Stella
Our green-eyed beauty Stella came to us in the summer of 2008 when she brought her 5 tiny kittens to live under our backyard deck. We brought all the kittens inside when they were old enough to leave her and found them loving homes including one that we kept, our precious boy Harvey. It took me over a year to finally catch Stella, so that I could get her spayed. We tried to keep her inside but she just wasn't happy, so we returned her to our yard where she decided to take up permanent residency. My husband built her an insulated cat house with a heater and she never went hungry enjoying rotisserie chicken and a bottomless bowl of cat food. We had developed a trusting bond as I would take Harvey out for 'cat walks' on a harness and leash and Stella was always right there with us, following us around and letting me pet her. In 2016, we decided that it was time to move and we couldn't leave Stella behind. I had to trap her again and from there she became a new inside kitty that adjusted quite well to being in a home. She had always been a part of our family and now she was with us all the time. She was healthy and happy. She would let me know when it was time for bed and help me fall asleep with pets and snuggles. She would sit with me while I had my morning coffee and enjoyed each orher's company. Stella suddenly and unexpectedly had a stoke on Monday, August 28 when we had to make the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye. We are grateful for Rochester AEC's vet tech and doctor that did all they could to help her before she passed. Their ability to work quickly and get her comfortable helped ease my sadness as she passed peacefully in my arms. I know we'll meet again someday along with all the others that have left our lives too soon. Stella had taught me so much about caring for community cats and helping them through trap-neuter-return efforts and guided me to volunteering with an awesome group called Tigerlily Cat Rescue. I will continue to help kitties in need in her loving memory. Thank you Stella for all the wonderful memories, you are very loved and very missed.