Last April we said goodbye to our 16 year old kitty-child, a very difficult time. We have missed her terribly but just couldn't think about replacing her. We missed her too much.

Three weeks ago I stopped in the PetSmart store on the way home from work just to look at the Humane Society cats there. Just to look, you know. I walked past a sad row of cats all asleep in cages, like life was too hard to face waking. All silent except for one greeting "Mrrrt?" from the back of a cage. Could I hold that one? I certainly could.

She's on my lap now, and the computer is pushed way out to my knees to make room for her. I haven't named her yet but she is the sweetest, gentlest, most loving little cat I've ever met in my 60 years. All they could tell me is that she was a stray, and she's about five. She's a little lover. She pets us with her paws, kisses, hugs, stands on her hind legs and stretches up her front legs to be picked up, and is just a doll. At night if she gets cold she sticks her nose under the covers and, wiggle-wiggle-wiggle - gets under there with us.

Someone lost a great cat and I feel sorry for them, but glad she made it to the Humane Society before something bad happened to her.