It's 9:10 a.m. and Oscar the Ocicat (his breed) is looking at the snow wondering when he might be able to once again chase squirrels and chipmunks out of the yard. Oscar came to us in 2009 after we were looking online for a cat to comfort us after the loss of Steve, our 17-year-old cat. Oscar loves to hunt. He travels daily to the neighbors to say hello, before completing his rounds.

ROBERTA VELEZ, OLD LYME

My Pet Pal is a reader-submitted feature that highlights local residents and their favorite furry, feathery or scaly friends. Send a photo of you and your pet, along with a short description of what makes them a great companion, your name and what town you live in to times@theday.com. Include "pet pal" in the subject line.