Unusual pet pairing up for adoption in Napier

SPCA animal attendant Rachel Hopper looks on as Jam and Biscuit play ball.

Napier SPCA is celebrating a first, as an unusual pair of pets is put up for adoption.

Kitten, Jam and puppy, Biscuit have become inseparable after being fostered together by SPCA animal attendant Rachel Hopper.

Biscuit first came into the centre in February after being surrendered by his owner who was unable to afford veterinary treatment for a suspected broken leg. Jam was found by a builder in a roof space and was fostered by Rachel for a few weeks before Jam made her appearance.

"Jam was found by a builder in a roof space all alone in March. She was fostered out several times but returned as she was very playful. Rachel then took her home to foster as well," says Napier and Hastings centre manager, Joy Walker.

The pair was fostered together because there was no space to hold Biscuit at the centre.

"Rachel had space to take on a kitten to foster as Biscuit was on vet-advised restricted movement and needed some crate confinement. She felt sorry for Jam having been returned by several foster parents so took her home as well."

Being fostered together while very young without their mother or litter mates at such a young age has led the two to form an unbreakable bond.

"Over their time in foster the two became absolutely besotted with each other, playing (Biscuit knows how to be very gentle with his feline BFF), cleaning each other, sleeping together and even going on leash walks together, happily trotting along side-by-side."

When the time came to head back to the SPCA centre in Napier and be made available for adoption, nobody could bear separating them and the duo made it clear they certainly didn't want to be split up, Joy says. So now the pair is available for adoption together.

"They will need to go to a home that has room for them both, double the animals for double the love. Some bonds are just too strong to break."

Joy says both animals are crossbreeds — Jam a domestic short hair tabby-tortoiseshell and Biscuit a medium cross breed. Joy says Biscuit was very timid with people to begin with but now he is coming out of his shell, thanks to the outgoing personality of Jam.

"Jam is full of beans, to put it mildly. She is an extreme extrovert who cannot stay still and loves to play. She won't stop until she is exhausted, at which point she will go to sleep next to Biscuit. Biscuit is the calmer and more collected personality and they balance each other out nicely."

Joy says this is a first for the Napier SPCA because foster animals not from the same litter are usually housed separately.

"Jam escaped, raced into the room Biscuit was in and playfully jumped on his back. From there, they both were immediately drawn to each other and have been together ever since."

It soon became apparent the pair would be better kept together.

"We noticed very quickly they were drawn to each other. And they balanced each other out very well. Also, by coincidence, they became available for adoption on the same day."

Rachel is excited to see them get the perfect home together.

"They are a unique pair that are very well loved and will certainly missed."

A recent Facebook post advertising Jam and Biscuit has met with many positive comments. Joy says the pair would be more suitable in a home with someone who has some good animal experience and can handle extrovert Jam and bring out the best in Biscuit.

"We have a lot of animals looking for homes at the moment so there has been quite a few people asking and looking on the website to book appointments to meet them all."

Visit www.spca.nz/biscuit to apply.