The following story is a finalist in the Pawsitively Picture Perfect photo contest. The top three finishers will receive $500 in cash, as well as $2,000 in cash and supplies for their favorite shelter. Voting runs through June 1. To read more stories and cast your vote, click here!

Hissy Hazel arrived at my door in an Uber from the ASPCA on November 1, 2021. She was the next foster kitten I was supposed to socialize, and then send off to her forever home. Hazel had other plans.

PHOTO: NORA FASANO

After being hissy for 72 hours, a switch flipped, and Hazel began showing off her unique purr-sonality.

It started by obsessively playing fetch with balls and toy mice, then I discovered she enjoys road trips from LA to Sacramento to visit grandma. But Hazel’s quirkiest trait is greeting all visitors by sticking her nose in their mouth to get a good wiff.

PHOTO: NORA FASANO

Hazel has such a huge personality that multiple people have said it’s as if there’s a human being trapped inside of her. Even though I thought my feline family was complete, I didn’t hesitate to sign Hazel’s adoption papers and commit my first "foster fail". After all, there’s always room for one more.

The cherry on top, though, is that Hazel went from a fearful, misunderstood foster kitten, to being a doting nanny cat to all my foster kittens. She mothers them, teaches them social skills and gets them ready for graduation day. Since Hazel joined my family, she has helped 23 orphaned kittens prepare for adoption.

PHOTO: NORA FASANO

I have been blessed with an extraordinary feline and can’t imagine life without my unique girl, Hazel.

This story was submitted by Nora Fasano in support of Burbank Animal Shelter. To read other stories from the Pawsitively Picture Perfect photo contest, and to cast your vote for your favorite, click here!