01.30.2008
Troutman’s town cat
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One of Troutman’s most valued town employees is prone to napping at work. Other times she can be found roaming back alleys late into the night.
Town employees adopted the 6-month-old cat they named “Callie” about a year ago.
“She just wandered up to the door one day wanting food,” Town Clerk Kim Davis said. “And then another day she just ran in.”
Troutman residents and town employees have enjoyed the cat’s company ever since.
“She’s part of our human resources and wellness staff,” Town Manager David Saleeby says, only half joking.
“On a number of occasions we’ve had an angry customer come in here with a complaint and Callie is curled up out there,” Saleeby said pointing to the lobby.
“And while the customer is waiting momentarily to be helped, they might reach over and rub Callie. When we come out to help them, their complaint and concern might still be there, but they’re not nearly as upset.”
Callie has been known to walk into official town meetings and dart across computer keyboards.
“I can’t verify it was her, but I had an e-mail I was getting ready,” Saleeby said. “And when I stepped away for a moment, I came back to see her sitting on the keyboard. She had hit the send button key and the e-mail was gone.”
The mischievous cat seems to enjoy being in the spotlight.
Mayor Elbert Richardson remembers being interviewed by a TV station last summer. “I was standing in front of a tree and she came up behind me and started bumping my legs,” he said. “She just started doing her figure-eights. She definitely livens this place up.
“She’s the boss!”
No town money is used to pay for the care of the adopted feline. Employees take turns buying Callie’s food and litter. Troutman Animal Hospital veterinarian Brad Rutledge spayed and vaccinated Callie at a discount.
“We’ve had a cat from another shop that was adopted after the employees all fell in love with it, but I’ve never had an animal adopted by a town,” Rutledge said.
For several days last summer, town officials feared Callie had vanished.
“We were real concerned,” Saleeby said. When she resurfaced, she did not have her collar, which says “Callie-Town of Troutman.”
“She’s there when I come to work at five in the morning,” Saleeby said.
Police officer Justin Dagenhart said the cat adds a little levity to the job.
“If we’re sitting here typing up reports and stuff, she’ll get up and walk across our keyboards or something,” he said.
Troutman police officers let Callie outside at night.
“She patrols the perimeter of our building,” Saleeby explained with a wry grin.
Davis, the town clerk, said the cat’s presence helps provide relief for what can be a stressful job.
“She’ll lay a certain way and we’ll get tickled at her or she’ll do something funny,” she said.
A startled Callie once abruptly bolted from her chair while attempting to pivot off a countertop and go through an open window. Unfortunately for Callie and to the amusement of her co-workers, the window was closed.
“We just laughed. But she doesn’t do that anymore,” Billing Clerk Becky Link said. “She’ll jump up on the counter and wait at the window for one of us to open it.”
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