Once, I was a scared teenager. My dad, who taught me to look at the stars, appreciate good food (he was a great cook!), and read me to sleep since I was a baby, was gone. At fourteen, without him, I felt lost, angry, and mainly, scared. Then, a knock on the door: “There’s a little dog in the parking lot who needs a home.” I ran out to see a cinnamon-colored chihuahua-mix puppy, tied to a car bumper, looking just as terrified. Her human dad, who’d promised to love her, was giving her up. Without a second thought, I took her home and named her Bella.

Bella was loyal, made me laugh constantly, and cuddled with me until I fell asleep. We had each other, and our hearts began to heal together.

Then came her litter of three puppies. I helped Bella through the delivery, tending to her and her tiny pups. One, born backward, couldn’t nurse. I prepared formula and patiently taught the weak puppy to eat. I named that determined little one Isabella. She was the first of the litter to bark, full of playful energy that always made me happy. Thanks to my dogs, the fear and anger faded. I still grieved my dad, but Bella and Isabella helped me remember to smile and be grateful. I rescued Bella, but in truth, Bella saved me too. I’ll forever be indebted to dogs. They are my connection to a peaceful state of mind.

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The Cats Enter the Scene

Cats arrived in my life differently. My building had a basement, a labyrinth where a colony of at least a hundred stray cats lived. It was heartbreaking to see the cruelties they faced, and a flea infestation eventually made things unbearable. Thankfully, a group of neighborhood ladies began feeding them scraps from the school cafeteria and even contacted a non-profit from Holland for spaying, neutering, and deworming.

My Isabella wasn’t thrilled about the cats roaming around and often tried to chase them away. Until one day, a docile cat approached her. To my surprise, Isabella didn’t chase her; she played with her! I named that special cat Barci, because she seemed like a mix of every cat in the world. From that moment, I began caring for Barci, always hoping she’d let me bring her home. Every day, I’d call Barci from my balcony for breakfast and dinner, and she’d come running. Isabella and I would rush downstairs to feed her, then watch them walk together, seemingly deep in conversation.

At night, it was my habit to walk and look at the stars, sometimes joined by my friend Luis. Of course, Isabella and her friend Barci came too. Their incredible friendship was a joy to behold.

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From Life to Literature: Patti and Barci Are Born

By then, I had embraced my path as an actress and puppeteer. My mind was always brimming with stories and ideas. My mom and I were also babysitting a little boy named Richy who absolutely loved stories. That’s when my imagination truly took flight, and I began to write the adventures of Patti (based on Isabella) and Barci. To make it even more amusing for Richy, I wove in the names of our neighbors, friends, and their dogs.

Being a clown for birthday parties inspired a story about clowning. My daily guitar practice on the balcony led to a tale about playing music to soothe Isabella. Even Isabella’s skirmishes with a neighbor’s dog found their way onto the page. Richy and I reveled in the adventures Patti and Barci were having in our imaginations.

One day, I tried to bring Barci home. But despite her docile nature, she was feral. She scratched me, meowed frantically, and hid under the furniture. I had to let her go. I was heartbroken, but we continued caring for her in the wild, filling my notebook with her stories.

And that’s how my first book, The Adventures of Patti and Barci: The City of Cats, was born—fifteen years after these true events. What began as a game with a three-year-old boy blossomed into a book filled with heartfelt stories about the harsh realities of street life. While crafted with humor for children, I strive to touch every reader’s heart. If a dog named Bella could rescue a scared teenager like me, then surely we can extend more compassion to street animals. There is simply no justifying cruelty towards any living being.

This book is a testament to love and compassion. I chose Isabella’s (Patti’s) voice to tell the story, as she was the one truly surprised by Barci, the friendly cat. Her canine grace brings the narrative to life. When asked how I manage to get inside these characters so well, I say it’s through hours of observing dogs and cats, my background as an actress, and, most importantly, my compassion for others. The true credit for this book’s success belongs to the dogs and cats who inspired every page of The Adventures of Patti and Barci: The City of Cats.

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