My good friend, Elfi Fiala died on Thurs. May 18th at the age of 87. She was a woman who saved every cat (and sometimes dog) who came her way, and many did.

I met her in the summer of 2000, when a large number of kittens with feral moms were coming in to the Saltspring SPCA from her address (brought in by various home makers, as Elfi was already housebound, and quite frail at that time).

I asked the manager of the SPCA why we didn't go and trap all the well-cared for cats at Mrs. Fiala's and have them spay/neutered, but she said no. She killed all the teenaged and adult ferals that came in and even many of Elfi's kittens if we were short of room.

When I left the SPCA (this being just one of the reasons why), I went to meet Mrs. Fiala. It was hard to tell her that most of the cats she had so lovingly entrusted to the SPCA had been killed.

Elfi and I became fast friends - I had unknowingly adopted a 3-week old kitten from her colony rather than put it in the dark shed where new arrivals were admitted.

With Elfi's fabulous assistance (once I convinced her that she couldn't put out lavish meals for the cats while we were trapping!), Friends For Cats trapped all her cats and had them spayed and neutered.

Elfi told me of many years of living in substandard housing, not only because of lack of money, but because it is so difficult to find housing when you live with a bunch of cats. But her cats always came first.

Over the years that I knew Elfi, she always helped out anyone she knew of, with a cat or dog in need, paying for surgeries, special food, etc. all out of a tiny pension.

A year ago, Elfi broke her hip, and was never able to walk again. She had to move to different senior's housing, as the tiny place she was living in could not even accomadate a wheelchair.

She informed the "Wellness Co-ordinator" at the new place that she did not want to participate in the structured activities of the complex, that she missed her cats, but that when I came with my dog, and when he got to stay with her for whole afternoons, that was what she enjoyed in life - not more people, thank you very much!

She did not want to live without her cats, and worried about me making the daily trip to town to feed them.

Then a true gentleman, Noel, moved into Elfi's old home. Assured that Elfi would still pay for the cat food (many people told her she was crazy to do so), and that I would deliver it, he was more than happy to take on the responsibility of daily care for the cats, and he does so with such gentleness, I know he'll win their love.

Elfi and Noel became friends immediately, and her interest in life returned. She made a family tree and a cat photo album for Noel.

I was with her in her last few hours. We held hands, and although it was beyond us to speak of our feelings for each other, we talked about the cats.

I'll miss you Elfi.