PET OF THE WEEK: Pretty Kitty Desiree

Desiree is a friendly and pretty 10-year-old cat that came to in Houghton recently after the daughter in her family developed allergies.

She is no stranger to the shelter. She was first rescued as a pregnant stray in 2002, gave birth to her litter and was adopted shortly thereafter. 

Now she's back, in fine health but a big girl at 16 pounds, 3 ounces. She's on a diet to shed a little of that weight, and she's a favorite of the shelter staff as she chirps and sticks her paws out, looking for attention. 

Her previous owner described Desiree as affectionate, friendly, mellow, gentle and quiet. She has lived with children and a large Dalmatian dog, whose company she seemed to truly enjoy.

She won't be delivering any more kittens. She was spayed during her first stay at the shelter. She is up to date on her shots and has been micro-chipped. If you are interested in giving her a home, see www.meowcatrescue.org or call 425-822-6369. 

Incidentally the shelter, which houses 60 to 80 homeless cats at any given time, is always in need of volunteers for a variety of tasks. As a non-profit group, it can also always use donations -- veterinary services are its biggest expense, and costly.