I see stories every day of people adopting one or two cats, but all but two of mine came to me in groups. I had recently lost both elderly cats, and chose a Siamese hybrid mix kitten from my sister's cats, meaning to only have one cat from then on. Little did I know what was in store for me! I heard of two tuxedo female cats needing rescue that had been literally discarded in some bushes, so I took them both. I found a great home for one of them. Then a tortoiseshell female cat walked up to me in the front yard, jumped into my arms and has not left the house since. Then, a neighborhood female grey tabby stray trooped up to my house with four kittens (2 males and 2 females), and I couldn't let anything happen to the little 5-week-old kittens, so I took them in and watched a mother feed her babies for the first time. We lost one of those female babies the first night sadly, to something she had when I took her in. And mom already had respiratory problems and vision problems and still has them but is such a sweetheart. Then, there was a white and black cat and an orange tabby, both boys, who were living outside but looked so cold in the winter that I took them in during the first winter they were living on my porch. I just lost the black and white cat (I never could tell if he was a white cat with black splotches or vice versa!) two weeks ago from old age. And there are still a gray male tabby (brother to the mother I took in) and a calico living on my front porch. (Someone ran over the elderly ginger tabby who was part of the group last year while I was on vacation). The calico is feral and I still can't touch her after several years feeding her. I live-trapped her to have her spayed. And yes, they are all spayed and vetted. It's been a journey that I didn't expect but wouldn't change for anything. All the kittens are now grown and running around the house. I love them all and it's probably a good thing that I don't have kids of my own because I have plenty of four-legged ones! I always say Adopt, don't Shop! because they make the best, most loving kids and companions!

Rachel C.
LIBERTY, NC