My Animal Friends Are My Teachers

Book excerpt: After a group of boys mistreated him, a young kitten ran and hid. He sat under a bush until he calmed down. He did not know what to do. As he started to nap, he realized there was a human who would help him. He looked around until he found her house. The young girl sat in her backyard. He cautiously walked up to the girl and climbed in her lap. The kitten needed her help, so he could learn to trust humans again and heal his wounds. He knew, as cats knew, that she needed his help to gain confidence in her ability to help animals, and he was to teach her how to trust herself. She named the cat Blackie. He helped her save some of the birds and other animals when they were injured. She helped Blackie recover from the injuries he received when he was in cat fights. The cat remained to be her support and companion during these adventures. When Blackie realized his time was finished, he waited until he knew the next cat was on the way. That cat became Natasha, and she changed everything.