Erin Hickey & Sunshine, Willy, and Noelle

Bayley, Erin, Sunshine & Willy

I moved to Orcas in May, and knew right away that I wanted a cat to keep my dog company while I was at work.

My niece, Bayley, who is a volunteer at the Animal Shelter—and also found her own awesome cat there—helped me pick out my new family member. Together, we picked Sunshine, an adorable one-year-old orange kitty with a lot of spunk and a fun, energetic personality.

I had no intention of getting more than one cat, but then I saw Willy. He is a super-cute, older cat with a limp and a ton of personality. I met him when I met Sunshine, and could not stop thinking about how adorable he was.

So I went back to the shelter to visit Willy and decided to take him home, too, after he lovingly put his paw on my shoulder and gave me kisses on the cheek. He is the best, most loving cat ever!

Believe it or not, I decided later to also get a kitten at the shelter, so Noelle joined my houseful of furry family members. Now, my three cats, my dog and I are all very happy together. –Erin Hickey