Meet Romeo the cat and Juliet the dog, star-crossed lovers at a California animal shelter who are now looking for a home that will take them in -- only if they can stay together, of course.

The orange Tabby and gray Miniature Schnauzer had been living as strays on the street until two weeks ago, when they were rescued and brought to Chula Vista Animal Care Facility in Chula Vista, California, according to Amanda Mills, an administrator at the shelter.

A Good Samaritan had found the pair "hiding under a car together and cuddling," Mills told ABC News today. "And when they were brought in together, they immediately showed they didn't want to be separated, and they physically tried to stay together."



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Normally, cats and dogs live in separate sections of an animal shelter -- and Romeo and Juliet did so at first, Mills said. But it soon became clear the "two were lovesick when away from each other."







"When the dog was out in the kennel, the cat just really wasn't doing very well," Mills said. "Romeo got kind of sick, pretty depressed. He wasn't eating well, and he was lethargic and didn't want to play. Even his coat and fur weren't in good condition."

To prevent a Shakespearean tragedy, the shelter staff "moved some things around" to create a special enclosure for Romeo and Juliet.

"They just needed to be together," Mills said. "As soon as Romeo saw Juliet again, he just perked right up. The cat finally started playing and eating again."







The shelter is now hoping that a family will soon adopt the duo, but only as a two-in-one package, according to Mills.

"They are very clearly bonded, which is very unusual," she said. "We've had two dogs bonded or two cats, but never a dog and a cat. It's definitely a first for our shelter, and we're very glad to have them here."