I volunteer with a TNR Cat Rescue organization. On Mother's Day weekend 2009, we trapped a feral colony living under a bridge. One of the cats trapped was a young torti mom, maybe 7 months old, who was found to have been nursing when she was spayed. Sadly, the kittens were never found. A week after her spay, this little kitty still had not taken a bite of food or water and was dehydrated and weak. The vet examined her, gave her sub-q fluids and tested her for FIV/FeLV, but didn't find anything wrong. Later that evening, as we were preparing to leave, the kitty was laying on her side with a faraway look in her eyes and barely breathing. I could not bear to think she would die in a cage alone, so I took her home. I made her comfortable in a bathroom and stayed with her for hours. It occurred to me that the kitty was dying of a broken heart without her kittens - I couldn't imagine how frightened and alone she felt. Over the next few days she started to eat and showed signs that she was not always a feral. The cats from her colony had been taken back, and she had missed her ride. I decided to let her live with a litter of kittens I was fostering. Even though she was no longer lactating, she treated the kittens as her own and kept them clean and well mannered. She was a happy little girl whose eyes seemed to always be smiling. She was the most awesome feline hockey player I'd ever seen. I put her picture and story on Petfinders and a wonderful couple fell in love and adopted her. This year "Bridgette" sent me an email Mother's Day Card! Very Special!

Kathe O'Connor
Wilmington, DE