And Angel closed his eyes.

"Good, Angel," she said. "You are awake. Your father wants you to help him take Misty to the veterinarian to be spayed. There are too many cats already who can't find good homes like ours. After Misty is spayed, she won't have kittens who need homes. That will mean other kittens and cats will have a better chance of finding homes."

"Yes Mom," Angel exclaimed, "I want Misty spayed. She is my one in a million cat and I want to keep her like that."

And Angel makes sure he tells everyone he meets that they should get their dogs and cats spayed because he now knows that a one in a million cat is better than a million and one cats!

Debbie Lewis is a Florida Native, vegetarian and life long animal lover who, since childhood, has been involved in spaying/neutering of abandoned cats. Her inspiration for her animal work is her mother, who was an actiivst in the 1970s in her community, advocating for government sponsored free and low cost sterilization services and an early proponent for mobile spay/neuter units.

About the Illustrator

Jay Corrales was born in Kansas and moved to South Florida in 1990. He is presently attending Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, where he is studying graphic design.

From Franny Syufy, Guide to About Cats:

To my knowledge, this is the first story written to teach children about the importance of spaying and neutering pets. It is both delightful and entertaining, imparts the message with humor and verve, and the simple but compelling illustrations set off the dialogue and action perfectly, without detracting from the story.

In my opinion, this story should be read by parents to every child who has a pet, and made mandatory reading for primary students in every school. The story provides an excellent vehicle for a discussion about responsible pet ownership between adults and children. Obviously, cats do not "multiply" as quickly as Misty did, nor as prolifically, but the statistics are very real. One unspayed cat and her offspring can result in thousands of unwanted kittens in a very short time. Do the math.

It is generally acknowledged that children who are taught about responsible pet ownership at an early age, grow up to care deeply for all the resources of our planet. This story will help form a strong foundation for that sense of responsibility. It is my hope that it will be published in other media, to reach as many children as possible. Publishers may email me at cats.guide@about.com for contact information for the author and illustrator.