Riley & Malley were in a foster family before we got them, only it was one of those foster families with way too many animals. We’re talking 25+ cats and dogs, not to mention birds and rabbits.

Riley grew up food anxious. Always. He’s not necessarily possessive of the food dish but he will eat any and every scrap of food, including his brother’s if Malley looks away for a moment. Malley, always wanting to look out for his brother, will allow Riley to steal his food. He will also attack DiNozzo or anything else he thinks is threatening Riley. Neither of them like men (with the exception of my partner, Erik, who they have grown to love) and hate cigarette smoke. If you visit our home smelling like it, they instantly dislike you.

We didn’t adopt them until after they were a year old. They were so bonded as brothers, they had to go together, but they were also so skittish and afraid of people, they had trouble adopting out (or so the foster parents said). Either way, I’m glad we’ve given them a much more secure home than the one they started in. <3