I should preface this by saying that I am not a cat person, never have been and never thought I would be.

For me, dogs were much more loving and had distinguished personalities that made them so special. Cats just seemed like bitter beasts that did nothing but sleep and eat. But that all changed when a little fur ball named Nala landed in my lap.

On May 16th I received a message from a family friend that she had a kitten that was in need of a home. I had toyed with the idea of getting a little furry companion for some time, but now the opportunity had come. I drove to the house and met a hissing fur ball who wanted nothing to do with me. She did nothing but hiss and try to attack. I had no idea how we would ever get along, but I took her anyways.

I spent the next week trying to gain her trust, even taking her to friends who had cats to try and learn as much as I could. Eventually, she warmed up to me and spent her nights sleeping beside me, but still far enough to make a run if she needed to. I watched her transform from being an angry fearful kitten to a silly, sassy and loving one. She taught me to be patient and understanding, when I was so used to just doing things how I wanted to. There was no way I could just snap her out of her angry demeanor, so I had to meet her where she was and be patient in helping her to trust me. Because of how much time I was spending trying to figure her out, I forgot about a lot of other things that were stressing me out, including anxious thoughts.

I have struggled with anxiety my whole life, and have never found solutions. I've tried everything under the sun when it comes to coping with anxious moments. Little did I know, my answer would be found in Nala. I haven't had a single anxiety attack since getting her, and I owe it to her. Whether it's cuddling up in my lap, sleeping on my chest, or playing fetch, she has made otherwise anxiety triggering moments pass without a thought.

Since I had never had a kitten before, I spent a lot of my time researching what was best for her and asking my vet friend a billion questions. I wanted to build a life for her that would be stable and fulfilling. As someone who struggled with finding a stable living situation and barely making enough to scrape by, I wanted to make sure she always had more than enough. Life wasn't about just me anymore, now I had a someone depending on me.

As cheesy as it sounds, I now completely understand what parents mean when they say life changes after kids. Even though Nala isn't a baby in need of diaper changes or lessons on walking, she depends on me to make sure she is healthy and happy. When I'm out with friends, I'm constantly wondering what she is doing. If I hear a thunderstorm is coming, I go home early because I know she hates them. At night, I set up her favorite blankets so she's comfortable. I have become a newfound cat lady! Something I never thought I'd identify as. But how can I not be when she has done so much for me, and doesn't even know it.

So I say to those interested in getting a pet. Rather than going to a pet store or paying crazy amounts, why not rescue one from a shelter? Being a rescue mom has been the most rewarding experience and I'm so grateful I did it. Because I didn't just rescue Nala, she rescued me too.