This is Honey.

"Honey" is a tiny 2 year old female cat found by a local rescue around Chicago. She is a good 6 lb's fully soaked. She may have been a discarded cat by a poor or inexperienced breeder. It's really such a shame; educated, well meaning breeders are such an asset to pet owners everywhere by maintaining and protecting a cat's genetics. There are good and bad breeders just as there are good and bad owners.

She was rescued by a shelter in the outskirts of Chicago, Illinois. It was there discovered that little Honey was going to mother kittens. She later became a ward of Great Lakes Bengal Rescue and caring foster parent Julie, the first of many fortunes in her young hard life. Three kittens were raised up into rambunctious, healthy eating little balls of fur. 

By 10 weeks, these kittens were already nearly as large as little Mom, with male Tigger being a bit larger than his two sisters. What strikes me more than anything is Honey Cat's sweet temperament despite her unfortunate start to life. No batting, no hissing, no attempts at reprimanding the little ones. Her entire world is devoted to grooming, nurturing and caring for her ward. Perhaps because of this, the kittens are active and intelligent and just as loving as Honey Cat. On a recent trip to the Vet's after the little ones were weaned, it was also discovered that Honey's small body was pocked with tiny welts. The kitten's roughhousing left their mark on the little female in more ways than one.

My name is Helen. In ten days, I will hold my Honey Cat through the last step of her journey from fosters in Rockford Illinois to the 5 hour trip home in the outskirts of rural Michigan.