GERTIE

HISTORY: Gertie was a rescue from a local cat colony by the Cat Action Team.

When Gertie arrived at CFC, she was healing from puncture wounds and had some dental issues that have now been resolved. She is friendly and will let you pet her. Once you she gets to know you, she may even let you pick her up! Gertie tends to stay in the lower portion of a cat tree in the Senior Room or her condo. Some of our volunteers have noticed how she connects with her eyes as if to say, “thanks” for seeing her as she truly is—a lover.

Gertie is not super social with the other cats, so a kitten or an active cat would probably not be a good match. So far it seems like she could possibly get along with another low key feline companion. She just needs a little bit of space, a cat tree/bed or two and a friendly human that will give her attention and the petting she went without and deserves so much. Gertie has settled in and blossomed since arriving at CFC. She is now ready for that special home she deserves where she can live out her golden years in comfort and receive the love that she has earned. If your home sounds like a good fit, do yourself a favor and meet this sweet girl. If you spend quiet time with her she will share her beauty with you too!

More about me from Volunteer Steve October 2024: Gertie the Enigma

Gertie is a puzzle—reclusive, off-putting to some but sweet to others. When I first met her seven months ago, I was a bit wary. Some staff and volunteers told me they couldn’t touch her. One might have been afraid of her. The CFC website is ambiguous about Gertie. It has a picture of her perched on a vol’s shoulders while saying “…she needs a little bit of space, … and a friendly human that will give her attention and the petting she went without…”

Gertie was a colony cat. As such, she probably had little human contact for the first thirteen years of her life. She still cringes and flinches when I offer my hand for a sniff. But once I begin to pet her, she quickly purrs.

The website also mentions her eyes. To me, she has a perpetual frown that masks the loving kitty she is. I think this could be due to her eyes possibly being misaligned in which they turn outward—the opposite of crossed eyes. Look at the pictures of her in the cylinder hidey house.

Until a month ago, she rarely left her two favorite hidey houses. But lately, I’ve found her lying in beds, out in the open. She seems more relaxed so perhaps I’m gaining her trust.

BREAKING NEWS: After I wrote this, Gertie allowed me to pick her up and cuddle her to my chest!

Volunteer Thought: Sweet girl but would prefer you not mess with her linens. A pet or two are welcome and purrs to let you know it is OK. When she gets to know you, she may even do a lap. She is a happy girl in the senior room. She can do her own thing in a quiet setting. Having her dental and treatment for infections has made her feel like a new kitty.