During the Fall of 2004, a local business heard the cries of kittens outside their building. When an employee investigated, he found a litter of brand new kittens that had been abandoned by their mom in the dumpster behind their building. He rescued three kittens covered in coffee grounds, spaghetti sauce, and fleas. Another employee, a friend of mine, contacted me after hearing that I had been looking for a companion for my cat. So I met with her and saw three tiny 2 week old kittens. When I sat on her kitchen floor, the small black and white tuxedo kitty, the female, crawled up next to me and when I picked her up, she curled up on my lap like she was home. So I took her and named her Phoenix, for she had risen from the literal ashes of the dumpster!But I was living alone in an apartment with my 4-year old cat, working full time and getting my Masters degree, so I didnt know how I would care for this kitten that was still drinking milk. But I came home on my lunch hour every day and fed her milk and she lived in my bathroom for the first couple of weeks of her life, until she could eat solid food and use the litter box. Meanwhile, one of her siblings had gone to another owner, but didnt survive. The other sibling went to an animal shelter and sadly didnt make it, either.She was skittish, but loved to cuddle! She always loved people and wanted to be held and petted. She was a fantastic pet for 18 years. Even when she went deaf, and eventually lost her sight, she just wanted love. We will miss her greatly in our home.