Woman keeps kitten after cat’s litter, not prepared for what she turns into

From a cat’s bizarre new year’s routine to a dog that is stroked with a rake by her owner, this week we’ve seen plenty of great pet stories.

If you have a dog, cat or any other pet that you think should be our Pet of the Week, don’t forget to follow the instructions at the end of this story to get involved.

Winner

This week our Pet of the Week is Lauren Jones’ beloved cat Simon who was kept as a kitten and turned out to have a seriously lazy personality.

Simon is the kitten of a cat that appeared as a stray, Patches, and came into his owner’s life during a tumultuous time.

“My 88-year-old dad had a heart attack, three weeks after my cat had her kittens,” Jones told Newsweek. “I stayed every night at the hospital with him. After 24 days in the hospital, and weekly ER visits for dad, the kittens were getting pretty big. I totally wanted to rehome all but one but was only able to find homes for two. So, I kept the other three.”

One of these was Simon. Today, he is well and truly part of the family, and his personality has shone through.

“He’s always on his back lounging, enjoying his best life,” Jones said, dubbing him “the laziest cat ever.”

“He was not the one I intended to keep, but I am so grateful it turned out the way it did,” the owner said.

Finalists

Our first finalist this week is BJ, a 10-year-old dog who is the center of his owner’s world.

A Jack Russell, he lives in Florida with owner Mary Maiocco who told Newsweek that he loves to “play, run, chew dog bones and be happy.”

Recently they sadly lost BJ’s companion, fellow Jack Russell Indy, who was 13.

Maiocco said that the dogs made their house a home.

Next up this week is Mimi, a cat who loves to ride in her owner’s car.

“Every day when I come home for work, Mimi Cat is waiting for a ride. I pull in the driveway and off we go,” Owner James Score from Georgia told Newsweek.

She loves to look out for other cats, and people in the neighborhood love to wave at Mimi.

“She was abandoned by some neighbors that moved. She would just pass by at night until I gave her some food one cold night,” Score said. “Then one early November morning, it was storming outside. I opened my garage door and heard a cat crying. It was cold and dark. Mimi Cat came from under the car soaking wet.”

It took around a year for Mimi to completely trust her new owner, but now they are the best of friends.

“She’s better than any dog,” Score said. “We watch TV, play games, drive around in the car and even eat together.”

Last but not least this week is 8-year-old border collie mix July.

Adopted by Adriana Blake, July started life working on a cattle ranch. Blake told Newsweek: “Instead of herding those big beasts, she preferred sitting around being loved on and chasing balls incessantly.”

After seeing the dog listed on Facebook, Blake knew she belonged in her life.

“Initially she was a present for my ex-hubby for Father’s Day. He passed away, and July became my best buddy,” she explained. “I am disabled, and July gets me out of bed, and moving, and makes me laugh on a regular basis.”

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.