Back in 2014, Peggy rescued her beloved cat Gunny from a nearby animal shelter. He had been there for eight long months without being adopted, patiently waiting for his forever home.

Peggy had been searching the shelter’s website, specifically looking for a tuxedo cat, when suddenly Gunny’s photo appeared.

“The moment I saw him online, I just knew I had to meet him,” Peggy said.

She rushed to the shelter after work on Friday, but by the time she arrived, it was already closing.

Determined not to miss her chance, she returned first thing Saturday morning. That’s when she finally met the cat who would change her life.

“His name was actually Gunther at the time,” Peggy recalled. “When they brought him into the room, he walked right up to me, jumped onto the pew where I was sitting, curled up in my lap, and started purring his little heart out.”

In that instant, Peggy knew she had found her cat. She completed the adoption, added a generous donation to thank the shelter, and brought him home that very day.

“I started calling him Gunny right away instead of Gunther,” she said. “It just fit him — and it stuck.”

Now, more than 12 years later, Gunny is Peggy’s loyal little shadow. “Wherever I go, he goes — at least around the house,” she laughed.

Gunny loves exploring their fenced backyard, watching birds and squirrels, and showing off his impressive mole-hunting skills.

Gunny has been featured in the LoveCATS calendar every single year—and in 2024, he reached new heights!

 

 

Not only did he win the coveted calendar cover, but his inspiring rescue story was also beautifully showcased in the LoveCATS photobook that same year.

All photos are courtesy of Peggy Kurzdym 

Learn more about our annual photo contests!

Discover how your cat can become part of something truly special—featured in our photobook, showcased in our calendar, and celebrated as part of our rescue story collection on our website. Don’t miss your chance to share their journey with the world!