"It was a lucky thing that Broccoli had a loud meow. The Berkeley, CA, kitten had been left in a garbage can with his brother, Bob, but their urgent cat calls were heard by sanitation workers—and the tiny felines were promptly escorted by these thoughtful heroes to the local shelter.
Says Amelia Ellis, who soon became Broccoli’s mom, 'My friend's daughter was volunteering with the Home at Last animal adoption group and fostered the kittens, bottle-feeding them for weeks until they were ready to eat on their own.'
Amelia adopted Broccoli when he was four months old. 'He was so sweet,' she remembers. 'When I'd leave in the morning for work, he'd stand in the window on his hind legs and cry for me to stay home with him.'
Says Amelia Ellis, who soon became Broccoli’s mom, 'My friend's daughter was volunteering with the Home at Last animal adoption group and fostered the kittens, bottle-feeding them for weeks until they were ready to eat on their own.'
Amelia adopted Broccoli when he was four months old. 'He was so sweet,' she remembers. 'When I'd leave in the morning for work, he'd stand in the window on his hind legs and cry for me to stay home with him.'
Though Broccoli was a bit timid after being separated from his brother, this little caterwauler quickly grew into his new domain. 'He’s now a whopping 18 pounds,' says his proud mom, 'and the windows belong to him.' Apparently, so does the bed. 'Brocs loves to play under the sheets when I'm putting on fresh ones.' Broccoli also thinks outside of the litterbox when it comes to treats. 'He goes for a good gnaw on a rawhide dog chew,' says Amelia, who also reports that he’s got quite a flair for literature. 'He likes to sit on whatever I’m reading!' And though Broccoli may have a big personality, the cat calls that once saved his life seem to have diminished in volume. 'He has a strangely small meow for an 18-pound cat,' says Amelia. This big boy must not have to call too loudly for his mom to appear."
This story was found at the ASPCA success stories page. Donate to the ASPCA.
I found this story moving, as we have had more than one cat become a part of the family by way of similar tragedies. For example, I found my cat, mimi sophie, during a February 2001 snow storm in Albany, NY. She was sitting behind a swinging glass door watching the people going into and out of a convenience store. I saw her, she rubbed on my leg, and, once offered, ate my leftover broccoli from the local Chinese food restaurant. That was how I knew she was starving. I felt her tummy, which was all skin and bones, except that she was round. Pregnant! Well, I took her home that night and we have been together ever since.
She survived her 1 month experience of living in the back seat of my car (my landlord would not let her in the house!) where she raised her two babies. After that, she and her kittens were temporarily adopted by friends of mine until I could take her home to Texas! (Her first plane trip). Her kittens all found homes, in fact one of them, Polly, is still living with the kind lady in Albany that "adopted" mimi sophie temporarily. So, you never know what will happen when you are out in a snow storm (and you make a wish...I had made a wish that I would have a basket of kittens set upon my porch in Albany, NY, and two weeks later I found mimi sophie, a "living kitty basket.").
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