By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Chad Creamer

Ollie’s flame tip coloring and smooshy face make him not only adorable, but also snuggly. He loves to be carried around like a baby by the Creamers’ 16-year-old daughter, Brielle.

Oliver is not a common name for a cat, but is the perfect name for a most uncommon cat. Oliver, aka Ollie, is an 8-month-old Flame Point Himalayan Persian. Originally from Canon City, Ollie is now a permanent resident of the Castle Pines community.

Although Ollie has only been in the community a short time, the breed’s origins date back to 1930. Together, Dr. Clyde Keller from Harvard Medical School and Virginia Cobb of Newton Cattery began breeding Siamese cats with Persian cats, in hopes to develop a long-haired, Persian-bodied cat with the color points of the Siamese. They bred and crossbred until “Newton’s Debutante” was born. This was the first cat recognized as beginning the Himalayan Breed.

The Creamer family is not new to pet ownership. Ollie has a pet cat sister, Blaise, who is 11 years old and two dog siblings, Indi, an 8-year-old Cavalier King Charles and Kai, a 2-year-old Yorkie Shih Tzu mix. The dogs joined the Creamer family as young pups.

Ollie is the Creamers’ most unique pet. In his early days, Ollie was raised with Shih Tzu dogs which may explain some his unique dog behavior. Himalayans by nature have a calm personality. It is not uncommon for the breed to spend time lounging near their people and following them from room to room making sure they have not been left alone. When not following his people, Ollie is often found tagging behind Indi and Kai initiating play, jumping and hiding right under his furry siblings.

Ollie is strictly an indoor cat and is quite the character, providing plenty of watching and listening entertainment for his family. When his canine siblings venture into the great outdoors, Ollie plays a game of flatten and collapse the play tent, coos like a pigeon or catches a basketball game on T.V. – chasing the referees as they run up and down the court.

Working from home, Ollie’s dad, Chad, has become a Starbucks coffee junkie, and Ollie has become a fan of the green splash sticks that come with each to-go cup. It is not uncommon for Ollie to be seen in the early morning hours with a green Starbucks splash stick hanging from his mouth entertaining himself for hours or until Kai comes along and snatches it away, putting an end to the game. Combined with their calm and warm personalities, Himalayans tend to be humorous and silly, making them wonderful companions in and out of the coffee shop.

As a breed, Himalayans are pleasant, smart, affectionate and devoted cats. They consider their people’s laps a slice of heaven. While they can be left alone for hours, they will not be afraid to tell you when they feel neglected. Both Chad and his wife, Alisa, currently work from home and wonder how Ollie will react when they return to their offices.

Ollie is a true character, and while he is always in need of attention, he has the best personality. Chad is considering taking Ollie with him in the car when he returns to in-person sales. At this time, he is not sure how Ollie will react, but he knows he will eventually adjust and have his fur siblings to keep him company.