Paula writes:
“Chibi, or Liit as she is affectionately called, came to us unexpectedly in February 2014. We already had a bunch of rescued kittens at that time, and I was hesitant to take in more. I was afraid we will not be able to take care of them properly. But that evening, Liit’s cries can be heard several streets away. When we saw her on the sidewalk, alone and shivering, we could not possibly leave her there. “Is there room in the inn?,” she seemed to ask. Yes, we made room for her.
“Liit’s eyes were barely open and her ears were still tiny. We had no idea how to rear kittens this young, but a quick Google search told us she still needed lactose-free milk and should always be kept warm. My sister, not a cat person to begin with, found Liit a bit creepy with her scraggly fur and bony claws. But Liit thrived and grew plumper, and before long she had won my sister over. They spent many summer evenings together, bonding over bottle-feeding sessions while watching telenovelas on TV.
“When Liit was about five months old, I began to look for her new forever home and posted her pictures on Facebook. But my sister was thoroughly charmed by Liit and didn’t want to let her go. So Liit stayed for good. She was spayed a few months later, with my sister as the doting aunt and nurse while she was recovering. Liit has turned 2 years old soon earlier this year, but she is still the most malambing cat I have ever encountered, a rubbing purring machine, the cuddly princess of the clowder.”
Words and images by Paula Sauza.
About the contributor: Paula has loved cats ever since she was a child, but has just started rescuing and rehoming them recently. She currently lives with 3 cat masters, all of them rescued and spoiled rotten. (Her cat Olaf’s adoption story was featured here.) For 2016, Paula hopes to bring the stray cats in her neighborhood for spay/neuter.