Support the Dearborn Animal Shelter! Or, How A Cat Saved My Life

As I arrived home from a long day of work, a new yet instantly familiar sound greeted me from inside of my apartment, even before I had fumbled with my keys long enough to find the correct one to let me in.

It was A.J., the newest addition to my “family” - a two-year-old longhaired tortoiseshell cat with beautiful yellow eyes.

It was 2007, and I had just moved out of my parents' house for the first time. Six hundred square feet of a first-floor apartment in Inkster was the best I could afford as I worked my way through my final year of college at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. And my $500 rent checks were frequently late, or funded by a generous donation from the Bank of Mom and Dad.

Still, living on my own was paradise – as a concept.

I couldn't cook much more than a bowl of pasta. I worked two jobs on top of full-time classes, an internship and running my college newspaper. I had a lot of friends. A boyfriend. Parents who, though slightly appalled by my living situation and lack of fruits and vegetables in my kitchen, were supportive. But when it comes down to it, when you move out of a household of five as a mostly clueless 21-year-old, you're pretty much alone.

Then came A.J.

I hope I'm not the only cat-lover who has done this: I used to visit PetSmart (though I had no pet) just to look at the adoptable cats, pet each and every one, call them by name, and imagine which I might take home.

Please tell me I'm not the only one.

It was on such a trip, not long after I had settled into my shabby yet glorious new apartment, when I laid eyes upon A.J. Her name then was Almond, she was a stray from the Dearborn Animal Shelter, and she immediately spoke to me – figuratively and literally. I didn't have money for a dinner that wasn't a $5 Hot-N-Ready, let alone an animal. But somehow I filled out the paperwork and the next day, I took her home.

My empty apartment was now filled with the sound of meows. Suddenly not so alone.

That day in 2007, as I fell into bed for a nap in between a long day of work and a longer night of homework, A.J. jumped up next to me and laid down. It was perfect.

A.J. is now eight years old. Our living space has more than doubled at our home in Dearborn, but we share it with my boyfriend, Dan; a goofy orange tabby, Krueger; and the newest member of our family, the rambunctious Affenpinscher, Alfie.

But A.J. was the first animal I adopted, and though it sounds silly to say this about a cat, we've been through a lot together.

No one wants to admit that becoming an adult – finishing college, moving out, getting a job – is terrifying. So I'll say it: Super scary. But I believe that having animals in my life has helped. They teach you the importance of caring for someone other than yourself. They are there to hold when bad things happen. And they love you, cuddle with you, and greet you at the door every day.

They don't care that you're a stupid young adult still figuring things out.

A.J. also introduced me to the Friends For The Dearborn Animal Shelter, an organization I have been proud to support for years as a volunteer.

This Saturday, May 11, will be my first time participating in the Dearborn Mutt Strut. Dan and I have been fundraising (we're not great at it, but we're trying), and we're excited to take our crazy dog Alfie out for this walk around west Dearborn for a great cause: raising funds for FFDAS. We apologize in advance to all of the people he tries to jump on and lick.

But even though A.J. won't be there (sorry - dogs only!), and even though I love all of my animals, there's a special place in my heart for the cat that made growing up much more bearable – and for the organization that brought her into my life.

Please support the Dearborn Animal Shelter! You can donate to our Mutt Strut team, the Dearborn Dogs (and see pictures of all of our awesome animals) here: http://dearbornmuttstrut.com/dms2/teampage.asp?fundid=498

And, more importantly, please consider them when thinking about adopting. Who knows – they may just save your life.