First featured here in May 2015, Rosabaya (right) has now found a loving home with Shinichi and Keiko Yokota and the couple's other cat, Karei (left). It was hoped that adopting Rosabaya, who has been rechristened Ayu, would help the Yokotas recover from the pain of losing one of their cats early last year, as well as cheer up Karei, who spent his days sleeping since losing his buddy. And cheer did come quickly to the Yokota home again. "Ayu was very nervous the first night she spent with us, but I played with her all night," says Keiko, "and she completely got over any anxiety."

Now, the Yokotas' sixth-floor apartment has become "Ayu's home" and Keiko says, "Our family grew by one when Ayu joined us." She notes that Ayu is very good at finding places around the apartment to get comfortable in, and also that Karei seems greatly relieved to have a new friend. Fourteen months old this month, Ayu "has gotten bigger and is brimming with curiosity. She makes great leaps in the air while playing with her toy mouse and is adept at suddenly appearing from out of the darkness. Recently we've starting calling her our 'Ninja girl!' "

Many other cats and dogs are available for adoption. Email ARK at [email protected] or call 050-1557-2763 Monday to Saturday (bilingual) for more information. Tokyo ARK is an NPO founded by Briton Elizabeth Oliver. It is dedicated to rescuing and rehoming abandoned animals. All animals are vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. Prospective owners are requested to undergo a screening process.