When Jazmin Felder heard meowing from a tree in her yard last year, she didn’t think twice about adding another cat to her already-large family of four.

Felder told The Dodo, “I was raised to always take care of what life handed to me.” “And every time a cat came knocking on my door, I gave them their own home and all of my affection.”

Buddy, a scared stray cat, had been lurking beneath the limbs of the tree for an unknown amount of time, but Felder was clearly delighted to see her.

Felder said, “He was at the very top and he was so pleased to see someone that he came racing down to me.” “We took him in, and he was well.”

Buddy looked relieved to be protected and have a roof over his head, but he refused to sleep or play with Felder’s other cats. Buddy prefers to be alone rather than make pals.

Buddy will always be a loner, Felder thought, until a new member to the household altered everything.

A 5-week-old gray kitten called Hannah was found abandoned beneath a nearby home six months after Buddy arrived, and Felder once again found a place for the underweight cat to flourish.

Hannah and Buddy were opposites in every way — where Buddy was serious and withdrawn, Hannah was affectionate and outgoing. “She’s extremely playful, and loves to cuddle up with you and sleep,” Felder said. “She will run around with our dogs like she’s one too.”

Under other circumstances the two cats might have butted heads, but for the first time, Buddy seemed to actually want to be close to another cat.

“When we initially brought Hannah home, Buddy came to visit her right away,” Felder said. “He had always been reticent and shy, but his entire demeanor transformed the instant he met her.”

Buddy and Hannah are seldom separated months later, and it’s not uncommon to see them snuggling on the kitchen counter, Buddy’s paw protectively draped over his bestie.

“They embrace and soothe each other, not merely show affection while grooming each other,” Felder added. “When my friends and relatives come to visit, they often tease me about how they wish they could have a love like Buddy and Hannah.”

Felder said, “I believe they embrace and hold one other because they truly care for one another.”

Buddy’s most prized possession has become Hannah, and the once-lonely cat is always working to show her how much she matters to him.

“Before he starts eating himself, Buddy would grab food and offer it to Hannah,” Felder observed. “They have a lot of fun hitting cat toys back and forth and competing to see who can get to the top of the stairs first.” Buddy will undoubtedly allow Hannah to triumph!”