02/21/2026
True story:
When I was a kid, my mom found a cat on the freeway and brought it home. “Freeway” had kittens and my mom gave us one (my dad and I lived separately from her). That kitten soon became a cat, and “Spunky” soon had kittens. Surprise! Her five kittens were so cute, my dad didn’t want to get rid of them.
So, “Brainy”, “Clawed”, “Spooky” and another whose name is escaping me, stayed our kittens. Well, they became cats too! And got pregnant! Along with “Spunky” again!
In a couple months, they ALL had kittens and we suddenly had 22 cats!
When I tell you there was no man that loved animals the way my dad did, I really mean it. His heart was gold. He found homes for all those kittens, without spaying/neutering and vaccinating. He didn’t know, and I didn’t learn til much later, that this adds to the crisis of overpopulation, and leads to their suffering.
I think it’s important to remember that shaming people for not knowing is not helpful. My dad was an avid animal lover. He only earned $10,080 a year in his best year, so he had way more love than dollars.
I try to remember him and where I came from when I’m trying to help cats and their caretakers.
