A thief of hearts. Meet Smokey Snook, voted cutest cat in the Sacramento area
Smokey Snook is used to immediately stealing the hearts of those around her.
Her large green eyes, soft cuddly demeanor and instincts for mischief has carried her through her 11 years of life.
“She is really the most loving cat we have ever had, and so we’re just, we’re blessed every day to have her in the house,” said Trish Fontana from Elk Grove.
Fontana and her husband Terry Snook said 11 years ago they were informed of a stray cat in the area, and after meeting the gray tuxedo, Snook said they were committed to keeping her.
Thus begun the two week “odyssey” for the couple of hiding in bushes, feeding and eventually capturing Smokey.
“People would look at us and just shake their heads like we were crazy trying to rescue this stray cat,” Snook said to The Sacramento Bee.
Now, over a decade after stealing Fontana and Snook’s hearts, she has stolen the hearts of people throughout the Sacramento area and has been titled cutest cat.
The cutest cat contest launched in October, and Smokey emerged as the winner through two rounds of voting. About a dozen cats in and near the Sacramento area were entered.
Smokey will now be entered into a second contest to determine the cutest cat in the country across more than 20 McClatchy newspapers, launching Monday, Nov. 10.
What is Sacramento-area’s cutest cat like?
Smokey is described as having a “very dog like behavior,” by Snook.
She follows Snook and Fontana from room to room and seeks to be petted constantly.
Though she is extremely affectionate, it doesn’t stop her from being mischievous.
Smokey is known for having a fondness of stealing and mismatching socks after they have come from the dryer. Fontana says it is her favorite game to play.
In true cat fashion, the eight-pound feline thinks she is close to “Godzilla” and marches around the house as the boss, according to the couple.
Whenever anyone touches her toys, especially her sack of catnip that she is seen pictured with, she comes running in order to protect her possessions.
“Those are her babies, and you don’t touch them, and she loves to play, but they’re still hers,” said Fontana.
Regardless of her attitude, the couple adores Smokey and feel lucky to have her.
Over the last few years, Smokey has faced several health matters including a thyroid issue and kidney conditions as well as becoming deaf.
Fontana said Smokey’s two veterinarians, Jugtar Purewal and Janine Van Doren from Laguna Creek Veterinary Hospital saved her life last year.
The couple says Smokey has brought so much love and happiness to their lives and encourages other people to go out and adopt an animal companion.
“Having a companion animal, whether it’s a cat, a dog, a bird, really brings a lot of value and brings out qualities in the people, a lot of the more tender, compassionate aspects,” Snook said.
