My name is Miller Bierbaum…

I never had my own home. I grew up on the streets in local Little Rock. I ate whatever and whenever I could. I had to survive. Food didn’t come easy, and most days it didn’t come at all.

I longed to belong. Most of the other alley cats told me to “never trust humans”. Of course, I ignored them because I so desperately wanted to be loved. I worked hard at getting to know the humans that would pass me by. Some would say I was handsome and give me a bit of food. That would make it a good day. Others tossed stones and chased me away. Maybe the other alley cats were right, but I had to keep trying. Winter is hard on a fellow with no food and sore feet. If someone would just look, they could see my charm, if they would give me a chance. So day after day I proudly purred my songs for every human that walked by, “please if you’d just give me a chance”. I’d try and try.

Well I guess it was just too much to ask. I didn’t know I was doing wrong. I walked up to a human and I purred my best purr…looking straight into his eyes.

Before I could see what was coming, it was over. I felt a tight grip around my waist, just below my back legs. I felt my flesh rip almost in two. I was in such pain; all I could do was scream. The other cats had already run to hide. My buddies watched but could do nothing. The human had snatched me up with a rope around both my rear legs and was swinging me up into the air, around and around while he laughed. Oh the pain was incredible. It gripped my very being.

The other alley cats didn’t think I’d make it. Neither did I. Blood was everywhere. I couldn’t walk. I lay there helpless and started to loose hope. A couple of days had gone by and I was pretty much near the end. I looked up and there was another human. Then and there fear gripped my very soul. But this human picked up my broken body and comforted me.

So that is where I am now…with a kind human who is working to restore my broken body. Upon my arrival, she gave me my very first kiss and told me she is treating my raw flesh. The humans that are helping me are working to restore all that I am. They are working hard to replace the faith I had once freely given to humans.

So now I have a name and have a human that is caring for me. But most of all I feel loved. Yes I’m pretty patched up now, but I am told with enough medical treatment and love I can not only have a name but also have my first home and meals that come daily.

As I write this, I offer my purrs of gratitude of love to those that continue to work to give us alley cats a second chance. We need love too… Special purrs to all those FuRR people & special thanks to Dr. Bierbaum for helping to rebuild my broken body.

But especially, thanks to my Mom, Rita, for giving me my forever home.

Signed, An Alley Cat with a name
My name is Miller Bierbaum