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Susan Daffron talks to Aileen Walden from Best Friends Animal Society in Utah about two cats named Toes and Jimmy Cosmo. These two cats are actually Aileen's office mates at Best Friends where from the sounds of it, they keep her continually amused. Both Toes and Jimmy were rescued from Pahrump, Nevada, after Best Friends was called in to aid approximately 800 cats in an institutional hoarding situation where cats had been suffering from neglect.

Both Toes and Jimmy Cosmo are polydactyl cats, which means they have extra toes on their paws. They have feline leukemia (FeLV) and when they arrived at Best Friends were underweight. But now both cats are completely healthy and happy. Although there is no cure for FeLV, otherwise healthy cats can live with the disease for many years. Ideally, Aileen would like to see Toes and Jimmy Cosmo go to the same home because they have bonded to one another. If not, Toes might be best as an only cat, since he likes to be King of the Household. Toes now weighs in at 18 pounds (he prefers the term "big boned"), but it's clear he's been eagerly enjoying all the food and TLC at Best Friends.

Personality-wise Toes is an incredibly affectionate big guy who really appreciates a good lap. Jimmy Cosmo is a little more cautious when he meets people at first, but he warms up quickly. Aileen also refers to him as her "little Luddite" because he takes issue with technology; he has a habit of giving the printer in the office a good swat when he feels like it's getting uppity. (Those of us who use computers can relate to the sentiment.)

Questions or Comments? Send them to: SusanD@petliferadio.com.