By Jeannette Schwenk

My husband, Richard, and I adopted Spot after the death of our cat Charlie who was 17.We renamed him Sherman.

I'm a volunteer at the shelter so I've known Sherman for over a year. He was a bit shy when he first got to our home. He knew me which made it easier for him to adjust. He spent his first few days under the bed. His favorite place to be now is in the bed. Not on the bed, but in the bed. He loves to play peak-a-boo under the sheets. It can take half an hour to make the bed with him playing.

It didn't take him long to become a great lap cat. No matter where we sit he is in one of our laps PURRING away. He loves watching the ball games with Richard.

Two months later we adopted Tiger. We renamed her Samantha. As a volunteer I would go into the pink room and she would always be up on the top shelf looking down. She would never come down when people were looking at cats to adopt. I would stand on a chair, love her, and talk sweet to her. She got where she would come down and sit in my lap.

We brought Samantha home so Sherman would have a friend, never knowing what a lively cat she would turn out to be. She is no longer the shy little girl hiding away. She runs circles around Sherman. They have so much fun together. She chases him all over the house, up and down the stairs. First she is doing the chasing then its Sherman chasing her. It's like a cartoon to watch. Her favorite game is to have Sherman think she is hiding in one place but she really isn't then she attacks from behind. He gets so mad!

Richard and I have been totally smitten by both our cats. They have given us so much love. These are great cats who were not kittens. Sherman is two and Samantha is three. They ask for little and return a lot.

The shelter does a wonderful job giving the animals the best care, but nothing can compare to the one on one relationship of a forever home.