Rescuers saved Ollie and his two siblings from a bear den on a wild animal sanctuary in 2018. Sanctuary staff had waited for the mother cat to return, but sadly, she never came back. Then, Jen Koscheka, who worked at the sanctuary, fell in love with him right from the start. Today, she considers Ollie her “soul cat.”
Images via Instagram/blindollie
At the time, Ollie and his siblings were two weeks old and needed round-the-clock bottle feeding. Unfortunately, his eyes never developed fully, and he was blind from birth. Later, a veterinarian diagnosed a congenital condition called microphthalmia in the left eye. Furthermore, he had anterior segment dysgenesis with adherent leukoma in his right eye. As you can see, the eye appears like a “galaxy” of colors.
This cat is oozing with charisma and charm, a great spokescat for adopting cats with special needs. It can be a life-changing rewarding experience and these cats pay back every kindness with so much unconditional love.
“Here is sweet Ollie at about 3 weeks old. [He] and his siblings were found in a bear den (!!!) at a Wild Animal Sanctuary! Ollie’s left eye never even developed, and the vet confirmed the congenital defect in his right about a week after this pic,” states the cat’s Instagram.
Fortunately, Jen and her partner Justin decided they would adopt Ollie right away. Even better, they decided to foster his siblings too.
“We took them in, and bottle-fed them and got them veterinary care… and of course, pretty much knew day one Ollie was going to stay with us forever!! 💕🐱💕”
“Oh, hi! It’s #throwbackthursday and here’s me as a wee kitten!! I was a little bottle baby and was already full of smiles!!”
He Has Always Been an Adventurer
Ever since going home with Jen, Ollie has been a little adventurer who has always loved cuddling. Today, he sleeps between his humans each night and enjoys being cozy and snuggly.
“Throwback to tiny Blind Ollie! He’s always been an adventurer…here he is pretending to voyage in a yellow submarine!! (Shhh… no one tell him it’s grey!).”
From the start, Ollie has been “pure joy and love” and enjoys giving “nose boops,” his cat tunnel, and a green wiggle worm toy.
“I carry it around all day and show it to my friends… I even bring it to the water bowl with me!” states his bio on America’s Favorite Pet.
Although he is blind, he may see some light and shapes and manages to get around just fine. At times, he tries to chase the other cats, and they play along with his funny antics.
“What I lack in sight, I make up for in boops! I love to cuddle, play, and cuddle some more!” they state. “My blindness never gets me down; I’m always booping and loving and playing hard! That’s all a cat can ask for!”
Ollie Helps the Foster Kittens
Regularly, Jen and Justin foster other kittens, so Ollie is never lonely, spreading love to them all. In one case, he has helped a formerly feral cat named Momo adjust to indoor life. Like Ollie, Momo came from the same sanctuary (but not the bear den). Now, she’s his “feral girlfriend.”
“Oh, hi! This is my friend Momo! She is a formerly feral foster! She still won’t let my mommy and daddy pet her… but she loves some Ollie.”
Ollie and Momo
Also, he lives with his foster brothers, Walter, Stewart, and a sister named Baby Michelle.
Two peas in a pod
Although Stewart’s appearance is “scary” to some, he’s a special loving kitty and Ollie’s best buddy. Due to his unusual appearance, he is nicknamed “Gross Stewart,” but it’s a term of endearment.
Whenever Stewart appears, he has lots of fans who love his unique character, and Ollie loves him dearly.
“Ollie LOVES when we have foster kittens he can cuddle with! His brother, Gross Stewart seems a little less thrilled! 😹”
“Oh, hi! I didn’t see you there! Just lounging around on a lazy Sunday!”
The couple also has a dog named Tilda, one of Ollie’s best friends.
“Oh, hi! I love you!❤️”
Recently, Ollie has been in the running for America’s Favorite Pet, reaching the Top 15. You can vote for your favorites here. In the Hall of Fame, you’ll see a familiar kitty, our own Cole, a previous winner.
You can follow Ollie on Instagram.
Below is a video about Ollie by Meow As Fluff:
