VHS Adoption Spotlight

I DECIDED THAT THIS IS THE CAT THAT I WANT TO TAKE HOME - SHE WAS A SWEETHEART.

WILLOW

VHS ADOPTION SPOTLIGHT

Newburgh's Jessica Skeels certainly had a strong connection to animals growing up. In fact, her family regularly fostered senior dogs, giving them a good home in which to live out their remaining days. Perhaps not so coincidentally, later in life she married a man who also spent his youth surrounded by furry friends; her husband's family owned a horse ranch with lots of dogs running around. But despite their mutual appreciation for animals, the couple decided to wait until their four children got a bit older before adopting a pet. Of course, that didn't stop the kids from routinely begging them to hurry things up - they wanted a cat, in particular, and were not quiet about it. Finally, Skeels and her husband relented; however, the couple kept their plans to bring home a rescue secret in order to pull off a big surprise.

"I had been online looking around at cats at the River Kitty Cat Café and actually had one in mind, but when I got there "Willow" was just sitting on this little baby doll bed in the window and I couldn't resist going over to her and just fell in love," Skeels recalls. "I decided that this is the cat that I want to take home - she was a sweetheart." A "really calm" tabby about 18 months old, Willow found herself checking out of the Café and heading off to a whole new life, soon to meet the kids who lobbied so hard for a pet. "When they saw her, they were super excited - they all threw their stuff on the fl oor and ran to her," Skeels says. "They argue about whose bed Willow's going to sleep in for the night."

Even so, it turns out that Willow is most enamored with Skeels' husband, dutifully following him around the house wherever he goes. But ultimately, she basks in all the affection she receives from the whole family, always happy to be held. What's funny, Skeels notes, is that Willow "thinks she's a dog," fi nding endless joy out of chasing her own tail and pouncing on things. She also can't get enough of the laser light toy and running after the robot vacuum. Down the road, according to Skeels, Willow might even be playing with another rescue at home. "We're thinking about moving into a bigger house and maybe we'll get a second cat," she says. "I'm kind of ready to get her a friend for while I'm at work and the kids are at school."