Usually characterized as sworn enemies, cats and dogs can actually become buddies — and even best friends.
One of these dynamic duos ended up at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) in Boston this month.
Kitty the tabby cat and “her best friend and confident” Leila the Chihuahua were surrendered to the shelter in the same carrier by their former owner on March 14. The owner was forced to give up their pets after losing their home. They were unable to find a new home that would accept both the animals, and the owner knew the pets couldn’t bear to be apart.
MSPCA soon found this out as well. When shelter workers went to move Kitty, 6, and Leila, 2, from their carrier into their own cages, the pair refused to be separated. The shelter says Kitty started yelling whenever Leila was taken away.
After the animals made it clear they could not be apart, MSPCA broke with protocol and housed the twosome in a room together, so the could grieve the loss of their home and family side-by-side.
“Leila is two years old and has lived every moment of her life with Kitty. They are each other’s best friend and keeping them together has made a very difficult situation much easier for them to handle.” Anna Rafferty-Fore, associate director of the MSPCA’s Boston adoption center, said in a statement.
Determined to keep these best friends together forever, MSPCA started the search for a potential adopter willing to take in both pets.
The shelter was looking for an animal lover who wanted to shower the duo with attention and affection, someone who understood that Leila and Kitty were wonderful pets worthy of a home were they could peacefully share their future.
MSPCA found these people in Andre and Elizabeth Marion of Sudbury, Massachusetts. The couple happily took in both Kitty and Leila, who are said to be settling into their new home.
The shelter is unfortunately familiar with situations like Kitty and Leila’s. The number-one reason why pets are surrendered to the MSPCA is because their families have been forced out of their homes and cannot find new housing that will accommodate pets, Rafferty-Fore said
“It breaks our heart every time and fires us up to resettle these pets into wonderful homes as soon as we can,” she added.
