Five years ago, I was shacked up in a wobbly shed at the bottom of a garden.

I was a single cat with three tiny kittens to feed.

The pretty lady who owned that shed didn't know I was living in it.

I used to sneak in through a hole at the back.

I gave birth to my three kittens in there.

At the other end of the garden to the wobbly shed there was a warm house with pillows and fires and food cupboards.

I wanted to live there with the pretty lady and her two fat, lazy, overfed cats.

I hatched a cunning plan to finagle my way into that house through the power of my diminutive cuteness.

I was going to be moving up in the world, and my kittens were coming with me!

#bigplans #catpower #smallbutmighty #cuteandclever

One day, I was sitting on the lawn in front of the shed with my 3 kittens & the pretty lady saw us through the kitchen window!

My kittens were very scared & ran & hid in the shed. I was delighted the pretty lady noticed us. I was exhausted, thin & ill. Feeding 3 kittens when I was homeless & without steady food was very hard.

Over the next few weeks I paraded my little kittens around the back lawn in front of the kitchen window over & over again so the pretty lady could see how adorable we all were.

The pretty lady gave us chicken pieces to eat but my kittens were too scared of her to go near it.

I wasn't.

I ate all of it.

One time the pretty lady said "This is fresh cooked chicken from Sainsbury's. My mum bought it for you."

I thought her mum must be very nice.

Now the hard part had started!

How on earth was I going to get my kittens to stop being scared of the pretty lady, & to understand that she wanted to help us & not hurt us?

So every day the pretty lady came into the garden with food for us.

Tuna, chicken, corned beef, salmon.

It was a buffet of all the best, wafty, smelly foods she could think of to tempt my little kittens.

I would sit next to the food so my kittens would know it was safe for them to eat it. But they were so scared of the pretty lady they were reluctant to go near the house.

The pretty lady was very clever & realised what was happening, so instead of leaving the food near the house, she started leaving the food next to the hole in the shed so my kittens only had to take a few steps to reach the food.

It worked! My kittens would come out of the hole, take a few little steps and eat all the lovely food the pretty lady brought for us!

Yay! The first problem was solved.

Every day, the pretty lady came with food & put it by the hole in the shed.

All the fresh, wafty food was lovely.

I was very happy & so were my kittens.

But we were still living in the shed!

How was I going to get my kittens into the house?

One day, when the pretty lady came out into the garden with food for us, she didn't go back into the house like she usually did. Instead she sat down in a garden chair & kept very still!

She had been thinking about the problem too & had come up with a plan to help me!

After that, every time that the pretty lady came out with food for us, she sat down in a garden chair & waited for my kittens to come out of the hole in the shed to eat the food.

She didn't move. She didn't make a sound. She just waited.

The pretty lady was so clever!

My kittens were afraid of her, but they wanted the food!

As the days passed, they got used to seeing the pretty lady sitting still in the chair, waiting, each time she brought out some food.

After a week or so, my kittens would happily eat the food while the pretty lady sat at the other end of the garden, keeping very still & very quiet.

Then, each day after that, the pretty lady sat just a little bit closer to the hole in the shed each time she brought out food for us.

After two more weeks the pretty lady was able to sit right next to the hole in the shed, & right next to my kittens, while they ate the food she brought.

The pretty lady couldn't move or touch my kittens though.

How was she going to take them into the house?

All the fresh food from the pretty lady was lovely, but we still weren't in the house.

I was starting to feel more & more tired.

It was hard work feeding my kittens so much milk, trying to keep them safe, & hunting for food for myself.

I was getting ill & tired.

On a particular day, when I was feeling particularly sad that we still weren't in the house, the pretty lady came out with our food & a strange box with a little door on the front.

She put the box on the floor next to her chair & put the food between the box & the hole in the shed.

My kittens were afraid of the box but they were very hungry.

After sitting looking at the box & the lady for a while, they edged close & ate the food.

The next day, the lady came out again with the box.

This time she put the food & the box closer to each other.

My kittens definitely didn't like that box, but they were too hungry to fuss for too long & eventually, while I & the pretty lady waited, they ate the food.

This went on for several days, moving the box & the food closer together.

The pretty lady was very patient.

I liked her very much.

I liked her so much that the next time she came out with the food & the box, & sat in her chair, I jumped into her lap!

I purred a lot, just so she'd know I really liked her.

The pretty lady tickled me under the chin, & told me how brave & beautiful I was.

Right then was when I realised I loved her.

So, we had a box that my kittens were afraid of & we were still living in the shed.

I was very tired & getting ill.

What was the pretty lady going to do next to help me get my kittens into the house?

I didn't know what to do next, but the pretty lady did!

The next time she came out she put the box next to her chair, & put the wafty, smelly food in the box!

She sat very still & waited.

My kittens wanted the food but they were terrified of the box & wouldn't go inside.

For the next week, each day, the pretty lady put the food in the box, put the box by the chair & waited quietly.

My kittens sat outside the box & watched the food. They wouldn't go inside.

It was a stand off!

After several days my kittens got fed up of not eating the food so they had a decided to send the biggest kitten, Benny, in first to see if it was safe.

He was very brave.

After the biggest kitten Benny went in, the other two were happy to go in too!

One by one!

There wasn't a moment when all 3 kittens were in the box at the same time.

One kitten would go in, eat, then come out. Another kitten would go in, eat, then come out. They all 3 took turns!

The pretty lady didn't want to close the door without all 3 kittens inside. She knew my kittens wouldn't go near the box again if they thought it was a trap!

I think this was the lowest point for me & the pretty lady. We were both so tired, & worried about my kittens. I knew they would be safer & happier in the house but my kittens didn't understand what humans were & so they were very suspicious.

So, we had a box big enough to hold all 3 of my kittens... My kittens were going in the box now to eat but they wouldn't go in together.

How on earth was the pretty lady going to get them all in the box at the same time & be able to close the door?!

It was weeks since the pretty lady had first seen us in her garden.

She had been so patient.

On a day no different than any other, the pretty lady put the box by the chair, put the food inside & sat down.

She was tired so closed her eyes for just a minute. Her breathing slowed down.

My kittens noticed she was extra still so, one by one, they slowly walked into the box.

I sat & watched as my kittens sat in the box all together & the pretty lady TOOK A NAP!

My nerves were shattered!

Was she going to open her eyes & notice?!

YES!

The pretty lady quietly opened her eyes, noticed my kittens all sitting in the box, said something about some guy called Gordon Bennett, & then quickly closed the door!

The pretty lady picked up the box & carried my kittens towards the house.

She said, "C'mon Betty, I want to show you your new bed."

I didn't know who Betty was but I liked the sound of "new bed".

I trotted after the pretty lady into into my new home.

There is a little bit more to my story that I want to share with you.

Not long after I was rescued by the pretty lady, I became very ill. I wouldn't get up off my blanket & the pretty lady was very worried about me.

She took me to the vets.

The vet told the pretty lady I had bacterial peritonitis & that I needed an operation to help me survive.

He said "It's touch & go, the next 24 hours are crucial".

The pretty lady was very upset & I was very scared.

The pretty lady kissed me & told me she loved me, then the vet took me into his animal hospital.

I was so scared without the pretty lady with me.

The vet looked after me very well, gave me lots of medicine & did an operation to clean my abdomen.

The next day, I was lying in the animal hospital after my operation when I looked through the glass & saw the pretty lady!

She had come to see me!

I felt so ill I couldn't stand up but I made my paws quiver & I purred, so the pretty lady knew how happy I was to see her.

She opened the door & put her whole head in to my hospital cage so she could kiss me.

I purred so loud when she kissed the top of my head!

I'd survived the first 24 hours after my operation!

I wasn't alone - the pretty lady loved me & was helping me get well!

I'll tell you what happened next, tomorrow... (I'm sorry, my paws are a little bit tired. Time for a sleep!)

So, where was I? Oh, yes, I'd survived the 1st 24 hrs after my op, & my kittens & I had a home.

It took me a while to get my strength back. I had 4 operations in total before I was finally clear of infection.

I lost a lot of weight & was in too much pain to eat.

So the pretty lady gave me Dreamies. I hated the special food the vet gave me for sick cats, but when the pretty lady wafted a Dreamie past my nose, I noticed.

First, I just licked them, but eventually I started to eat them, one yummy Dreamie at a time.

By this time my kittens were eating solids &, to be perfectly honest, driving me round the bend.

They were totally feral.

And not to put too fine a point on it, I'd done my best to bring them up properly, but they were what some might call... Erm... A bit... Short of manners.

They climbed EVERYTHING.

They knocked everything over.

They rolled around, ripped things, & threw themselves onto & off every surface.

Oh, yeah, & they pooped.

A LOT.

So much popping.

ALL the pooping.

I loved them but I was mortified.

Basically, my kittens looked adorable but behaved like Gremlins who'd been fed after midnight & had water dribbled on them.

I was exhausted, & very ill, so totally unable to sort them out.

How were we going to find new homes for very pretty but very poopy, naughty kittens?

It wasn't easy.

Firstly, let me tell you a bit about my kittens. Here they are with me on our first night in the pretty lady's house.

2 girls & a boy.

A tabby girl, a brown/black girl & a brown/black boy.

Adorable (but very poopy)!

So, let me remember, ah yes, my kittens needed new homes but were total thugs.

So, the Pretty Lady told all her friends about my kittens. She asked everyone she knew who loved cats if they wanted a kitten.

She asked for help (it's very important to ask for help if we need it)

The Pretty Lady told everyone about Bobby (Roberta), a little girl kitten with black fur (& hidden stripes) who was very intense, very funny & very, very feisty.

With huge blue eyes & a huge heart to match.

And the Pretty Lady told everyone about Benny (Benjamina) a little girl tabby kitten with brown stripes, who was shy & strong, & very independent.

Benny liked the quiet, snoozing curled up tight in the dark & having time alone.

Then the Pretty Lady told everyone about Bernard, the little boy kitten with black fur who didn't like having his picture taken & only ever wanted to be next to his feisty sister, Bobby.

Tiny Bernard who was somehow tender & gentle in his mischievous naughtiness.

And everyone loved Bobby, & Benny & Bernard.

They loved the photos the Pretty Lady showed them of my beautiful, funny kittens, and they loved the stories the Pretty Lady told them about my fluffy, thuggy kittens.

And so we waited to see what would happen next.

Where was I? Ah, yes, the story of how my kittens found their forever homes!

So, to refresh! The Pretty Lady had told everyone about my kittens. She posted pictures online, & sent messages to friends & family.

She got quiet & asked for help from The Universe.

Then we waited.

The 1st miracle to arrive came in the form of one of the Pretty Lady's most favourite friends, H.

H & her little daughter were looking for a companion for the beautiful cat that they had already rescued and brought into their loving home.

H & her daughter took one look at Benjamina, my little sweet tabby kitten, & fell in love with her.

Benjamina has her forever home with H, her daughter & their other rescue cat. She is happy, loves her cat sister, & is adored by H & her daughter.

Happy ending no. 1.

Bobby & Bernard were visited by lots of people who wanted kittens, but when the people saw that Bobby & Bernard were black kittens, the people didn't want to give them a forever home!

Can you even begin to believe it?!

The Pretty Lady & I were so sad about this.

The people would say things like:

"Oh, they're black. They will be harder to see."

Or

"Black kittens aren't as pretty as other kittens."

The Pretty Lady didn't like this at all. Neither did I.

The Pretty Lady wouldn't let my kittens go to just any old house, so if the people who came to see my kittens were disappointed that they were black - the Pretty Lady wouldn't let the kittens go to those homes.

FYI, it wasn't friends of the Pretty Lady who were being unkind about my kittens being black.

The Pretty Lady had contacted lots of cat rescue charities & those charities were kindly sending people to see my kittens.

But the people who were coming didn't love black cats.

The Pretty Lady has a lovely friend, L, who was playing with my kittens when a family came to see them. The family took one look at my kittens & said "Oh no, they're black, you didn't say they were black."

L looked at them stunned & said "Are you cat racists?"

The Pretty Lady and her friend L, were very upset that people could be so prejudiced about the colour of a cat's fur.

Black cats are no different than any other cats.

We are beautiful & we deserve love & care as much as any other cat.

The Pretty Lady was determined to find homes for Bobby & Bernard.

After much searching the Pretty Lady found a doctor who loved cats, lived nearby, & who ran a little cat shelter at her home.

She took cats in, who lived with her as long as they needed to.

So Bobby & Bernard went to live with the doctor who loved cats & after more searching were both moved to their forever homes with loving people who love black cats & aren't at all cat "racists" .

Happy ending 2 & 3.

There's just one more part of this story to tell.

It's the saddest but most important part.

The reason for my searching for the Pretty Lady, the miracle behind all of it, not just for myself & my kittens, but for the Pretty Lady too.

The last part of my story is about what happened to the Pretty Lady & the Pretty Lady's mum.

It's the reason I searched so hard for the Pretty Lady.

I wanted a home for my kittens. But I needed to find the Pretty Lady so I could rescue her.

It wasn't me that needed rescuing.

I mentioned near the beginning of my story that the Pretty Lady's mum used to buy cooked chicken & bring it to the Pretty Lady's house especially for me & my kittens to eat.

The PL's mum was kind, loved cats & most of all really loved the Pretty Lady.

The Pretty Lady's mum was funny, sweet, shy, kind & a cat lover.

She loved flowers, cats, baking, cats, the Pretty Lady, cats & her black labrador.

She was adorable.

There is one more person to introduce to this story alongside the Pretty Lady & her mum.

The Pretty Lady has a sister.

A sweet, kind, funny sister. Who is also a cat lover.

The Pretty Lady, her mum, her dad & her sister are a close family.

All cat lovers. (An important detail from my perspective.)

At the time that I found the Pretty Lady, moved into her shed & finagled my way into her home, the Pretty Lady's sister was being treated for cancer.

The Pretty Lady's sister was having a strong & strenuous course of chemotherapy.

It was April & the Pretty Lady's family was focused on the Pretty Lady's sister & her cancer journey.

As you can imagine, it wasn't an easy time.

At this time, while the Pretty Lady's family supported her sister through her cancer treatment, the Pretty Lady's mum became ill too.

As the Pretty Lady was finding homes for my kittens, & helping me fight peritonitis, & watching her sister be ill, her mum became ill too.

I arrived just as the Pretty Lady's mum began to be ill.

After lots of investigations & months of trying to find out what was wrong, the doctors discovered that the Pretty Lady's mum had terminal cancer.

While the Pretty Lady's sister was fighting cancer, the Pretty Lady discovered that their mum had terminal cancer.

It was a very sad time.

8 weeks after her terminal cancer diagnosis, & only a few months after I had arrived, the Pretty Lady's mum passed away.

And that's when I realised that it wasn't the Pretty Lady who needed to rescue me, it was me who needed to rescue the Pretty Lady.

I made it my mission to thank the Pretty Lady for everything she had done to love me by loving her back more when she needed me.

In the months following the death of the Pretty Lady's mum, I wouldn't leave the Pretty Lady's side.

I sat on her lap. I slept on her head, neck, face, across her eyes, over her legs.

I curled up all over her.

I loved her every minute.

When she cried, I curled up on her & purred. I would put my paw on her face & let her know I was with her.

I would curl up in the crook of her arm & stare right into her eyeballs so she would know I could see her hurt & I loved her.

I wouldn't let her be alone in her hurt.

It was during this time that the Pretty Lady & I became true deep friends.

We had needed each other & we'd found each other at just the right time.

We had loved each other through hard times & had known how to help each other to heal from our hurt.

The Pretty Lady had helped me heal my body & I helped her heal her heart.

True friends come in all shapes & sizes.

Sometimes the best friends of all are furry.

I found the Pretty Lady at just the right time. When I needed her & when she needed me. We didn't know it at the time, but we were supposed to rescue each other.

I'm a rescue cat & my Pretty Lady is a rescue human & we couldn't be happier about it.

Thank you for reading my story.

Thank you for being here & being a friend.

When I lived in the shed I dreamed of the life I've got now.

Dreams come true.

P. S. The Pretty Lady's sister has been cancer-free for 5 years.

Happy ending number 4.