CUMBERLAND, R.I. (WJAR) – Like folks with pets everywhere in the nation, Katie Teixeira stated she is a big fan of felines – “Their personalities, their, their demeanor, their unconditional love.”
She’s a cat mother to 4 fur infants that roam her home in Cumberland, and whereas she loves them unconditionally, shedding her 11-year-old cat Milo in 2021 was a tough hit to her coronary heart.
“I wanted a piece of jewelry to wear with her ashes or her fur, which I have both,” Teixeira stated.
For years, when her cat’s whiskers would naturally fall out, she would maintain them.
“Surprisingly, a lot of people do keep their whiskers,” Teixeira stated.
And after months of mourning Milo, she determined to take issues into her personal arms, creating a hoop of remembrance utilizing Milo’s whiskers.
“I like to make things with my hands, very artistic,” she stated.
Things didn’t cease at her personal private piece.
For a couple of months now, she’s been creating pet souvenir items, calling her business Fallen Whiskers.
“I can use ashes fur whiskers, anything really anybody, any pet owner would want to remember their pet’s life,” Teixeira stated.
She began selling her business on-line, and very quickly, clients started sending in sentiments for Katie to work with.
“Some people send me pictures. Um, I’ve gotten a lot of handwritten letters talking about the animals,” she stated.
Teixeira stated she loves studying in regards to the bonds constructed. After all, pets are like household. But for cats with nowhere to name home, she lends a serving to hand in that division, too.
“That’s the heartbeat of this place is the amazing people that come in, day in, day out,” stated Donna Lilla with Paws Watch Community Cat Center, the place Teixeira has been volunteering for a couple of yr, now twice every week.
“I clean out their cages, make sure they have food and water, scoop a lot of litter boxes and then just spend time with the cats,” Teixeira stated.
She stated the middle that operates on a whole lot of love might generally use a lift on the subject of donations and different gadgets.
“That point I was like, ‘Well, maybe I could use this to help raise money for the rescue,’” Teixeira stated.
That’s how every part ties into each other. Every month, as a substitute of retaining her hard-earned money for herself, for each piece of knickknack she sells, she purchases merchandise for cats.
“What Katie does is, is an inspiration. You know, it touches people’s heart,” Lilla stated.
Teixeira stated she is hoping her efforts will go away an enduring impression.
“It’s very heartwarming and rewarding to be able to do this for people,” Teixeira stated.
If they’re available in the market, there’s a couple of cool cats desperate to discover a without end home. But within the meantime, they’re in nice care.
“She selfless, compassionate. I mean, it just, it speaks volumes. It also tells me this means so much to her, you know, that she wants to give back to this,” Lilla stated.
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