Starved for both food and affection when she first arrived, Penelope was dumped near the colony with her four kittens: Tuna, Spider Lily, Espresso, and Firefly. We would later find out that she was also the grandmother of PJ’s kittens having had an earlier litter that included PJ. Despite all of these kittens, Penelope is still young, 2 years old at most and easily one of the sweetest adult strays we’ve ever had with us.
When she got here, we were actually worried she might already be pregnant again because her belly was so pronounced. After a few weeks of hearty food, we realized she was just so terribly skinny that all of her resources were going to nursing her kittens. She and her kittens came in at the same time kittens from two other litters: Hazel, Gretel, and Flame. Despite her lack of resources she adopted them as her own and nursed them to health as well. She’s such a good mother that we typically call her “Momma P”.
Now that she no longer has to nurse kittens, we’ve gotten her spayed, vaccinated, and tested clear of all the usual stray cat illnesses and she’s enjoying some time to rest and get used to house cat life. She’s very sweet and adores being pet, especially if you scratch her behind the ears.
Penelope likes her routines and while she does well in the hustle and bustle of our crowded house, she would probably like a home with a little less activity where she can be the center of attention.
