From a strange cat the new year routine to a dog that is caressed with a rake from its owner, this week we saw plenty of great animal stories.
If you have a dog, cat or any other animal that you think should be our Pet of the Week, don’t forget to follow the instructions at the end of this story to participate.
Winner
Lauren Jones
This week our Pet of the Week is Lauren Jones’ beloved cat, Simon, who was kept as a kitten and turned out to have a seriously lazy personality.
Simone is the kitten of a cat that looked like a stray, Patches, and came into the life of its owner during a tumultuous time.
“My 88-year-old father had a heart attack three weeks after my cat had her kittens,” Jones said. Newsweek. “I stayed every night at the hospital with him. After 24 days in the hospital, and weekly ER visits for dad, the kittens had gotten big enough. I wanted to rehome all but one, but I could only find homes for two. So, I kept the other three.”
One of these was Simon. Today, he is well and truly part of the family, and his personality has shone through.
“He’s always on his back, enjoying his best life,” said Jones, who called him “the laziest cat ever.”
“It wasn’t the one I intended to keep, but I’m so grateful it did,” said the owner.
Finalists
Maria Maiocco
Our first finalist this week is BJ, a 10-year-old dog who is the center of his owner’s world.
A Jack Russell, lives in Florida with owner Mary Maiocco who said Newsweek who likes to “play, run, chew dog bones and be happy”.
They recently sadly lost BJ’s companion, Jack Russell Indy, who was 13 years old.
Maioccu said that the dogs made his house a home.
James Score
Next week it’s Mimi, a cat who likes to ride in her owner’s car.
“Every day when I come home from work, Mimi Cat is waiting for a ride. I pull into the driveway and off we go,” said owner James Score from Georgia. Newsweek.
He likes to look for other cats, and people in the neighborhood like to say hi to Mimi.
“She was abandoned by some neighbors who moved away. She was just spending the night until I gave her something to eat one cold night,” Score said. “Then one November morning, it was storming outside. I opened my garage door and heard a cat crying. It was cold and dark. Mimi Cat came from under the wet car.”
It took about a year for Mimi to fully trust her new owner, but now they are best friends.
“He’s better than any dog,” Score said. “We watch TV, play games, drive in the car and even eat together.”
Adirana Blake
Last but not least this week is an 8 year old border collie mix July.
Adopted by Adriana Blake, July began life working on a cattle ranch. Blake said Newsweek: “Instead of tending those great beasts, he preferred to sit around being loved and chasing balls incessantly.”
After seeing the dog listed FacebookBlake knew she belonged in his life.
“Initially it was a gift for my ex-husband for Father’s Day. He died, and July became my best friend,” she explained. “I’m disabled, and July gets me out of bed, and moves, and makes me laugh on a regular basis.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet that you want to share? Send them to vita@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week line.
Uncommon knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in search of common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in search of common ground.
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