I would like to introduce Putzen. She is my 17 year old kitty (approximately).

You see her here laying in her Clementine box, which she took ownership of while it was waiting on the kitchen counter to be thrown in the garbage... Leave it to Putze, the former stray, to find something that would otherwise be considered garbage, to make use of it.

Putzen is a survivor, however here standards are high, you can be sure. That is why I consider myself to be pretty lucky to have been chosen by her to be worthy enough to want to share my home.

I found Putzen in 1991, outside the office I was working in at the time. As was my habit at the time, I was just getting over the break up of a relationship (which looking back, was one of the best things that ever happened to me.... the break-up that is, not the relationship). I was walking into work, and there she was, sitting outside the door.... So I looked at her, and she looked at me, and I said to her..."Oh no, don't even think about wanting to me... I have not time for this....Just decide on someone else. Sorry, I can't help you right now..." I walked into the office, around the corner, up the ramp, and who was sitting outside the sliding glass door, looking up at me, but the soon to be Putzen. So I put down my bag, took out $5.00, and headed over to Publix to buy some cat food.

I got back, and went out in the courtyard and fed her. From that day forward (Mid August 1991 to October 1991) I spent my lunch hours with her in the courtyard. And would even stop over on Sunday night on my way to dance lessons to feed her and spend 20 or so minutes with her. (Line dancing, nothing fancy) On Sunday night I would get there, walk over to the courtyard, call her and she would coming running across the roof (it was flat), and down the tree to my feet.

So, one afternoon she was sitting outside the front doors, looking in, it was after patients (medical legal orthopaedic practice), so the doctor was doing depositions, and an attorney, Monte Shoemaker came in and saw her, and asked if I knew who the cat belonged to. I said no one really, although I was feeding her, but didn't think I could take her in because I had a dog. He said, man, she is pretty ugly, I hate to see her alone out there, and that he might have a friend that would take her. I was happy and hurt at the same time. Happy because she might have a real home, and hurt because he called her ugly. My Putzen was NOT ugly!!!

Oh, side note. Putzen is a German verb, meaning to shine, make clean, polish. I named her that because... 1. I am German, 2. She has spots on her nose, and I thought she had a dirty nose the first time I saw her, and 3. she like most cats was always cleaning her self.

So, back to the story, Monte Shoemaker said that he would check with his freind and bring her by to see if she wanted to take the cat. He called me the next day to say he would be by that afternoon with his friend. So, at 4:00, I went out and got my Putzen, brought her in and she sat with me on my desk, on my work that I was working on (typical of a cat) and waited to Monte and his friend. By 5:15 he called and said that he would not be able to make it, but would let me know when he could.

I thanked him and told Putzen, I think that attorney and his friend just missed out on a pretty special girl. Afterall, he couldn't possibly have thought very much of you if he thought you were ugly. So I told her that she could come to live with me under one circumstance, and that was she needed to tolerate long trips in a car. So, when I went home that night, I took her for a ride. And you know what... she loved it. She sat on my lap and fell asleep. So I went back to the office. Told her I was going home to tell Gretchen (that was my big girl, a dog, part lab part dobie, and the best personality of any dog. I lost her in March of 2003, she was 13 years old), and get ready for her with food and bowls, and litter box, etc. But to be ready the next night, which happend to be a Friday, to move to Winter Springs.

And that is how I got Putzen. She's old now, has an over active thyroid, a heart murmur, but she is still the Queen. She doesn't take medicine, she loves the screen porch. Loves to have her feet above everyone elses, and especially loves her Clementine box, her house (cat bed in the shape of a house), and the 36 inch dog bed in the dining room, the warmest room in the house. I am not sure how much longer Putzen will be with us, but she will always and forever be in our hearts.

She wouldn't have it any other way, and neither would we!