Jinx (formerly Thelma)

My husband and I were heartbroken when our beloved, 16 year-old cat Casey died in September. We knew it'd be awhile before we would be able to adopt another cat, but we adopted a shepherd mix dog, Sophie, in November. Sophie was a Hurricane Katrina rescue dog, and she needed a lot of attention to feel safe.

After about five months, Sophie was happy and secure. We didn't know how she'd be with a cat, but we desperately wanted a feline addition to our family. We brought Sophie with us to the Woodinville, WA  PetSmart where we met with the Oasis for Animals folks. Some of the cats were terrified of the dog, but we weren't ready to give up hope.

We spotted Thelma, a 10 month-old longhaired black kitten, who had been with the shelter for many months. We had been looking for an older cat, but the volunteers said Thelma was comfortable around dogs. Sure enough, when we took her out of her cage, she was cool and unfazed by our big dog, and we decided to take her home.

It's been one month, and we just love our new little friend, who we renamed Jinx. She and Sophie are becoming good friends, although Jinx wants to join her big sister outside for playtime!