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“Strays” is a new non-fiction book by Britt Collins (British journalist and animal activist) that offers a fascinating, heartwarming and complex twist to all those who loved “Bob the street cat”.
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Homeless, alcoholic, and depressed, Michael King lives in a UPS loading bay on the wrong side of the tracks in Portland, Oregon and one rainy night, he stumbles upon a hurt, starving, scruffy cat and decided to feed her.
According to Britt, "It was the first time in a long while that Michael had spent his last few dollars on something other than booze." Nursing her back to health, King took her in and named her Tabor, after the café where he found her.
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When winter comes, they travel from Oregon to the beaches of California to the high plains of Montana, surviving blizzards and bears, angry steers and rainstorms.
Along the way, people are drawn to the spirited, beautiful cat and moved to help Michael, who frames a striking figure with Tabor riding high on his backpack or walking on a leash. Tabor comforts Michael when he's down, giving Michael someone to love and care for, and inspiring him to get sober and to come to terms with his past family traumas and grief over the death of his life partner. As they make their way across the West Coast, the pair become inseparable, healing the scars of each other's troubled pasts.
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Suddenly the plot thickens…
Michael takes Tabor to a veterinarian in Montana, and discovers that Tabor has an identification chip and an owner in Portland who has never given up hope of finding his beloved cat, Michael makes the difficult choice to return to Portland and reunite Tabor with her owner. Now Michael must create a new purpose in his life after Tabor.
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Meanwhile, the cat’s real owner, Ron Buss, spent the entire time distraught over his missing furbaby whose real name is Mata Hairi.
You'll laugh, you'll cry and most likely be an emotional wreck at the bittersweet ending. But it'll be well worth it!
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"Strays" proves the healing power of love and the profound bond between humans and animals. Enjoy the book trailer below:
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