Sometimes the best way to reach a scared cat is to stop reaching. Annikin taught me that lesson three years ago, and I carry it with me every time I sit with a fearful cat who isn't ready to trust me yet. Sometimes we need to stop, breathe, and let the cat decide what happens next.

Little Bit Squish spent much of her early life outside, wary of human touch and easily startled. But with time, patience, stability, and unending love, this once-hissy girl began to find her courage—and blossom into the cat she was always meant to be.