20 years ago I was in the market for a kitty. I heard from a friend of a friend of a friend that there were some stray kittens in a hallway of an apartment building. The next day I went there. As I got there I was told that the SPCA had come the day before and taken away all the kittens except one, which hid back into a hole in the wall and they couldn't get it out.
I was of course prepared with food and a soft voice and coaxed this gray and white kitty out. She was afraid but went to the food, and while I felt guilty as heck after allowing her just a few nibble I picked her up. She was scared until I held her close into my chest, then she cuddled right in and began purring. She spent the whole ride home in my arms. When I got her home she was still afraid of my 'body,' the size of me coming after her; she would run and try to hide. But once I cornered her she would allow me to pick her up and she would then be as happy as can be cuddled into my chest. To this very day she is the same way when I pick her up, although not as afraid as in the beginning.
When I got her home a couple of days later you can imagine my surprise when I looked down and saw a pure WHITE kitty - apparently the gray was just dust :-). I was very very happy as white kitties are my favorite!
She has lost a lot of weight as she has aged, has some mid-level kidney issues. We have had a couple of cancer scares - but she has shocked the vet, all the techs, and myself by just bouncing back every time! In fact this picture was taken over a year ago after one of the cancer scares as I was thinking it may be the last picture I would be able to get of her. Thankfully it is not! If she hasn't been into the vet in a month or two and I go there for another cat, at least two of the vets will go out of their way to ask me how she is doing :-).