Penny from Heaven

Full Name: Penelope Jean

Nicknames: Penny, Penny Lane, Penny Pants, Mrs. Pants, Mama (Not!)

Age: 2 years old

In Residence Since: May 25, 2012

Favorite Activities: Watching birds.  Purring.  Stalking, leaping, and otherwise attacking feather wands.  Leg rubbing.  Relaxing in the litter box.  Hissing at boy kitties.  Being a finicky eater.  Faking pregnancy.

Status: Foster

Miss Penelope came to us from a county animal control in northern Michigan.  Because of its rural location, this shelter is lucky to adopt out 20 cats per year.  Penny had reached the end of her allotted time with them and needed to find a way out.  And so began Mission Phantom Pregnancy.  A shelter worker was convinced our girl was in a family way and started to reach out to rescues in order to save Penny and her kittens.  I got the call that we were getting a beautiful calico mama (squeeeeeee!!!!!!) and we moved her into the front room in order to await the birth of her kittens.

Penny climbed up the cat tree and made herself at home in front of the window while we waited....

And she birdwatched while we waited....

And she napped while we waited...

The vet didn't think Penny was pregnant, but she advised waiting some more (just in case)...

So Penny chillaxed in the litter box while we waited....

And glared at the boy kitties outside her door while we waited...

And she caught up on her Phinneas and Ferb while we waited to see if Penny was pregnant.

"WHAT?????!!!!???  You thought I was what??????"

Hmmph!  I'm a good girl!

We waited for four whole weeks after Penny's arrival for her kittens to come.  Occasionally I would feel a lump in her belly while petting her and squeal with delight at finally getting "proof" of the wee little babies.  Yeah, her wee little babies were also known as Kidney #1 and Kidney #2 (or perhaps it was Gall Bladder, Liver, or Pancreas... all #1, by the way).  If anything, our girl got smaller instead of bigger during our four week wait.  I'm no veterinarian, but I'm declaring her officially "not pregnant".

Faker.

Penny was able to pull off the con of the century.  It got her out of the shelter.  It quite literally saved her life. I could not possibly be more thrilled.  All cats are special.  This one is extra-special.  Take exhibit A:

The gorgeous markings... absolutely perfect, even if someone did "miss" a spot

Exhibit B:

The amazing tufts of fur on the tips of her ears... Orange on the left ear...

And white on her right.

And don't forget about Exhibits C and D... her exquisite eyeliner and fabulous nose splotch!

Because Penny's vaccination history is unknown (and we didn't want to vaccinate a "pregnant" cat), she has been quarantined from the other cats in the house this entire time.  She has been in the same room with Norman briefly but has never really "met" him.  She moves to the corner of the room as he enters and hisses softly until he leaves.  

Penny gets liberated from the confines of the foster room a couple times per day.  She hangs out upstairs with the kids while they play and watch television in the family room.  She isn't much of a snuggler, but she loves to watch you and  purr.  She loves toys on sticks and prefers to hide under tables and chairs while stalking them for the best "surprise factor".   My son has already asked to keep her a time or twelve, but it's not happening.  Penelope is without a doubt the sweetest, gentlest, mellowest, mildest lover of a cat that I have ever met.  This girl won't be with us long once she's made available for adoption.

Penny's on the spay schedule for next week.  We're celebrating her independence from the shelter and from motherhood forever.