You can imagine the distress when I heard Mike say, "babe, you better come outside. I think this cat has one eye." There she was, sitting on the sidewalk in front of our home eager to be petted. She ran up to Mike with no hesitation and as I came closer, it became clear that she did in fact have two eyes, one was just irritated to the point of being shut.
We have no idea where she came from but left food and water out the next few days hoping her owners would reveal themselves. She was too friendly to be feral and had obliviously once enjoyed a more glutinous lifestyle as her excess tummy skin sagged from her frame. We put up flyers in the neighborhood, contacted the local shelters in Springfield/Alexandria, and posted her on craigslist.
To my surprise, I received the sweetest voice message from a woman who had also tried to rescue this black and white kitty. She had spotted her in the sewer of the Walmart parking lot, about a mile down the road. She had tried to lure her out because her eye appeared infected but had no such luck. She was relieved to know that the lost lil soul wasn't so lost anymore; her kindness and empathy radiated through the speaker and it was hard not to cry.
That was all the persuasion I needed to decree that the stray be moved indoors, specifically the guest room. If she had an owner, I couldn't bear to explain "oh yes we saw your cat... we just left it pass through." Heaven forbid Autumn was in such a situation (again) with nobody to take care of her. This is our plea for Penelope.
And so.
We ended up being a foster home. (Another again). After agreeing to do no such thing until after the wedding. Huh boy. Mike lovingly nicknamed her "Sewer Kitty" because that's where she was hiding out when they first met- the sewer next to our mail box. I felt that it didn't quite... suit her. That adorable pink nose needed something with a P and the name "Penelope" sprung to mind. As a compromise, her full name Penelope S. Kitty (the S is for sewer).
After washing her eye for a week, the infection vanished and she was able to look at us with wide eyes. She has displayed no aggressive behavior and is very mild mannered. Penelope is not big on playing with others but gets all sorts of buck when left to her own devices and a mouse toy. She enjoys it when people speak to her and acts like she's following the conversation. I must say... she does have a bit of an affection for kitty cocaine (cat nip). It was a sad sight watching Mike and I try to giver her a proper bath. He did all the work while I was petrified that she'd suddenly flip out and turn into a demon cat. Thank God for that man.
My favorite thing about Penelope, however, is her hellos. Some cats drool a little when they're happy. It's a great sign of love and affection. Penelope doesn't drool; she slobbers. We're talking dripping like a faucet sink, boundless ecstasy, funny as all get out, water works. The first time it happened, we were stunned. She's left alone all day in the guest room so when we do sit with her at the end of the day, it's a make out fest. She licks your nose, your hands, anything in her reach for a few moments. It is an incredibly endearing and entertaining trait.
Please. If you or anyone you know is interested in adopting a sweet, loving companion, do not hesitate to contact us! She is going to the vet this week for a quick check up and will be posted on local foster sites soon. She deserves a loving home. Seriously, this is one low maintenance kitty!
Special thanks to Mike for making the beautiful flyer.
