Moo Kitty Finds a Home

By: Valerie Lee Veltre
Illustrated by: Liz Leonard
Publisher: Squidgy Press
Publication Date: December 2011
ISBN: 978-1608000104
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: July 2012

Life is good for “Moo Kitty,” so named because his markings make him look like a cow. He has a human who loves him, a warm, blue blanket to cuddle with, and plenty of food and sunshine to keep him fat and happy. But then one day, Moo Kitty’s human, an elderly woman, goes to heaven. What will happen to the adorable cat now?

When strangers come to the house to remove all the belongings, Moo Kitty hides behind the sofa. But then these same heartless people take Moo Kitty and put him outside, next to the trash bin! Moo Kitty is frightened and alone. At night, three kitty guardian angels with silver wings come to him in a dream and tell him to have faith and believe that he is not alone. They promise to watch over him and keep him safe.

Moo Kitty does what the angels tell him and he eventually winds up in a shelter, where loving humans take good care of all the animals. But people coming to the shelter all want kittens, not older cats like Moo Kitty. Will he ever find a new, loving home?

Moo Kitty Finds a Home is a fun AND educational story. The tale moves along nicely and the illustrations are bright and cheerful, keeping youngsters engaged and interested. The author avoids a common pitfall of many such books that tend to get preachy and disengage readers. Instead, she shares her message about shelter cats and the plight of all animals in need of homes, in a gentle and entertaining way. Young readers will see how frightened Moo Kitty is, how much love he has to offer, and that all he wants is a human to love. At the back of the book are several pages relating the benefits of adopting adult pets as well as useful tips once that new pet has come home.

Quill says: You’ll want to adopt Moo Kitty after reading this book! An excellent story to help spread the message about animal adoption.