A cat and dog sharing the same pet carrier were surrendered last week to MSPCA-Angell‘s Boston shelter. Now, the “best friends” are looking for a new home together.

Kitty, a long-haired brown-and-white tabby, and Leila, a Chihuahua, were brought to MSPCA-Angell on March 14 after their family had to move and couldn’t locate housing that would accomodate pets.

#VIDEO: Cat and dog "best friends" surrendered to the shelter in the same carrierhttps://t.co/juNiUgBYM9 Our #JamaicaPlain adoption center needs a VERY special adopter willing to take these two friends home! adoption@mspca.org / learn more here: https://t.co/Ppmx90qBJY pic.twitter.com/eK2irUfVXB — MSPCA-Angell (@MspcaAngell) March 22, 2019

Rob Halpin, MSPCA-Angell’s director of public relations, said cat-and-dog friendships are rare. Halpin and his colleagues have only seen a similar situation just once in the last four years, he said.

“What was so moving to us was to see this dog and cat peeking out from inside the same carrier that they shared, which really underscored to us the degree to which they were bonded,” Halpin said.


Shelter staff created a makeshift room in an office for the two to live in while awaiting adoption.

“The only thing they have is each other, and that’s the one thing we can’t take away,” Halpin said. “When the shelter team took Leila out for a walk, Kitty sat in his litter box and started meowing loudly because he was really worried about where his friend might be.”

Two-year-old Leila has never known a life without Kitty — she’s lived with the 6-year-old cat since she was born.

“It’s so cute, the calming effect that this cat has on this dog,” Halpin said. “As long as Leila is near Kitty, Leila is fine.”

The shelter hopes interested adopters will step forward to give the duo a home. A quieter one is preferred, given that Leila is skittish with strangers.

“Ideally it’s an adult home, but if it’s a family with kids and a family that really understands the need for a slow and cautious and nurturing approach to ensure these two can heal,” Halpin said, “we would absolutely consider that home as well.”

Interested adopters can email adoption@mspca.org or visit the shelter.