The Magnetic Pull of a Cat Island: Why Sitting Down Means Instant Feline Friends

Last September, Rocía H. was scrolling through Instagram when a friend’s Story stopped her in her tracks. The post featured a dog with golden fur and a contagious smile, named Quesito, looking for an adoptive home. Rocía wasn’t looking for a new pet, as she was actively grieving the loss of her soul dog, Whiskey, but something about this pup felt different.

“When I saw his face, I felt something so special inside of me, like a gut feeling,” Rocía told The Dodo. “I fell in love with him in just a second.”

Rocía’s love for Quesito was instant, but she felt hesitant about filling out an application. After losing Whiskey, she believed she would never adopt a pet again. So, she initially ignored the ad and set her phone down for a bit. But when she caught herself rechecking Quesito’s post throughout the day, she decided to inquire about him.

“I thought, ‘Well, I’m just going to fill this out, but the post has so many likes and shares and comments that I really don’t think they’ll choose me,’” Rocía said. “Then, just a couple of hours later, Yarha, the head of Canhijos TJ, contacted me …”

Rocía H.

Yarha shared that Rocía had been approved for an interview and explained a bit about Quesito’s backstory. He was one of 11 puppies, some of whom had already been adopted, and he loved everyone he met. But there was someone he loved more than the rest.

“She said, ‘I know this is too much to ask because it’s a really big responsibility to take on, but I have to let you know that Quesito is really close and bonded with one of his siblings, Limón. Ideally, we would love for them to be adopted together, but it’s 100 percent not an obligation or imposition. I just felt like you needed to know,’” Rocía said.

Yarha was right; it was a big ask for someone who had just opened up to the idea of adopting a single dog. But after looking at a picture of Limón, Rocía felt the same heart pull she’d felt with Quesito, and ultimately decided she’d take them both.

“I couldn’t resist falling in love with him as well,” Rocía said. “So, I told her [that if] I got approved for adoption, I wanted both, together.”

Rocía was approved to adopt Quesito and Limón shortly after the call, and she happily took the bonded pair home. Her parents and pets — senior dog, Cual, and cat, Horchata — welcomed the pups with open arms, and they all quickly became a family.

Quesito and Limón were elated to find a home together. While they’ve since developed differing personalities, they’re still just as affectionate and bonded as ever. No matter what they’re doing, the two pups can almost always be found arm-in-arm, comforted by each other’s company.

“Limón has larger legs than Quesito, and we always say that he was given longer arms/legs so he could hug, because he LOVES hugging,” Rocía said. “My mom is a therapist, and Limón always gives emotional support to her patients, mostly by hugging.”

Both Quesito and Limón have become proud emotional support dogs for their grandma’s patients, and they’ve even bonded with Cual and Horchata. Everyone in the house is happy to have them, but Rocía is especially grateful that the pair arrived when she least expected it.