Although Ollie and Zero were adopted together as brothers, their parents have seen some significant personality differences as they have grown older.
The mother of the two, Callie Samuels, told The Dodo that “Zero is clearly the problem.” He’s always up for a game, loves to cause mischief, and is quite talkative. Ollie is more a kid of the angels. Ollie sits back and observes with an innocent expression as Zero causes problems. Don’t be fooled, Ollie can also be a little provocateur. I sometimes think that those two are ensuring my day is as crazy as possible by working in shifts.
Ollie’s personality is usually much calmer than Zero’s — except when it comes to freshness seals.
One day, Samuels pulled a freshness seal off a new carton of milk and casually tossed it to Ollie. She thought he might enjoy batting it around for a while, and had no idea that she was about to begin a lifelong obsession.
“It was love at first sight,” Samuels said. “Ollie carried it around in his mouth, batted it across the floor and [has] played with it ever since. It’s to the point where anytime I take the milk out of the fridge, Ollie runs up meowing, and I have to break the news to him that there won’t be a new freshness seal for him every single time.”
Ollie enjoys receiving freshness seals, but he also saves all of the previous ones. He never gives up a freshness seal and enjoys building up his collection and keeping them in unusual locations.
Now, Samuels said, “I’ll find freshness seals all over the home.” “In my shoes, on the bed, behind the couch cushions—you name it. It appears as though he has them stashed about the home just in case he feels like playing with one at any time.
While Ollie is insanely passionate about freshness seals, Zero, on the other hand, has never understood the obsession. He loves getting into trouble as much as the next cat — probably more than the next cat — but freshness seals just aren’t his thing, and watching Ollie’s obsession grow and grow has only caused him more confusion.
Zero usually just watches while Ollie fiddles with the freshness seal, according to Samuels. Zero would snarl and grab the freshness seal in his jaws to defend it if Ollie even glances his way while playing with it.
Zero doesn’t criticize Ollie for his interest despite the fact that he doesn’t truly understand it. One enjoys freshness seals, while the other enjoys causing mayhem across the home. Despite their differences, they love one other unconditionally.
