In 2020, just as the country went into lock down, Jim (a stray cat) showed up at our house in rural North Carolina demanding attention and food. He got both and we got a whole lot more. But just as we were adjusting to life with a new cat, tragedy struck. His time on this planet was fleeting, but his impact has left an indelible mark on so many lives. Nick and I felt compelled to give JJ, a kitten who looked just like Jim, the life we couldn’t give Jim. What started out as the desire to save one kitten tuned quickly into something we could not have been prepared for.

Because of Jim a story of 17 rescues at the height of COVID, chronicles the efforts of one couple to honor one special cat by rescuing, fostering, and acting as an adoption agency for his offspring and the other cats who made up the small colony he came from. It is a true story of trial and error, tragedy and joy, and the unreported effects of the COVID pandemic on our companion animals. Readers will experience the anguish, frustration, exhilaration, and joy that I did as they journey with me into the lives of the cats and people whose lives have been forever changed because of Jim. This book highlights the bonds that people can form with even the unlikeliest four-legged friends when patience, consistency, and caring are at work. In her memoir, How to Be a Good Creature, author Sy Montgomery wrote "Knowing someone who belongs to another species can enlarge your soul in surprising ways." She was so right!