Eight weeks ago I desperately needed someone to look after a pregnant mum cat. One rescue promised to do so but let me down but fortunately a lovely foster carer stepped in just in time.

Six weeks ago the mum cat gave birth to 8, yes 8, kittens!

Over the last couple of months - down to the sheer hard work and love provided by the foster, the cats and kittens have flourished and will have new lives. Lives that in the backstreets of a West Yorkshire town centre, just wouldn't have happened.

But their journey hasn't been an easy one. Mum cat has her issues. Messy ones! She's a fussy eater too. And greedy. Her and the kittens and caused damage. How does a cat get poo that high up on curtains anyone?

The foster, at the sharp end, has had stress, bills - towel upon towel to wash and we know how much utility bills are.

The foster isn't a wealthy person. Me neither.

But she cares and throughout the tears, the stress, the worry. The cleaning up of pee, poo (the runny variety - distributed thoroughly by mum cat) etc that care has never wavered.

The kittens and mum cat have come first. But it all costs and this fundraiser is to help offset some of this cost. To get the kittens along the way to their new lives with lovely new people.

For food, for meds, to help in any way to benefit them all.

Because stepping up when no one else could or would costs. We knew it would. The foster knew it would - in lots of ways including emotionally. But she did it anyway.

That day, 8 weeks ago, 9 little feline lives were saved.

Let's get them through the next few weeks please....