You may recognize Sandra Lee Dejong, 77, from her breakout role as the farmer’s wife in the 1995 hit family drama Born to Be Wild. Or, maybe you saw her and her cat Freeway Francine in The Stranger's pet issue.

Sandra, or Sandy, contacted The Stranger's sales team because she wanted her cat, Freeway Francine (named because the cat was found by an Othello, Washington freeway), featured in our Ugly Pet Issue. The only problem? Freeway wasn't ugly.

She got in touch with Neal Callahan, a Stranger sales rep. Neal sold her an ad; Freeway would be immortalized as the cutest cat in Seattle. Sandy was thrilled. The stipulations were that Freeway's ad couldn't be anywhere near anything that said "ugly pet."

Neal and I met up with Sandy at her apartment building in Queen Anne so I could meet Freeway and so Neal could collect Sandy's check. (This is not a typical ad payment type. Sandy doesn't use the Internet—her chargeable phone has pre-loaded minutes. She has called Neal 10-15 times since the first time they spoke.)

When we got there, Sandy had an unopened VHS copy of her movie Born to Be Wild. (It's playing on Starz if you want to watch it.)

"This is my movie. It played all across the country and I played the farmer’s wife," she told me, shuffling along with her walker. It's clear that Sandy wants her cat to experience the same fame she did.

She had her friend Matt unzip the cat carrier. Freeway Francine, a giant—and I mean GIANT—stoney gray cat, hopped onto a table, then down to the floor. Freeway flicked her eyes toward me and Neal ambivalently, more interested in what was outside the sliding-glass door than us. Freeway had to be about 20 pounds, maybe more.

We're not sure what kind of cat Freeway is. I think a Maine Coon. Sandy thinks a Persian. Let me know if you have any insights.

Sandy had a letter that Freeway had written to us. She read it out loud. I included her interjections in italics. It is as follows:

Dear Stranger, Neal and big shots,

My name is Freeway Francine I’m a female spayed cat, three years old who came from Othello, Washington—Is Othello in Washington?, Sandy interjected, Can you hear this? She asked me.Yes, I assured her—transferred to Seattle Animal Shelter. I don’t know my breed, all I know is that I have a long tail, beautiful eyes, and long fur. Remember, I’m only three—Are you listening Neal?—my special birthday when I turn four is July. I’m very healthy but don’t like all canned food and don’t like all dry food or cat litter. Maybe I’m too finicky—Matt make sure that door’s closed! My owner adopted me last year at the Seattle Animal Shelter after her other gray cat George R.R. Meowtin passed away whose also from Seattle Animal Shelter and did advertising—You heard of George R. R. Martin from Game of Thrones? Oh shoot. Where was I? I get nervous sometimes.—She saw me when I was with her old caregiver—That’s me, right.—All curled up in a corner. She told her caregiver Yolanda, “My gosh this looks like George.” I guess I did, but he was male and I’m a female. I try to be a good kitty for my owner but sometimes I make her upset especially when I get up on the kitchen counter like I did today and I opened the little bag to get my catnip. I put it on the floor and her counter—my counter, where my pills are—then I hid in the closet because of what I did instead of waiting for her to give it to me. But I love my owner Sandy Dejong she is precious to me and I watch over her. My pet peeves: I love toys especially mice and stuff that I jump up for. Thank you, The Stranger.

Forever and ever,
Freeway Francine and Sandy

P.S. I hope I make your cover soon

Freeway is certainly on her way to fortune and glory. Sandy has had a few famous cats in her day. She showed us ads one of her cats, a regal long-haired white one, did for a cat food brand called Whiskas. She said her cat George (R.R. Meowtin) did advertising, too.

"Right now she does advertising for you guys, the Queen Anne Retirement Community Center, and her pictures are down at lower Safeway," Sandy said.

Sandy really loves Freeway. I asked Sandy if she thought Freeway really was Seattle's cutest cat.

"I think she’s very unique," Sandy said. "She watches me, she takes care of me, she’s an assistance companion animal because I’m disabled."

She's called me three times since we met and the third time, on her birthday, she asked if we could stay in touch more. She's really excited about Freeway being on the internet and even made a Facebook for the occasion.

"I wouldn't say my life has changed from the Sandy experience," Neal told me, "but it illuminated that not all advertisements are about turning a profit. Sometimes they tell their own story."

Thanks for sharing Freeway Francine with us, Sandy! She's definitely Seattle's cutest cat. You can find her on page 14 of our Pet Issue next to the axolotl or on the lower Queen Anne Safeway's bulletin board.