The Story of Cassie

It started out as a normal day in my Plant Science class my Junior year of high school. We were taking notes when one of my classmates left to go to the restroom. He came back to the classroom and said that there was a kitten crying in the Ag shop. So everyone went to investigate and we found the kitten all the way in the back hiding from the outside world. I have handled wild cats before so I reached down and got him out from where he was hiding. Boy did he throw a fit, he was not sure of anything that was going on, however he did not have much energy to put up a fight. We swaddled him in an old clean rag from the shop and brought him into the classroom. Cassidy was really dehydrated and skinny. He was a kitten but I was not sure how old. However he definitely was in need of help. I sat with him on the floor and gave him a little water. I knew to be careful because if you give a dehydrated cat too much water too soon it could harm them more. Once he had a drink we gave him a dog treat for it was what we had in the ag shop at that time. He was hungry and almost choked on the treat. At the end of the day I took him back home until we found somewhere else for him. Cassidy came home with me that day and he hasn’t left since. 

This was in the fall of 2019 and with the cold weather Cassie started out living in the house for a few days until he was feeling better. Then he got moved out to our insulated barn. We put out a heat lamp for him and even made him his own bed and put some old carpet down on the cement. He was enjoying himself quite well and he began to grow and we learned that Cassidy loved the outdoors.

He is quite the chore buddy on the farm and follows you everywhere you go. He has a fun personality and loves to help out, even if that means playing in a tree while you feed. 

He is willing to go out in all sorts of weather and loves to be carried even though he is fully capable of walking himself. 

This fun loving cat has been my chore buddy for over 2 years now. I am no longer home all the time now that I am going to college but he always comes and greets me with a big hug when I do. 

When we mention our FFA story we talk about our growth and the impacts that have been made. We all have different stories and adventures that happen to us in our FFA stories that we normally don’t think about right away. However it is important to appreciate the little things in our FFA stories and how they have also made an impact on us. What is something in your FFA story that you don’t think of right off the bat? If you were to ask me about my FFA story Cassie would not be the first thing that I would mention. This organization leads to so many opportunities that we normally don’t see right away but it is important to appreciate these opportunities as well. I am very grateful that a little meow in my Ag Shop led to the best chore buddy anyone can ask for. 

It’s the little things Kansas FFA, 

Sincerely 

Josey Schmidt 

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