Actress Olympia Valance On The Four-Legged Friends That Keep Her Grounded

Life as an actor might come with its fair share of red carpets, cameras and glamorous gigs, but Olympia Valance has two very effective ways of keeping her feet firmly on the ground: her cats, Jerry and Whisky. Because no matter how long the call sheet, the moment she walks through the front door, Jerry and Whisky are there to bring things back to what really matters: dinner.

Which is why we linked up with the good folks over at DINE® (the cat food connoisseurs) to sit down with Valance for a yarn on all things furry-four-legged friends, from her food philosophy to the one thing all cat owners want to know—how to go from ignored to adored. 

If you’re not familiar with the Cat Distribution System—the story of how Whisky came into Valance’s life is pretty much textbook… with the help of her Devon Rex Jerry. The lore goes that rather than choosing a cat, the universe simply assigns you one—usually a stray. And that’s exactly how Valance found herself with cat number two. 

“I got Jerry when he was 14 weeks old,” she explains. “We specifically got Jerry as he’s a hypoallergenic cat, so my mum, who is highly allergic to cats, can actually step foot inside our house. But Jerry shook up our well-laid plans when he brought Whisky into our lives.” 

Jerry found six-week-old Whisky abandoned on Valance's 10-acre property and carried her inside in his mouth to the family home. 

A true animal lover—she once hired a pet psychic to help her find Jerry when he went missing for a month—Valance hand-fed Whisky milk from a baby bottle, welcoming the tiny ginger kitten into her household of animals. 

These days, however, Valance isn’t just cat parent to Jerry and Whisky. She’s also mum to 21-month-old Billy—but when it comes to mealtimes, her four-legged family members are the hardest to please.

“Jerry and Whisky are my alarm clock: it doesn’t matter if I’ve had a late night or if I’m desperate for a sleep-in, they’ll be standing at my bed meowing the house down at 6am sharp to let me know it's breakfast time,” Valance laughs. “I’ve brought them food that I thought they would absolutely love, only for them to turn up their noses at it. Honestly, they can be more picky than my toddler.”

“That’s one of the reasons why I’m so glad to have found DINE® – it’s such a relief to know that we’ve found food that they love and will eat every time. As any cat owner knows, getting a tick of approval from a cat is no small achievement, so it’s been great to develop our connection during the DINE® Ignored to Adored challenge.”

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether your cat actually loves you back, you’re far from alone. According to research from the DINE® brand, almost two in five (39%) Aussie cat owners have questioned whether their feline loves them. Enter the DINE® IGNORED TO ADORED™ challenge, which invites cat parents to feed their feline DINE® Cat Food for 12 days while following expert behavioural tips designed to strengthen their bond. 

Thanks to the challenge, Valance has already noticed a difference in her fluffy dynamic duo.

“Anyone who owns a cat knows that affection is usually on their terms, but it’s been amazing to see how recently they’ve been seeking me out instead because of the DINE® IGNORED TO ADORED™ challenge.”

Despite being polar opposites—Jerry is the adventurer, while clever, introverted Whisky rules the house “with an iron paw”, according to Valance—there’s one thing both cats bring to her life in equal measure.

“Jerry and Whisky have taught me the importance of slowing down and relaxing," she says. “I’ve loved having a chance to connect with them and build our bond, and to see how their affection grows over time once you learn to understand them better. The relationship is so rewarding because it's built on trust.”

For Valance, part of that connection comes down to meeting Jerry and Whisky on their terms—even when that means giving them a little space.

“Try not to take it personally if your cat doesn’t show you affection in the ways you would like. We tend to understand that the people in our lives sometimes need time alone to recharge, and it doesn’t mean that they love us any less, but we forget to extend that understanding to our pets too.”

And for anyone reading this who remains firmly on Team Dog, Valance has one final thing to say.

“Dog people often say that cats don’t care about their owners, but that’s so untrue! They might not show their affection as openly as dogs do, but if you pay attention to their behaviour and learn to speak their love language, it can work wonders.”

Ready to learn your own cat’s love language? Take on the DINE® IGNORED TO ADORED™ challenge here—and if you haven’t won them over after 12 days, DINE® will give you your money back*.

Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by DINE® and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.

Images: Supplied