Chapter One
I Was 18 Years Old and Already Lost
Most 18-year-olds are starting college, getting their first apartment, figuring out who they are. I was sleeping on the streets of Kensington — one of the most devastated neighborhoods in America — with no idea whether I’d see the next year.
I’m not going to soften it. I was the worst kind of addict. I took from everyone around me, including myself. I spent years convinced that I was beyond saving — that my story had already been written and it ended badly. Kensington has a way of making you believe that.
What I didn’t know yet was that two cats were going to change everything.
“I was convinced my story had already been written — and it ended badly. I was wrong.”
Chapter Two
The Two Cats Who Saved My Life
I don’t know exactly when it happened. I just know that there came a moment — a very dark one — when life didn’t feel worth continuing. And then there were my two cats. Looking at me. Needing me.
Something cracked open. For the first time in years, it wasn’t about me. They needed food. They needed care. They needed me to get up. So I did. I got up.
People talk about hitting rock bottom like it’s a single moment. For me, the climb back started not with a program or a phone call or a hospital — it started with two small animals who had no idea what they were doing to me. They loved me until I learned to love myself. That’s the truest sentence I know.
🐾
18 Age I became
homeless
28 My age today —
building something real
2 Cats who refused
to give up on me
Chapter Three
Slowly, Then All at Once
Recovery doesn’t happen in a straight line. I got on my feet slowly — painfully slowly. But I kept going. An organization called Never Surrender Hope was there in those early days when I needed it most. I still have a relationship with their founder today.
I started volunteering with the Cat Collaborative. I manage and feed a feral cat colony now. Every day I go out there, I’m reminded of who I was and who I’m choosing to be. Cats don’t care about your past. They only care about right now. There’s a lesson in that.
I gave back because I took from society for so long. That’s the simple truth. And somewhere in all of that giving back, I found my purpose.
“Cats don’t care about your past. They only care about right now. There’s a lesson in that.”
Chapter Four
Why KittyKannabis Exists
KittyKannabis & Company was born from everything you just read. It’s not just a catnip brand. It’s a mission wrapped in a product.
We sell premium catnip — regular, a silvervine blend, and a chamomile calming blend — because cats deserve the best, and so do their humans. But every sale does something more: a portion goes directly to Never Surrender Hope, the Philadelphia nonprofit that was part of my recovery and helps people in our community every single day.
I’m 28 years old. I was homeless at 18 in one of the toughest zip codes in the country. If I can build something — if I can find purpose, give back, and run a real business — then I’m living proof that the story isn’t over until you decide it is.
When you buy KittyKannabis, you’re not just spoiling your cat. You’re part of something bigger.
Our Mission Goes Beyond the Bag
A portion of every KittyKannabis sale is donated to Never Surrender Hope — a Philadelphia-based nonprofit dedicated to serving people in addiction recovery.
Because cats saved my life. And humans deserve the same chance.
Shop & Give Back
Our Products
Premium Catnip, Made with Purpose
Three blends for every kind of cat — and every purchase gives back.
