Many people that dine at Bruster’s or Sonic may have witnessed a few cats roaming the venues looking for free food, but don’t let the felines fool you. They are well fed and have been for the past 10 years at Nina’s Flower shop in Calhoun, according to owner Nina Moore.

Moore and her crew took in the abandoned cats many years ago and the pets have been well taken care of since.

Nina’s Flowers is the only home they’ve ever known until “Gertrude”, the calico cat, decided to take an adventurous car ride with Perry Moore, a delivery employee at Moore’s shop.

Perry was making a delivery to First Baptist Church and Gertrude decided to get out explore the neighborhood. Realizing Gertrude was missing, Nina and others soon became concerned.

“My daughter Janna was so upset. Everyone kept coming by and asking about the missing cat. People even left food at the back door just in case,” said Nina. “Even my son-in-law started a post about the missing cat on Facebook and everyone in the group has kept an eye out for her.”

According to Nina, Gertrude wasn’t coming home on her own having never crossed a street or highway before.

Sue Haney and several others would watch for sight of Gertrude at First Baptist Church and kept food out just in case.

Nina said that after a few days, she stopped at a house close to the church on intuition and found Gertrude ready and willing to come home.

“She has not left the shop or tried to get in the delivery van ever since,” laughed Nina. “She even tries to hide inside the shop close to closing so she can sleep inside.”