I think eight-year-old Rose has been blossoming nicely ever since, less than two months ago, I adopted her from an animal shelter where I volunteer. Apparently someone in her former family became allergic to her.

Rose is a sizeable sweetheart. She is a purring machine and loves to roll over and have her belly rubbed. She thunks her tail like a dog, with great gusto. She very much likes to sit as close to me as she can (I have ZERO objections), and also enjoys, several times a day, beating up a small rug with kicks from her bunny-like hind legs. She loves to play, sit near the warm heater, have a little catnip now and then, and nibble on wheat grass. However, when other people are around, for right now, she often prefers to be behind the bed until they leave. And she did not exactly give Dr. Nulton and Sam the world’s warmest welcome when she first met them!

Every day I hope to learn more about sweet, silly, shy Rose. I already know she is stunning inside and out. I lost my beloved 20-year-old Zoe at the beginning of 2014. I had no intention of getting another cat, but then Rose arrived at the shelter and I could see how stressed she was to be in a noisy, strange environment. I decided I needed to help a sistah out—but, it turns out, no surprise, that we are very good for each other!

– Thea Feldman