I started with one beautiful orange girl that was my world, Missy. A few years later, a friend asked me to take a male kitten whose mom had passed and she had been bottle feeding him, she said if I didn't take him he was going to the shelter, so I agreed and gave him to my father to help keep him company since my mom recently passed. A year later, I helped a momma kitty and her 8 kittens, I found all of the kittens homes and I refused to return the mama to her former owner due to the poor living conditions she would go back to. So I had two cats that I love dearly. Shortly after my father became ill, me and my 2 babies moved home to take care of him. We now had 3 cats running around, my 2 and his. Two years later my father passed, then 3 months later, the day after Christmas, I lost my first baby Missy. Oh how my heart broke. A friend of mine has a rescue and I decided to adopt 2 kittens that needed a home together. As much as I missed my baby, I knew other needed love too. So now I have 4 babies running around. What joy they bring and spoiled is not the word. This past fall, my best friend told me that she had 4 ferral kittens in her yard that she wanted to catch before winter. I agreed to help her, I had the extra room. All of the babies had eye infections, upper respiratory infections and worms. My friends step son took one of the kittens when it was ready and I still have the other 3. So now I have 7 fur babies, 4 adults and 3 kittens. I love them all so much and even though they are thriving, 2 of the 3 I have still need socialization work with people. I had decided unless someone has as much patience as I do, the would remain with me. The past few years have been difficult losing both my parents in less than 5 years that the unconditional love and joy these babies bring me on a daily basis has helped. I was able to save 4 kittens that would have died if not treated. We have since caught the momma and my vet currently has her to spay her so there are no more babies. My vet is wonderful and has been there treating these babies. My story is not grand, but a small act of kindness can change the world for these animals and after the loss of my parents, they opened my heart and have given me comfort. It has been a lot of work and I have enjoyed every moment of it.

Melinda Funk
HUDSON, NY