Bea, a young, spayed, little, milk-chocolate-colored tiger, is friendly, greeting visitors, alert to their every move. However, visitors must be alert, too. Bea tries to follow them out the door. The staff can’t read Bea’s mind but they guess that she has one of two thoughts. Either Bea thinks that the visitors are leaving without her by mistake or that her lifelong family is waiting for her.

Those thoughts plague many shelter pets, especially the ones brought in by owners, like Bea. Any creature, cat or human, would be confused. The night before they discarded her, Bea’s people probably held her. Maybe they held her more than usual.

Anyone would think that those were messages of love. Bea still can’t fathom that it was good-bye.