A Graceful Homecoming
Orphaned Cat Adopted Through Iams Home 4 the Holidays Campaign
Valerie Lefeld was never much of an animal person. Then, two years ago a little white cat with gray patches showed up on her friend’s doorstep.
Oliver, as he would come to be known, had frostbite on one of his ears and paws. It had been snowing pretty badly that winter in Ohio and, despite some pet ownership apprehension, Valerie decided to take Oliver home.
Bring a Pet Home for the Holidays
After she saved Oliver, Valerie never imagined she’d make room for another cat. But just as millions of others have discovered during the Iams Home 4 the Holidays campaign, sometimes we’re powerless against a cat’s grateful purr.
This year, Iams Home 4 the Holidays organizers hope that as many as 1 million pets will be adopted by families and individuals who have a little extra room in their homes and their hearts.
Gracie Comes Home
It didn’t take long for Valerie, her husband and three children to begin considering themselves pet people after meeting Oliver. Now, Valerie says she looks forward to coming home to the family’s sixth member.
“I come home and say ‘Oliver, mommy’s home,’ and he comes running like a dog.”
During a recent visit to Paws Animal Shelter in Urbana, Ohio, Valerie came across a mamma cat with four, six-week-old kittens. The next thing she knew, she was reaching for one of those snuggly balls of fur.
“I picked her up,” says Valerie. “She was so little. She just sat in my arms and purred. I felt so bad because she was in that little cage and I guess I just bonded with her.
“Then, I left with her.”
Valerie had always liked the name Gracie. And it just seemed to fit this tiny black and gray-stripped kitten. Gracie and Oliver didn’t bond immediately, but now they’re inseparable.
“They love each other. They play constantly. They run after each other. They are the best of friends.”
"Go to a shelter and pick up a little kitten or a little dog and you won’t be able to put it down."
Pet Advice From a Convert
Valerie is still surprised sometimes how much happiness the cats have added to her life.
“I never thought I would feel this way about animals. It’s like having another kid, it really is. The cats are just other members of the family.”
She believes there are millions more like there out like her. Valerie says she knows just the way to explore whether you’re an animal lover.
“Go to a shelter and pick up a little kitten or a little dog and you won’t be able to put it down. You’re the only one who can help them.”
Adopt an Orphaned Pet
You can welcome an orphaned pet into your home, too. Iams Home 4 the Holidays annual adoption program is seeking loving homes for at least 1 million animals between Oct. 1, 2008 and Jan. 5, 2009.
Founded by Helen Woodward Animal Center in 1999, Iams Home 4 the Holidays harnesses the power of nearly 3,000 worldwide animal organizations in a global effort to raise awareness about the importance of pet adoption.
Families that adopt a dog, puppy, cat or kitten will receive an Iams Adoption Kit as part of the program, which contains tips and information on pet care, behavior, training and nutrition, along with coupons for other pet services.
To learn more about the Home 4 the Holidays campaign or to become involved, simply visit www.Iamshome4theholidays.com.
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