D.D.'s Story:

Once upon a time, Dr. Kirch set off on a road trip to Philly and stopped at a Dunkin' Donuts/gas station in Virginia. She saw a wee kitten darting around the gas pumps, getting under people's cars and getting shooed away. It broke her heart to see this kitty, but it was late and she had 7 more hours of driving so she left, but took note of the exit number to stop on the way back.

She borrowed a cat carrier and some cat food from her mom and on the way back she returned to Dunkin' Donuts and there she was curled up asleep in the bushes in the back.

She tried to catch her in the cat carrier, but she was too quick. She asked her husband to get her some tuna or Vienna sausages from the gas station and he brought back sardines in Louisiana hot sauce. Turns out starving kitties don't mind hot sauce. She repeatedly tried to catch her, but she kept going under the shed or under parked buses in the parking lot. Her husband was a saint and said they could stay as long as she wanted to try. Bear in mind, he was entertaining a tired toddler behind a gas station.

Pretty soon, the kitten was not interested in any food, thanks to a tummy filled with 'bait'. Covered in mosquito bites and with 2 more hours of driving the travelers, with twice broken hearts, left her once more.

When Dr. Kirch returned to North Carolina, she used her rescue connections and put out an APB on the kitten. A rescue group in Virginia responded and managed to trap the wily one. Within 3 days, NC volunteers met VA volunteers at the state line and Miss D.D. (Dunkin' Donuts) was delivered to the Cat Hospital!  She's still wary of strangers, but almost annoyingly affectionate to the staff. Her daily duties include 'helping' with typing, catching any stray kibble on the floor and generally looking regal.

D.D. is now accepting questions for her advice column, please feel free to email The Cat Hospital of Durham and Chapel Hill with any fan mail or queries.

Click here for D.D.'s letters