My story is simple. I had an elder companion cat that I nursed through 5 years of declining health. She was a shelter cat. She came to me 20 + years ago with what they used to call kennel cough. I could have given up. I kept her and she turned into the best friend and companion animal I could have possibly ever wanted. She died in my arms and it broke my heart.

After a few months of grieving like I was grieving for a person, I went out to to a shelter. I could not save my precious so I saved another. She was very cute, but weighed 5 lb. It took two people to catch her out of the huge cages they keep them in. They said she’s a stray/feral. I kept walking with my new cat, Grace.

She ran around my house for six days as if it was a new cage. It was difficult to feed her and I thought I was going to have to take her back to the kill shelter. I began to read to her, and sing to her, and talk to her in soft loving tones like a child. Now tonight the stray/feral cat lays sleeping on my bed not quite tame. She’s told me she wants a friend, it’s getting cold out there now. All the shelters are full. I intend to go adopt another cat from the shelter.

Foster/Adopt, don’t Shop. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.