Chispa found me when she was about 10 weeks old. She convinced my whole apartment building to feed her, 4 out of 5 doors had plates with milk and food outside. One day she decided to move in with me, for a full year she wouldn't set a paw outside the door, even if I left it open.

I went through some rougher times. She moved with me from hostel to hostel, to shabby room, and finally a tiny apartment. Carrying around my life in a backpack and my faithful kitten Chispa in my purse. She would just hop in and silently stay put until we’d reach our destination.

Fast forward six years, about 2 am -I was seven months pregnant with my first child- my husband and I where sleeping when I suddenly wake up to Chispa standing on my chest, with one paw in my face meowing loudly. … as I open my eyes I notice a thick layer of smoke covering the whole room about a feet above us! I woke my husband, picked up Chispa, covering her and my face I got out …. My husband was able to put out the fire with the help of a few neighbors.

We were all fine. The kitchen was burned out completely and if Chispa had not woken us we would probably have suffocated long before the fire had actually reached us.

Yes, we have fire alarms now and we still have our beloved Chispa. (Pretending to be asleep in this picture)