiger are two rambunctious American shorthairs living in the paradisiacal town of Fort Collins, Colorado. Despite their harmless looks, they have completely taken over my home and enslaved me as their tenant. The creation and maintenance of their website is just one thing I do to appease them so they don”t chase me out onto the streets and force me to live out of a garbage can.

They first came marching through on January 10, 2010, taking a respite from friend who was undergoing major life changes. To be honest, I never imagined myself being a cat man (and being a runner, definitely thought of myself more of a dog person). But the cats could sense the vulnerability and naïveté of a thirty-something bachelor living alone in a 2,500 square-foot home, and raucously laughed behind my back when I was assured that this arrangement would be for a “temporary” four months.

The four months turned into eleven and by then I already knew I was doomed to eternal kitty indenturement. This included not only feeding them 3-4 times per day and scooping out perfectly clumped pieces of litter from their Booda Clean Step igloo, but being their mattress and perpetual source of free hugs. On occasion, they coerce me to accompany their off-key renditions of the “talentless” Rap Cat meow meow song or be the cameraman for their next Big Film, lest they knead me in the stomach, grab my leg and swat me on the cheek.

Here is some of their history. They were born around the end of June 2008; we celebrate their birthday around June 30th a few days after my own just so they can steal my presents. They come from a mother who was so fertile that she gave birth to (and successfully raised) seven very healthy kittens while she was just a baby herself.

Tiger and Oreo were from the same litter. Here they are (first and third kitten) with their siblings and mother.
Tiger and Oreo were from the same litter. Here they are (first and third kitten) with their siblings and mother.

As you can see below, even as a baby, Oreo was a naughty one!

Oreo resting his head on a human's arm.

Tiger tends be the more intellectual, while Oreo is particularly curious and loves to cause mischief. They are both very outgoing and friendly.

Tiger is adept at working anything with keys, and hence was the one who started this website.

Tiger doing some engineering work.
Tiger doing some engineering work.

Unfortunately, being as smart as she is, she realized that she could simply have me finish it up while she sleeps. Outsourcing to the lowly human = less valuable feline effort, you see.

Tiger sleeping on the job.
Tiger sleeping on the job.

And hence I continue hacking away in front of a 19″ LED screen. Sure beats doing so out of a garbage can, though.

Tiger was a bit bashful on the first day in her new home. Here she is on a HVAC duct.
Tiger was a bit bashful on the first day in her new home. Here she is on a HVAC duct.
Tiger would soon warm up to me.
Tiger would soon warm up to me.
Tiger practicing the piano.
Tiger practicing the piano.
Tiger inspecting the dryer.
Tiger inspecting the dryer.
Oreo wonders if he looks fat.
Oreo wonders if he looks fat.
"The best view is from up here!"
"The best view is from up here!"
"Please don't fall, Oreo!" I thought.
"Please don't fall, Oreo!" I thought.
Oreo listening like a secret agent.
Oreo listening like a secret agent.
"It's gotta be somewhere here!" thinks Oreo.
"It's gotta be somewhere here!" thinks Oreo.
Everyone should take the time to smell the roses.
Everyone should take the time to smell the roses.
Oreo and Tiger wrestling behind bars!
Oreo and Tiger wrestling behind bars!
Tiger dreams in front of the netbook.
Tiger dreams in front of the netbook.
Tiger peers outside while Oreo wonders what she is looking for.
Tiger peers outside while Oreo wonders what she is looking for.
Oreo gives Tiger a helping paw.
Oreo gives Tiger a helping paw.
Someone interrupted Tiger's nap...
Someone interrupted Tiger's nap...
"Take that, you bird!"
"Take that, you bird!"
"Is it ok, is it ok?"
"Is it ok, is it ok?"
Oreo thinks that these Nike Waffle Racer VII shoes are in the best colors.
Oreo thinks that these Nike Waffle Racer VII shoes are in the best colors.
"Nobody will find me in here!" thinks Tiger.
"Nobody will find me in here!" thinks Tiger.
Oreo ready to pounce.
Oreo ready to pounce.
Tiger taking a nap on my legs.
Tiger taking a nap on my legs.
Oreo thinks that being a garbage man isn't so bad.
Oreo thinks that being a garbage man isn't so bad.
"Support the arts!"
"Support the arts!"
"This Rap Cat character really has no talent," thinks Oreo.
"This Rap Cat character really has no talent," thinks Oreo.
Tiger found a good hiding spot.
Tiger found a good hiding spot.
Oreo taking a nap during his piano lessons.
Oreo taking a nap during his piano lessons.
Tiger was inspired by the movie "Man on Wire."
Tiger was inspired by the movie "Man on Wire."
I looked up one day and saw this.
I looked up one day and saw this.
I guess Oreo and Tiger were having a picnic.
I guess Oreo and Tiger were having a picnic.
Oreo wanted to phone a friend.
Oreo wanted to phone a friend.
Tiger and Oreo doing an earthquake drill.
Tiger and Oreo doing an earthquake drill.
Birdwatching.
Birdwatching.
Tiger prepares for a camping trip.
Tiger prepares for a camping trip.
Tiger can't get enough of her catnip.
Tiger can't get enough of her catnip.
"That's my catnip, Oreo!" says Tiger.
"That's my catnip, Oreo!" says Tiger.
Tiger as... Catworman?
Tiger as... Catworman?
Oreo and Tiger in the family room.
Oreo and Tiger in the family room.
Someone knocked over the water fountain.
Someone knocked over the water fountain.
Who called the plumber?
Who called the plumber?
Siesta time!
Siesta time!
Tiger was proud to pass the vet's checkup with flying colors.
Tiger was proud to pass the vet's checkup with flying colors.
Oreo was content after finding some cat cookies at the vet.
Oreo was content after finding some cat cookies at the vet.
Dinner time!
Dinner time!
Oreo thinks he could be the Peugeot mascot.
Oreo thinks he could be the Peugeot mascot.
Tiger wants to go on a road trip.
Tiger wants to go on a road trip.
Who knew that drawers were so comfortable?
Who knew that drawers were so comfortable?
Tiger wondering why this fast-looking machine is not going anywhere.
Tiger wondering why this fast-looking machine is not going anywhere.
"It wasn't me, I promise!" thinks Tiger.
"It wasn't me, I promise!" thinks Tiger.
Oreo looking like a zombie with a helicopter over his head.
Oreo looking like a zombie with a helicopter over his head.
Go Steelers! Oreo waving the Terrible Towel.
Go Steelers! Oreo waving the Terrible Towel.
Honest Oreo for President!
Honest Oreo for President!