To the editor:

I am writing to inform the person or persons that the kitten they abandoned in a shopping cart in the Wal-Mart parking lot on Saturday, Dec. 15 was taken in and has a great new home. We heard a faint meow and found a kitten sitting in the seat of the cart. It was snowing and the parking lot was crowded. Fearing he would be hit by a car, we put him in our car. He was purring from the second I picked him up.

I sincerely hope that you were watching from a nearby car to see if someone took him. Whether you couldn’t take care of him, couldn’t feed him, couldn’t keep him, I don’t know. Maybe you are a student who left after finals. But there are better options than abandoning him in the parking lot.

He had been cared for by someone. He was very comfortable in our home. I cannot imagine that you could care for a pet and then leave him. I was reminded of an old public service announcement that used to play when I was younger. A man puts his dog in a car, drives to the country and pushes him out on the side of the road. He drives away and leaves the dog alone and terrified.

We sent out e-mails and made phone calls and our friends and family networked to find him a new home. Thanks to everyone who passed on his information and picture.

“Clark Griswold” the orange and white kitten, is warm, fed and enjoying his new house just in time for Christmas.

Mandy Shultz,

Lawrence