The lovely Herb, who was featured in this column in January of this year, has found a home.

Adopted in the summer by Yuri and Hirofumi Miyoshi of Osaka, Herb has settled in well to her new home, which is her first ever.

Yuri, who used to be an ARK staff member, knew Herb from the cat enclosure.

"She would cry a lot and try to get into your lap." she recalls. "I really liked her a lot."

However, it turns out that Herb's cry was a cry for help and when Yuri heard that her health was seriously suffering from the stress of shelter life, she decided to adopt. According to Yuri, the health problems have cleared up completely.

"She was very nervous at home in the beginning because all she'd ever known was the shelter," she says. "But now she's much more relaxed and a lot more laid-back, much cooler. She doesn't cry much anymore We figure it's because she gets enough affection now."

The Miyoshis are also currently caring for some tiny kittens still on the bottle.

"Herb is so cute trying to get close to them. She really makes us smile," says Yuri, adding that "it will be nice to just have Herb when we say good-bye to the kittens."

If you are interested in adopting a pet, 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. Web: www.arkbark.net