Miss Penny

9" x 12" Watercolor

The last of the Eaton Menagerie has now been painted! Miss Penny was a hard one to paint, since she is a short-haired tortiose shell. She is also (sometimes) the hardest one to love! I got her from the Humane Society when she was a little over 1 year old. She and some other animals were dumped in a crate at the shelter, and she was pregnant. Unfortunately, all her kittens died. When I was in the pet store and saw her, she came into my arms and purred and loved, so she had to be mine!

But, that demeanor was not to last! She became skittish and detached, and was always the kitty in trouble - her particular olympic sport is to knock pens and anything else that will roll off the counters and tables, and then play hockey with the item until either the dog chews it to death, or it rolls somewhere where it will never again be seen!

She's been with me for almost 4 years now, and finally, she is beginning to come to me for pets and purrs (on her schedule only!) without bites. Sometimes when I look deep into her eyes, I wonder just what happened to her in her earlier life -- I don't think it was kind.