My parents gave us this cute gingerbread cat scratcher in November, and Ned didn’t start destroying it, excuse me, renovating it, until after the holidays.

They also gave one to my snis, and she offered it to me when I visited in January. Her cat didn’t really care for it and it was in pristine shape.

So I took it home, thinking it would last a few months like the last one.

Ned had other plans.

Who knew so much destruction could be done in such a short amount of time.

Lorena was telling me how her daughter loved our holiday card but wanted to know all the kitties’ names,

so I sent her these extremely helpful guides, LOL:

After I sent it, I realized how little I write here about the cats, especially the outdoor ones. I think it’s because I’ve heard so many unwelcome “cat lady” jokes in real life that I’ve started censoring myself – both here and offline. In reality though, my cat lover friends get plenty of unsolicited cat photos, and half my texts to Steven are just us saying “best friends” alongside pictures of all four indoor cats on the bed (with Ned always off to one side by himself). But outside of that, I usually don’t bring them up unless someone asks!

But… enough of that. At least here. This is where I document life and these furballs are part of it.

So today you get a little Penny update.

Penny showed up at our house in June. I thought she was just passing by BUT SHE HAS NOT LEFT ONCE.

She was SUCH A MESS when she showed up. Tons of fleas, knotted hair, wobbly, and weak.

We took care of all that – I combed all the fleas out several times and gave her regular meds so she doesn’t get them anymore. I brushed her until the knots came out (they are all back now because she doesn’t clean herself, sigh – that is a spring Kim problem). We fed her and she got some energy back. We’ve even see her get the zoomies and run around!

In August we found out she’s chipped and belonged to a family in Wisconsin. The family would never return our vet’s calls.

We also found out she’s old – probably 13 by now.

She kind of breaks my heart because her life seems so tough. She was a humane society cat then adopted then… what? Was she booted? Did she escape? Did she ever live outside? Is she used to a comfortable indoor cat life?

I try not to think about it and just be glad we can provide her a safe, comfy place to live and LOTS of food and fresh water (she drinks SO MUCH).

I was worried about how she’d do this winter. We have a heated cat house (if you want to deep dive that, click here), and she WAS using it. But she won’t go in it if Greg is in the first room (he will let her pass – it’s just some weird territory thing). I’ve showed her the second entrance but she won’t use it.

So I go outside yesterday morning and it’s -8F and I see her sleeping in a little structure we have on our deck that is nowhere near as warm as the cat house.

This poor little bebe.

She stays in the cat house most of the day because Greg isn’t there. But he comes back for the afternoon meal and she’s out again.

Then when Steven comes home she runs into the garage and into our house and the next thing I know, Steven’s setting up a litter box for her for the downstairs bathroom and I’m taking everything out of the bathroom then getting out a cat bed, towels, toys, and water.

Worst photo ever, but she is comfy and SUPER warm until it warms up a bit more outside.

Sigh. The things we do for these randos who show up at our house (Steven also ordered a bunch of stuff to try to make those little structures on the deck warmer, because Snow Jr, who used the cat house all last winter, also won’t go in it with Greg and Penny there, UGH). And the things I don’t share with people because they’ll call me crazy…