Wendy hesitated. Feeding four cats was already a challenge on her pension. But the thought of Lucky spending his final years in a cage—or worse—was unbearable.
“Feeding five cats isn’t much different from feeding four,” she reasoned. “At least he’ll have a home.”
And so, Lucky came home.
Despite his rough appearance, Lucky fit in quickly with the other cats. By dinnertime, he was confidently exploring, his rough purr filling the small kitchen.
“You’re safe now, Lucky,” Wendy whispered, scratching behind his ears. “This is your home.”
The Mystery Begins
It wasn’t long before Wendy started feeling the strain. Cat food and litter disappeared faster. Her already tight budget stretched thinner.
One evening, while she was trying to balance her finances, a sharp, pained meow shattered the quiet.
Lucky lay curled up on the floor, his body trembling. Wendy rushed him to the vet.
“Will he be okay, Dr. Perry?” she asked, pressing her hand against the glass of the oxygen chamber.
“We’re doing our best,” the vet replied gently. “It depends on how he responds to treatment.”
Wendy swallowed hard. She didn’t know how she’d afford the bill, but she’d find a way.
“I’ll only charge you for the medicine,” Dr. Perry offered.
Wendy shook her head. “Lucky is my responsibility. I’ll manage.”
Dr. Perry frowned but didn’t argue.
Lucky made a full recovery, returning home a few days later. But then, something strange started happening.
On Saturday morning, Wendy found a few dollar bills lying on her doormat.
She assumed she had dropped them. But then, the next day, she found more—this time on her bedroom floor.
“What in the world?” she muttered. She checked her purse. Everything was still there.
Then, on Monday, she caught Lucky sneaking in through the cat flap—with a twenty-dollar bill in his mouth.Wendy gasped. “Lucky! Where are you getting this money?”
Lucky only meowed and rubbed against her legs.
A Secret Exchange
Wendy called Hannah to see if Lucky had a history of… collecting things.
“That’s bizarre,” Hannah said. “Maybe he’s just decided to pay rent.”
Hannah joked, but Wendy couldn’t ignore the uneasy feeling creeping in. If Lucky was bringing home money, someone had to be missing it.
So, she watched him.
For a full day, Lucky did nothing but nap and play with the other cats. Wendy was starting to think she was imagining things—until a car pulled up outside.
A hooded figure stepped out and crouched near her picket fence.
Lucky immediately perked up and trotted over. The person scooped him up, stroking his fur.
Wendy’s heart pounded. She reached for her glasses—only to realize they weren’t there.
She leaned closer to the window, watching.
After a few minutes, the stranger set Lucky down… and handed him something.
Moments later, Lucky darted toward the house, slipping through the cat flap with another twenty-dollar bill.
Wendy’s stomach twisted.
“Who are you, and why are you giving my cat money?”
Confronting the Mystery Figure
The next day, Wendy was ready. The moment the car stopped, she burst through her front door, wielding her cane like a weapon.
“I don’t know who you are, but I’ve called the police!” she shouted.
The hooded figure scrambled to stand. Lucky, startled, latched onto their arm before leaping to the ground—knocking the hood back in the process.
Wendy gasped.
“Dr. Perry?”
The young vet raised his hands. “Wendy, I can explain!”
She pointed her cane at him. “You’d better.”
A Vet’s Secret Mission
Dr. Perry sighed. “You always refuse my offers to help with vet bills, so I had to find another way.”
Wendy blinked. “By giving my cat cash?”
“Lucky gave me the idea,” Dr. Perry admitted sheepishly.
He explained how, during Lucky’s treatment, he had slipped a piece of paper through the bars of his cage, hoping to play with him.
“He grabbed it in his teeth and carried it to the other side of the cage,” he said. “It was the strangest thing. That’s when I thought… why not use him to help you?”
Wendy frowned. “Help me? I’m not a charity case.”
“No,” Dr. Perry agreed. “But you’re a kind woman who has spent her whole life caring for animals. You deserve help, whether you ask for it or not.”
Wendy hesitated. She had always prided herself on her independence. But as she looked down at Lucky, rubbing against her legs, she realized something.
She wasn’t just looking after these cats.
They were looking after her, too.
“Fine,” she said at last. “But no more sneaky money drops. If you want to help, bring food instead.”
Dr. Perry grinned. “Deal.”
A Legacy for Wendy
Over the following months, Dr. Perry made good on his promise. He brought food, did check-ups, and even started a fundraiser to cover emergencies.
Two years later, he honored Wendy’s legacy in the most incredible way.
Standing in front of a newly built cat shelter, he unveiled a plaque:
The Wendy Feline Rescue Center
A crowd had gathered, many of whom had known Wendy and admired her kindness.
“Wendy spent her life giving unwanted cats a home,” Dr. Perry said. “She once told me she wished she could do more. Today, in her memory, we open this shelter to continue her dream.”
The crowd cheered.
Lucky, perched on Dr. Perry’s shoulder, purred loudly.
Looking up at Wendy’s portrait, Dr. Perry smiled.
“We’ll take it from here, Wendy.”