Meet Oliver, northern B.C.’s favourite garden cat

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Anyone who has been to Hillside Garden Co. in Dawson Creek has likely met the friendly and furry face of Oliver, a tabby famous for lounging around the shop, finding warm or sunny spots to nap, and greeting customers.

Hillside has created a 2024 calendar of Oliver this holiday season, with various shots of the feline at the shop, laying in boxes, stretching by plants, and so on. Five dollars of every $20 calendar sold will be donated to Into the Woods Animal Rescue.

Oliver is six or seven years old and an SPCA rescue himself, says Reid Leer, who helps her mother Dawn run Hillside. Patrons of the shop requested the calendar, as residents are big fans of Oliver, a much-beloved fixture at the greenhouse.

“He’s also very photogenic – he’s the town’s celebrity,” said Leer, noting Oliver is a skilled mouse catcher in addition to being a cute face.

Summer is Oliver’s favourite season at the garden shop, added Leer, though sometimes he does need a break from all the attention. Winter is a little more relaxed and provides the opportunity to nap on a warm office chair or by a heat vent.

“He’s a character. He likes to be petted until he doesn’t,” Leer said.

Calendars are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, until they run out, but more could be printed if enough people are interested, added Leer.