Meet my Kitty, Gretchen
By Sue H.
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
Santa Fe, New Mexico
July 2, 2020 7:34am CST
Meet my pretty gray kitty, Gretchen. I adopted her May 5, 2019, at an adoption event at Pet Smart. My son and daughter in law had been to Pet Smart the day before to get their dogs new leashes. They saw there was a cat adoption event, and went back to check out the kitties. This skinny little gray cat came up to the front of her cage and lifted up her paw to them as if saying "please, choose me." They didn't take a kitty, because their youngest dog is rather rambunctious and they didn't know if a cat would fit in. BUT Devin knew I was considering a cat, and he came over the next day to tell me about her. I looked at pictures at the shelter site and saw her too. The next day we went to PetSmart to check her out. She was asleep in her little cage enclosure and didn't come out for a little while. But when she did come out, sure enough she put out her little paw for me (I now call it her "Paw of Charm" ) and she won my heart.
When I first adopted Gretchen (Her name at the shelter was "Tina" but I renamed her after a cat my family had when I was a teen) my mom had just died a couple weeks before. I was so lonely. Kitty had just been treated for alopecia, and she was very thin, but I took her anyway. Her belly was totally bald. One of my cat owner friends told me "get her some grain free food" so I got her off the cheap food she got at the shelter and started giving her grain free wet and dry food. That did the trick immediately. And so did lots of love and spoiling, I'm sure.Now she has lots of hair, her eyes shine and of course has put on weight, and she looks just beautiful. She has lots of white hair on her belly where it grew in.
Gretchen and I are the best of friends. Do you have a kitty?
19 people like this
20 responses
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
2 Jul 20
I don't have a kitty but I have two dogs. Dogs work better for us but I do love cats. I am so glad that you and Gretchen found each other, it sounds like a match made in heaven.
3 people like this
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
2 Jul 20
@CinnamonGrl We like to go to the cottage and traveling is easier with the dogs and we also have lost so many cats to the busy road and coyotes that we feel safer with the dogs. I cried a lot of tears over our lost cats.
2 people like this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
2 Jul 20
@BelleStarr thank my lucky stars, Gretchen doesn't rush for the door when it opens. She must remember getting lost and having to live in that cage. I don't know. But still I am extremely careful. If I have to leave the door propped open or anything I shut her in another room. She's still a young cat, just turned three, she'll actually probably outlive me if she stays in good health and doesn't get out. Knock on wood
2 people like this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
2 Jul 20
We are a good match. And we're together all the time, since she is an indoor cat. There are lots of coyotes here,, also we're close to a fairly busy road. I couldn't stand to lose her, that's for sure. My son has two dogs, Mose and Winnie. I live in an apartment that's built onto the side of my son's house. We leave the gate in between us open, and every morning Mose and Winnie come for a Milkbone. So I get the joy of dogs without the work lol. For me a cat is easier these days.
3 people like this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
2 Jul 20
Thank you. I love gray kitties. Back when I was a teenager, we had a short haired gray cat (Gretchen the First) and a long haired male named Smoky. Smoky loved to be vacuumed, isn't that wild?
2 people like this
@thelme55 (77162)
• Germany
2 Jul 20
@CinnamonGrl That is indeed wild. Maybe she loved the wind that came out of that vacuum.
2 people like this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
2 Jul 20
@thelme55 he might have gotten itchy because of his long hair and liked the loose hair vacuumed off
2 people like this
@betlynfrnds (4069)
• United States
3 Jul 20
What a great story. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Gretchen is beautiful. I love her and I love her name.
She actually looks like a cross between two of my kitties. My husband and I have 12 cats. Like what was the case with your precious girl, all of our babies have won my heart.
It is so sweet that you have each other. 
2 people like this
@betlynfrnds (4069)
• United States
3 Jul 20
@CinnamonGrl She certainly looks that way to me.
2 people like this
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
4 Jul 20
@CinnamonGrl lol. I actually rescued a stray a lot like her. I just called her kitty.
1 person likes this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
3 Jul 20
If she hadn't reminded me of that Gretchen I'd had in the past, I probably would have kept it lol. But thanks!
2 people like this
@sallypup (61740)
• Centralia, Washington
2 Jul 20
Gretchen and you were made for each other. I'm delighted for the both of you. Do I have a kitty? That's like asking if I have feet and arms. Yes I live with cats. Two years ago a tiny bit of an animal stood on a busy highway, thinking about what to do next. I slammed on my brakes and grabbed him up before he got into huge trouble. It was a bitty kitten and now he is named Fred. He joined three others and two dogs.
2 people like this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
2 Jul 20
Awww that's so sweet how you nabbed up Fred. Sounds like you have a nice menagerie.
2 people like this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
2 Jul 20
@sallypup I don't blame you.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (61740)
• Centralia, Washington
2 Jul 20
@CinnamonGrl It was one of those test moments. Do I really believe that all life is sacred? The instant I saw those bitty eyes my body went into motion. My brain had no control. I could not live with myself if I hadn't done something to right the situation.
2 people like this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
2 Jul 20
Haha, you're right! That's exactly the message she's sending out!
1 person likes this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
2 Jul 20
@Adie04 She's a hungry girl lol
1 person likes this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
2 Jul 20
No she's small. She has short little legs.
2 people like this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
2 Jul 20
lol. ..that's sweet. You've sort of adopted one.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (472160)
• Switzerland
3 Jul 20
@CinnamonGrl He comes every day to "visit" me, when I open the door early in the morning he comes inside. I love this little guy.
1 person likes this
@gr8nana6 (6614)
• Conyers, Georgia
2 Jul 20
Yes I do have a kitty named Tiny since she was the runt of the litter when I got her , which is an oxymoron now because she isn't tiny anymore. Tiny is an indoor cat, but I have to watch her like a hawk cause she loves to escape. Glad you and Gretchen found each other.
2 people like this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
3 Jul 20
What a precious baby @CinnamonGrl . I've got 'kids' from the age of 2 to 14. Every color imaginable. All were rescues. All 12 of them.
2 people like this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
4 Jul 20
My place is too small to accommodate 12. And they have to be indoors here. I wish I could have that many, I love kitties!
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
2 Jul 20
I should put up a picture of when I first got her. Oh man, she was so skinny. And her tail was like a little rat tail, now it's all pretty and feathery.
1 person likes this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
2 Jul 20
I think it's the best way. I cried that I couldn't take them all, but the kids told me it was a no-kill shelter, so that helped a little. Gretchen is still young, she just turned three. They had to estimate her age from her teeth, but it seems right. She's still very playful
2 people like this
@CarolDM (203422)
• Nashville, Tennessee
2 Jul 20
@CinnamonGrl Love her green eyes.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130213)
• Israel
14 Jul 20
By Sue H.
@CinnamonGrl
Good for you and she is beautiful. There are so many animals out there that need homes. I can understand why they did not want a cat. That was so sweet what she did and can see how she won your heart. I know the family that found my Sophie that was left to die gave her a very strange name. The had her for 3 months and then looked for a new home for her. I changed her name to Sophie and so glad I did. She also looks like a Sophie to me. She is a black and white long haired cat and is not a Persian. I am glad that your friend could help you. She is happy and has home and I am sure that helped her too. What is that she is lying on. Thank you for sharing her with you. I will put a picture of my Sophie here for you to see her.
1 person likes this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
15 Jul 20
Sophie is beautiful! I love her markings. Gretchen was just lying on a chair there that has a cushion on it.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130213)
• Israel
15 Jul 20
@CinnamonGrl
Thank you so much. I see so that is a chair with a cushion on it. I thought it was like a couch. She looks very comfortable there. I love the color of her eyes.
1 person likes this
