I was living in the suburbs of a large African city and I had noticed there were no street cats. Anywhere.

In an impoverished and hungry society, any and all animals were fair game for the stew pot. Horrible on so many levels. There was also a city-wide trap and kill order for any felines that managed to escape the kitchen. As a future crazy old cat lady, this was the stuff of nightmares for me.

PHOTO: PEXELS

One day as I returned home from the market, I saw three security guards from our cul-de-sac standing in a tight group. I saw that one of the men had a tiny puff of black and white fur in his shirt pocket. A kitten!

We stopped the car and I jumped out. I asked the man where the kitten came from, and he told me its mother had been trapped and killed at a neighboring house.

I asked him what he planned to do with the kitten, and he said he would take it home and 'keep it until it was fat.' I asked the man if I could please have the kitten, and he said yes... for a price. Well, of course I paid the $25 he asked for and scooped that sweet baby right up.

She was about 5 weeks old when she came to live with us; she took to the litter box right away, and thrived on a diet of baby formula soaked kibble until she was ready for regular kitten food.

PHOTO: Anonymous

I was amazed by what a tough little cookie she was... and that's how she found her name: Cookie.

Cookie has grown to be a sweet and spirited young cat, and has immigrated back to the USA with our family. Even though I paid for her, I think she counts as a true rescue.

Photos: Cookie on her duckie the day she came home, Cookie next to her duckie a few months later!

Story submitted by Anonymous od Easton, Maryland.

Cookie's story was originally shared on theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com. Share your very own rescue story here!