‘… it started to purr, I knew I couldn’t let it go’: Young 4-Her rescues kitten at Madison County Fair

Brianna Paul was ecstatic to receive a blue ribbon for her scrapbook entry in the visual arts section of this year’s Madison County Fair.

“She was selected to attend the Illinois State Fair for the first time this year. She is so thrilled,” said her mother, Angela.

But Brianna, 11, was even more excited for something else she brought home from the fair — a new friend.

While strolling the fairgrounds in Highland, she spotted a small kitten hiding under a Case IH quad-track tractor.

“When I seen the starved little kitten under the tractor, I just wanted to pet it,” said Brianna, who will be a sixth-grader this year at St. Boniface Catholic School in Edwardsville.

But then she noticed the kitten looked scared and hungry. She was afraid it was going to get hurt among the commotion of the fairgrounds.

Brianna’s dad, Scott, told her, “If you can catch it, you can keep it.”

She raced under the tractor and came out with the tiny golden kitten cradled in a warm embrace.

“Once I picked it up and it started to purr, I knew I couldn’t let it go,” she said.

The two have become fast friends. Brianna has named her new kitten Madison, in honor of the fair where she found it.

Brianna is a cat lover — to say the least. She already had an “inside cat,” Mr. Cuddles, and several outside barn cats when she scooped up Madison.

“She’s hoping to keep Madison inside, too, but that’s requiring some sweet talking with her dad. Madison is currently contained on our enclosed back porch,” Brianna’s mom said.

Brianna and her older brother, Zachary, a freshman at Edwardsville High School, are both members of the Alhambra Morning Glories 4-H Club, where Zachary is the standing president. Zachary shows Holstein cows and has been the Grand Champion of the Junior Show in Highland for the last six years. Brianna has never shown animals, but she might be interested in entering Madison in the cat show next year.

“He’s very lovable and would be easy to train,” Angela Paul said.

“I love my new kitten,” said Brianna.

This story was originally published August 9, 2016 at 8:19 AM with the headline "‘… it started to purr, I knew I couldn’t let it go’: Young 4-Her rescues kitten at Madison County Fair."