Last night, when I finally let Muddy out of his carrier in Robb and Oksana’s bedroom and I saw two faces light up in surprise and delight- this confirmed why I rescue.

When I think back to the day that Muddy arrived into my arms – and he was near-death; cold and wrinkled paws, cold ears, pale gums. Nothing on hand to bring him back to the world but me and my cup of exotic coffee. I carefully dropped drips of coffee (called a Mudslide) into an unresponsive mouth (using the typical straw that Buzz’d provides with all their hot drinks).

Stroking the throat of the kitten, I prayed that he would find the strength to at least swallow some of it. That the sweetness along with the caffiene would wake up organs that were starting to shut down, all the while muttering expletives at the person who left him to die. Then after some anxious moments of rubbing him with an old sweater I always carry in my car and wrapping him up tight- I felt movement in my arms. I blasted the heater full-bore and I raced him to the vet arriving just as they were opening up for the day.

He came back to us just as I pulled into the parking lot of the clinic and they wasted no time ushering him back, giving him warming fluids and telling me the coffee was the best thing I could have done. Muddy, the vet said was about 4 weeks old.

Well, looking at those two young people and the smiles on their faces, I knew it was all worth it. Muddy now has a forever home, and eventually, I know he will make friends with TJ the lab/border collie mix and these two newly-married folks will love on him and care for him.

He no longer will have to fight to get his favorite nap spot away from MK or wait patiently (or sometimes not) for Baker and Trump (my strongest alphas) to finish their meal before he can start without being kitty challenged.

I think of this morning when he wakes up on their bed in their spacious and clean apartment. He does not know clean- he does know clutter though! LOL. I will miss his chin kisses, his tentative searching of his paw at my mouth- almost as if he is saying- “Mom what actually is in there anyway? Any treats for me?”

All the worrying I do, all the praying, the maintaining, cleaning, scooping filling of thirty litter pans, the-round-the-clock feedings of the latest bottle baby arrivals, the 4:00 a.m. “MOM you aren’t awake yet?” wake-up calls by the cats- making sure all the food trays are filled and then washed after the cats are through eating. The juggling of household bills to accomodate the vet debt- the herding of the cats during flea treatment day, all of it becomes inconsequential when I am able to deliver such delighted smiles to people searching for just the right cat for their lives.

And thanks too to Fran Krieger of K-9 Homefinders- a dear friend who allows me to share her PetFinders page and list the cats I have who are available for adoption.

So one more goes out the door, and I am sure in time, one more will appear on my doorstep, or in my radar and this kitten or cat will need me along their way; in their journey of finding their own forever home.