Actor-and-actress couple Casper Van Dien and Catherine Oxenberg are quite a combination, and you can same for their two cats, who go together like – pardon the cliché – peanut butter and jelly. In fact, that's what Van Dien and Oxenberg named their beloved cats.
Oxenberg, who is the daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia and is best known for her role as Amanda Carrington on the smash hit 1980s prime-time soap opera "Dynasty," and Van Dien, known for roles in high-profile movies and TV series like "Starship Troopers," "Sleepy Hollow," "One Life To Live," "Beverly Hills: 90210" and "Mortal Kombat: Legacy," recently spoke exclusively to HNGN about their fuzzy feline friends.
Tell me about Peanut Butter and Jelly? How did they come into your lives?
I have always been a cat person, and since the addition of a dog to the family, I felt that the one cat we already had in the house was not enough to balance our dog's rambunctious canine energy! We went to see the kittens when they were really tiny and fell in love with them - even though they looked more like squeaky potatoes at the time! Of course each girl wanted a kitten of their own. I had to compromise with two. They are half-brother and sister and are very bonded to each other. My daughter India thinks that they should have dual citizenship as their father is French!
Do either have you or Casper's personality. If so, how?
Jelly, the girl, is more demanding - so that might be more like me! And Peanut Butter is more needy - but I will get into trouble if I say that he is like my husband!
Out of the two of them who demands more attention and why?
Both cats are incredibly affectionate purr boxes. They also have a particular cooing sound that they make with each other. So adorable. Like little love songs!
Is either one of them more outgoing than the other?
Although it looks idiotic, we are training them to walk on leashes. Jelly is better at it then her brother. These are the first cats that I have ever been able to take on walks. We did it for two reasons. One, we wanted the cats to be able to go outside and we had lost so many cats in the past to coyotes, we figured this would be a safe alternative. Also, it is now much easier getting the girls to come on walks with us!
What are some of their favorite things or pastimes?
Jelly has a habit of biting everyone's toes - quite hard - to signal that she is hungry. We have to sit on the toilet with our feet up against the wall or jump up and down when we are brushing our teeth to avoid her fangs. They love to play and are quite wild at night - using all the furniture to trampoline themselves across the house. We can't separate them as they don't stop crying. And they love going on car rides!
They seem so mellow and relaxed. Is this breed always like this?
This breed must have some rag doll in them. They are amazing with children as they don't bite or scratch. They are incredibly docile but at the same time are not lacking in personality. India nicknamed our oldest cat Odin "The Puffinator" as he looked so fluffy and innocent but was a surprisingly adept hunter.
What do you find so mystical and magical about cats?
The Burmese have a lovely mythology. If you look in cat encyclopedias, they are described as the Sacred Cats of Burma. Supposedly, they were used by the priests as intermediaries to help them communicate with the gods! Thy considered them oracles. I haven't succeeded in figuring out exactly how to do this! I am sure that our cats are very disappointed with all of us!
What have you learned from having pets in your life?
I think that pets are a wonderful way to teach children about responsibility and caretaking. They bring a lot of joy in to our lives. I think we might be a little obsessed with our cats!
What do your pets really mean to you?
Our pets are part of our family and we form very strong emotional attachments to them. "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals," Immanuel Kant said.
