Megan Martinez-Thredgold isn't quite sure why her cat, Ms. Baby Kitty, is so stoic about being dressed up in all manner of hats and related accessories.
"She has a favorite leather chair that she likes to sit on and I just place the hats and bows on her head, and strangely enough she sits perfectly still," says Martinez-Thredgold. "Treats do help."
But don't think all this dress-up is just so that Martinez-Thredgold can amuse herself (though she's certainly amused). The bigger hope is that by documenting the dressier parts of her kitty's life -- and posting the photos to Instagram -- others will get excited about animal adoption.
"I think the most important thing is to support local shelters. There are so many sweet loving pets that need homes," Martinez-Thredgold says.
Ms. Baby Kitty hails from the Humane Society of Utah.
Just before Christmas, Martinez-Thredgold, her husband, Chris, and their five daughters went to the shelter looking for a new pet. They wanted one who'd be a little more cuddly than their goldfish, who goes by the name Awesome Hans Cheese.
When she saw this sweetie, Martinez-Thredgold couldn't believe her markings.
Chris and the girls were also swiftly smitten with the cat's "perfectly placed mustache and goatee," says Martinez-Thredgold. "It was love at first sight for us and Ms. Baby. The seven of us took her to the counter, filled out the adoption papers and we brought her home."
That's where the dress-up began, starting with a little bow tie.
"It kind of evolved from there," says Martinez-Thredgold, who says that between having five daughters and being "addicted to crafting," she's got a serious bounty of ribbons, tiaras, feathers and all manner of other cat-ready trimmings around the house.
"She probably feels bad for her crazy cat mom, but she is so funny about it."
Ms. Baby Kitty is adored, of course, for reasons beyond her looks and modeling abilities, or how her glamour-puss pics might get more homeless pets families of their own.
Even outside of her photo sessions, the cat's finding happy routines in her new home.
She permits the kids to carry her around the house, and enjoys waking them up one by one in the morning by jumping onto their beds -- though she has her own, special fluffy cat bed where she prefers to doze.
Ms. Baby Kitty recently began meowing demandingly if her people aren't in the room watching while she eats.
As cats do, between bouts of putting on sparkly headgear for the camera, she now also spends quite a large part of her day sitting on a perch, staring out the window -- and in so doing, making her people very, very happy.
"It's amazing how animals can make you smile just by being close to them. Especially Ms. Baby and her sassy mustache," says Martinez-Thredgold. "I think my husband is a little jealous for the love and attention I give to the cat, but he seems to be coming to terms with it."
The Humane Society of Utah has many, many more pets available for adoption. Perhaps the next Instagram star is among them? See who needs a home at the HSU Facebook page.
Get in touch at arin.greenwood@huffingtonpost.com if you have an animal story to share!
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