Agent Oreo - Super Secret Agent

problems update!

2010-09-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

hey everyone!

i've been having some internet issues, and i'm working on getting everything fixed. once we're back to normal, you'll get to see lots more of Agent O's summer adventures!

kitten flashback!

2010-08-15T12:33:00.000-07:00

Ah, the cutest days - Agent O. playing with his first toy on one of his earliest playdates. He's probably thrilled he doesn't have to sleep in the kitty carrier anymore!

there's a secret agent in the planter...

2010-08-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

Agent O. was confined by a kitty leash up until this week when he went adventuring out in the backyard. That ended when he started hiding in this planter, where he found a way to wiggle out of the leash in his best secret agent manner. Silly mom - secret agents can't be stopped by a kitty leash!

agent o. recommends - tiny catnip mice

2010-07-29T12:42:00.001-07:00

Catnip Mice (approx. $5 for a pack of 8)

Available at Centinela Pet Supply and PetSmart

Kitties sure love mice, but no one loves them like Agent O. These furry little catnip-filled mice were the first toy we bought for him, and he's gone nuts over them ever since. Maybe it's the catnip, or perhaps the very un-lifelike fur; either way, these little buddies have become Agent O's number one enemy.

We weren't sure how playful Oreo was going to be - he was quite angry when we first rescued him. On his first adventure out of the kitty carrier, he was pretty content to roll around on the bed and learn how to use his legs. Once we threw these mice into the mix, he went crazy! He loved chasing them across the floor, and at night he'd bang the sides of his carrier as he played with them in his litter box.

These aren't the sturdiest little mice. The tails come off very easily, which is something we discovered after we tied string to the tails to dangle them. The eyes also fall off pretty quickly. Despite this, it doesn't seem to detract from Agent O's love for them. He liked them just the same when we tied strings around the mouse body. I've found these mice in all kinds of places, and discovered that Oreo really likes to punish them by hiding them in his water bowl, litter box, and in the toilet.

Agent O's rating:

+ fun to play with

+ filled with catnip

+ small enough to carry around

- pieces fall off very easily

The verdict: buy these babies! I wasn't sure cats liked them at all, since our last cat would simply rub against them, but Agent O. is a HUGE fan. A year later (and with all but two mice tail-less), he still plays with these on a daily basis. They're pretty cheap and easy to replace, so I'd say these are worth choosing.

And just in case you had doubts, here's Agent O. attacking a mouse gone bad!

lounging on the job

2010-07-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

This secret agent sure likes to take an awful lot of down time when he should be on the job. Maybe the bed is just filled with evil - he can't leave it alone for even a minute!

agent o. gets tied down

2010-07-16T23:00:00.000-07:00

Due to some pretty bad behavior in the backyard, Agent Oreo has been put on the leash until he either a) is no longer a kitten, or b) starts behaving.

More pictures of Agent O's leashed adventures to come soon!

agent o. tests his new toy

2010-07-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

hmm... Agent O. doesn't seem to be impressed with his new, crinkly kitty tunnel.

Maybe if he sticks his head through the way-too-small hole at the top, it'll be fun. Nope.

Clearly, he's come to love it. Then again, it's the perfect spot to attack his enemies from!

agent o. makes the bed

2010-06-27T21:03:00.000-07:00

looks like even secret agents prefer lounging around to doing their chores...

Agent Oreo sure seems like biting his chores as well - what an interesting method!

laser eyes and crazy naps

2010-06-10T18:12:00.000-07:00

Agent O. sure sleeps in some silly positions! He also seems to keep his laser eyes on while he's napping.

kitty flashback

2010-05-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

Agent O. and his adopted mommy, Kelly, hanging out last summer. Oreo got his love of clean laundry from Kelly - she LOVED rolling in the towels!

when secret agents go bad

2010-05-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

Agent O. has quite the bad habit. He LOVES to drink out of other people's water glasses, and he loves to pull them towards him and then tip them over on purpose. I'm starting to think he just likes to watch the water spill everywhere. Oreo leaves a trail of spilled cups around the house, and he's broken at least three by pushing them off the kitchen counter just to watch them fall.

You can watch him spill this glass here on his youtube page!

agent o. recommends - catnip scratchy box

2010-05-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

Big Mama's Scratchy Box (approx. $10)

Available at Centinela Pet Supply

Every kitty loves themselves a good scratcher, whether it be a post, a cardboard box, or the brand new couch. While Agent O. was hooked on the couch for some time, we eventually taught him how to use a real scratching toy.

Even though we already had a nice scratching post for the kitties, baby Agent O. had no idea what to do with it - he preferred to stand on top of it and perform circus acts. We picked him up this cardboard scratcher box by Kitty Hoots, and he went nuts. The bright colors! The tassels! The CATNIP! The best part of this cheap toy is that it comes with a large bag of catnip, which is supposed to be sprinkled inside the box to entice kitty to use it.

Of course, he never actually scratched on it more than four or five times. Instead, Agent Oreo preferred to run circles around it, chewing and attacking each of the four tassels. He also likes to flip it upside down and knock all the catnip out of it, so he can roll around in it.

Agent O's rating:

+ comes with lots of catnip

+ cheap buy

+ tassels are super fun

- easily destroyed by big dogs (or hungry ones)

- catnip is messy if the box is overturned

- cat won't use it properly

- collects more dust than cat claws

The verdict: save your money and buy a bag of catnip to sprinkle on the cat. Then pick up some yarn and make them some tassels. Honestly, this scratching box is pretty useless - if Agent O. wasn't so freaking attached to those tassels, we'd have thrown it out long ago.

agent o. joins the TSA

2010-05-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

Agent O. is quite helpful when I pack up each time I head back to school. He checks my suitcases for any illegal substances and makes sure I'm not carrying over 3 ounces of any kind of liquid. Why wouldn't the TSA want him working for them? He's so thorough!

agent o. as statue, part 2

2010-04-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

It seems Agent Oreo's new favorite disguise is "iPod stereo sculpture" - or maybe he just likes being the center of attention!

an excellent disguise

2010-04-19T06:51:00.000-07:00

Agent Oreo keeps watch over his room by hanging out with the stuffed animals. He fits right in!

the great cardboard box stakeout

2010-04-18T06:56:00.001-07:00

Hmmm... the box has suddenly sprouted pointy cat ears....

Surprise! It's Agent O. hiding from something dangerous. Looks like he's is on the case, watching and waiting for it to make a move!

Agent O. and his adopted mommy

2010-03-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

Agent O. was saved from a sad life as an abandoned kitten when we found him under our house at barely three weeks old. Upon coming to live with us, he thought that my calico cat, Kelly, was his mommy. Unfortunately for him, she had no desire to be a mommy again, and often shunned him by growling, hissing, and swiping at him.

However, she did allow him on "her" (aka my bed) - that is, if he slept at the foot while she took the pillows. They did this every night as well, with Kelly taking her own special pillow next to my head and Agent Oreo being happy to even be near her at the foot of the bed.

These are the pictures of their last nap together, about three days before his adopted mommy died.

Rest in peace, Kelly. Your little Oreo misses you!

sink invasion

2010-03-01T09:25:00.000-08:00

Watch out next time you wash your hands - Agent Oreo may be ready to attack!

apologies!

2010-03-01T08:51:00.000-08:00

so sorry we've been gone lately, everyone! i promise to get more funny and adorable pictures of the (now almost a year old!) super secret Agent O.

the surprise hiatus occurred because one of our other kitties died about a month or so ago, and we've been dealing with her death. no worries, though - Agent O. is just fine! He'll be catching up on your posts and fun pictures soon!

hearty breakfasts do a kitty good

2010-01-27T09:22:00.000-08:00

Agent O. sure loves his Honey Nut Cheerios! Pour yourself a bowl and he'll come running... and steal them when you turn around.

master of disguise

2010-01-18T07:16:00.000-08:00

Hey... what's that furry thing in the magazine basket?

It's Agent O, preparing to pounce on any evil that walks by!

showing off those agent skills

2010-01-10T15:48:00.000-08:00

what? oh, that's just a furry statue. certainly not a secret agent kitty!

agent o. recommends - knit toys

2010-01-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

Organic Knit Kitty Toys ($8 each)

Available at Centinela Pet Supply

You've all met Agent O.'s sidekick and best friend, Senor Frog. But he's not the only sidekick - Agent O. has a whole collection of the little knit toys.

These little knit buddies aren't the cheapest kitty toys around, but Agent Oreo can't live without them. There are about six characters to choose from, and he's got quite the collection: a frog, an octopus, a lizard, and a bumblebee. The store also offers a goldfish, a ladybug, and some kind of yellow fish. I'm not 100% certain that they contain catnip inside, but the way Oreo acts sure makes me think so.

Our secret agent loves to pick these up and run around the house with them in his mouth. They're dually great - not only can he carry them, but the string allows humans to play as well. Agent O. really enjoys treating them like his prisoners; he often throws them, bats them, and runs around with them hanging from his mouth. The grand finale? He dunks them in his water bowl and pushes them underwater until they are sufficiently "dead".

Agent O's rating:

+ Light and easy to carry around

+ Great for humans and kitties to play with together

+ The knitted material makes it easy to clean and perfect for clawing

+ Small enough to bat around like a real insect/frog/fish

+ Cats are attracted to them, whether it be from catnip or something else

- The string is easily knotted. We've had to cut some of the string off to salvage them.

- Comes with a weird tag that has to be cut off, or kitty will eat it.

- Claws often get caught in the knitting, meaning the eyes, mouth, and other decorations may come off

The verdict: Buy them! They'll please kitties for hours on end.

christmas fun

2009-12-27T16:55:00.001-08:00

Agent O's first Christmas was great. He made sure to scout out the wrapping paper for any hidden evil, then chewed on some ribbon and took a long nap. He even got a few presents -catnip fish and more of those fun feather toys Agent O loves so much.

Hope everyone's holiday was just as fun!

even secret agents like arts and crafts

2009-12-19T17:25:00.000-08:00

Agent Oreo looks for evil hidden in his mommy's scrapbooking supplies. He had a lot of fun with the paper - paper in any form is one of his favorite enemies to attack and shred.

excuse me, are you finished with that?

2009-12-15T06:42:00.000-08:00

Agent O. uses his secret agent skills to try and swipe some of his daddy's dinner. Not so fast, little super secret agent - kitties can't have baked potatoes!

what a cuddly black blanket!

2009-12-09T06:04:00.000-08:00

Agent Oreo - the cuddly, snuggly blanket equipped with claws and teeth.

the perfect disguise

2009-12-02T07:52:00.001-08:00

Agent Oreo hopes everyone had a great Thanksgiving! He sure enjoyed his, disguising himself as the turkey in order to keep an eye on his family while they dined.

agent o. - super secret cherry picker

2009-11-19T14:04:00.000-08:00

enemy #1 - the evil fingers

2009-11-13T09:14:00.000-08:00

Agent O. snacking on fingers, furiously trying to defeat them.

agent o. recommends - kong cat teaser

2009-11-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

We're starting a new post series called "Agent O. Recommends". Our secret agent will share his favorite kitty playthings with his fellow felines around the internet, along with the yummiest cat treats and other things. Here's our first post!

KONG Naturals Crinkle Tail Cat Teaser ($6)

Available at Centinela Pet Supply and PetSmart

Hands down, the KONG crinkle tail cat chaser is Agent O's favorite toy. The second it was out of the package, he was all over it. The little puff at the end of the wand is full of catnip, and the string is extra bouncy elastic. He loves to use this toy to practice his ninja moves - Agent O jumped as high as my face once while playing with this (that's almost five feet in the air)!

Agent O loves to drag this toy out of his basket and play with it alone when I can't play with him. His favorite activity is tying himself up in it and biting anyone who tries to untangle him. He also enjoys attacking the wand part as much as he likes the fluffball part. I'm convinced he thinks it's a real bird - I've heard him chirp at it when we're playing.

Agent O's rating:

+ The puffball at the end of the string gets kitties going crazy over the catnip inside.

+ The feathers don't come out easily (six months in and all feathers are intact).

+ It's very bouncy and makes exercise easy and fun

+ Great for jumpers or very hyper kittens

- The elastic stretches out relatively fast

- There's a tiny loop at the top that is sometimes more entertaining than the actual toy.

The verdict: definitely worth buying!

quick update

2009-11-02T08:45:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to let you know that our little Agent O. is off getting fixed today. He's in surgery right now, and he should be home soon. We're having him micro chipped as well, so he doesn't run away for good once he's old enough to play in the yard. It was a rough morning for him - he cried all the way to the clinic and desperately wanted to go home (he hates car rides).

He'll be back to normal soon, but make sure to send him some happy thoughts today!

there's something in your sheets...

2009-10-30T08:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from Agent Oreo!

He hopes you find lots and lots of catnip when you're out trick or treating... but it might be safer if kitties stayed in for the night!

Oreo will be secret-agenting around the house, making sure nothing scares anyone. Those super-cool laser eyes can spot anything!

think agent o. is pretty cute?

2009-10-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

Agent O. has entered the 5th Annual World's Coolest Dog and Cat Show this year! His adorable secret agent skills have gotten him entered in five categories: Naughtiest, Playful, Sleeper, Funny Face, and Daredevil.

He's rounded up some of his ~~minions~~ fellow agents to gather support for his funny pictures, so don't be surprised if you find a pink pony at your door!

Despite his colorful and perky pony army, Agent O. would love it if you voted for him - you can see his pictures here!

spider cat, spider cat

2009-10-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

agent o. meets the swiffer

2009-10-08T20:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, even the best super secret agents get caught on film.

agent o. discovers "outside"

2009-09-30T11:25:00.001-07:00

Agent O. looks out at where he used to live... in a little hole under his new room.

meet señor frog

2009-09-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

Agent O. has a number of friends who help him on his daily adventures. Of them all, however, Señor Frog is his #1 sidekick. The two met soon after Agent O. took on the role of secret agent, and they have been inseparable ever since.

Senor Frog cat toy, $8 (available at Centinela Feed)

Señor Frog's name comes from the Disney cartoon Phineas and Ferb (specifically the "Chronicles of Meap, pt. 1" episode, if you'd like to hear the pronunciation). "Señor" is pronounced as usual; "Frog", however, is pronounced as "frow-aug".

As you can see, Agent O. clearly loves Señor Frog. In fact, Señor Frog is missing half of his string now, and his little eyes are much worse for the wear. However, this doesn't stop their crazy and dangerous missions - every night, Agent O. and Señor Frog tear through the house, bouncing off couches and making strange bird noises, ripping up feet and smacking into windows until their job is done.

agent o. is a little woozy

2009-09-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

Also: Agent O. has a Twitter! You can follow his adventures every day now at kittenoreo.

the mysterious yellow fluffy thing

2009-09-18T07:35:00.000-07:00

Agent O. was given his very first scratching "post" after just two weeks in his new home. However, with no cat mommy to teach him what to do, he couldn't quite understand how to play with this interesting box filled with a magical scent that made him super excited (catnip).

Ever the observant secret agent, he solved the mystery: TASSELS!

Mommy bought him tassels! What a great present!

Note: Five months later, he still has yet to actually scratch the damn thing, but he sure loves those tassels. His favorite tassel activity? Playing with one, seeing another out of the corner of his eye, and attacking that one. Repeat four times, for each corner.

grass skirt, pt. 2

2009-09-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

One of Agent O's favorite moves: squeezing his enemy in his paws while furiously kicking them with his little back legs (note: he hasn't figured out how to use the claws on those back feet yet).

"NOOOO! You can't escape me, you silly grass skirt and pretty ribbons!"

agent o. at his most adorable

2009-08-31T16:22:00.001-07:00

Getting petted by daddy...

and keeping one eye on that grass skirt toy too.

Even pettings can't distract this secret agent!

NEW TOY!!!

2009-08-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

Oreo's first toy (along with Mr. Jingly Ball) was a weird grass-skirt thing hanging from a stick. He absolutely loved attacking it. His first grass skirt mission: shred all ribbons hidden in the toy.

Showing off some serious ninja moves right there.

oreo meets mr. jingle ball

2009-08-23T18:42:00.000-07:00

"i'll get you one day, you evil little jingly ball."

attack of the tickles!

2009-08-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

agent o vs. mouse

2009-08-18T15:57:00.000-07:00

Ah, success.

oreo's story

2009-08-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

Our adorable Oreo (aka Agent Oreo) has a unique story. I've always been a cat lover, and I was already playing mommy to a stubbornly independent calico and her son, both of whom had come to us from a cat rescue when I was nine.

Eleven years later, we still weren't in the market for a new cat and particularly not for a kitten. Our neighbor had been given a tiny kitten, barely a week old, who was found wandering our street in search of food. The kitten was angry - it hissed and pawed at everyone and everything, and she kept it in a box in her garage. One day the kitten escaped from his temporary home and we never expected to see him again.

A few nights later, something was meowing weakly at our back door. The kitten had found its way to a house in search of food, and we fed the kitten for nearly two weeks. One night he didn't return. In the morning, I heard tiny meows coming from outside my window, but I couldn't see the kitten. After two days of leaving food outside my window, I realized that the kitten was trapped under the house. Armed with a cat carrier and a bowl of food, my mom and I managed to coerce the kitten out, finally catching him and putting him in the carrier.

The kitten was fiercely angry for the next three days. He hissed and attacked anyone who came to feed him, and he hated when I would stand at the door and talk to him. However, my boyfriend moved in with me for the summer and was determined to turn the angry little orphan into a lap cat. The first night here, my boyfriend took the kitten out of the carrier, wrapped him in a towl, and cuddled him. Angry noises turned to happy purring and face rubs, and our little attack cat became a cuddly bundle of happy.

Four months later, our tuxedo-wearing kitten is four months old and happy as can be. We had intended to find him a new home since we weren't ready to take on a kitten, but my boyfriend and I took him on as our baby. I couldn't imagine giving him up, and he's extremely happy here.

The lesson? Even the toughest animals are sweet and in need of love. Adopting a cat is one of the best ways to make a difference in an animal's life - and you'll have a companion for life. When I see my little Oreo, I think about how he'll be playing with my babies in ten years and sticking with me for the next 20 years. I can't wait to see him grow up.

And save the world, of course. He'll be great at that.

yay! cuddles!

2009-08-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

Agent Oreo's first day out at his new home.

welcome, agent o.

2009-08-15T20:18:00.000-07:00

Agent Oreo was found under our house. He was just a few weeks old, hungry and alone. Though he sounded tough inside his cage, Oreo became the sweetest, cuddliest secret agent of them all. Now four months old, Agent Oreo has taken on the role of keeping the world cute. He's full of secret talents, from ninja moves to making weird bird noises. He's battled worms and kitty shots at the vet - all while wearing his fancy tuxedo.