The neighbors moved but said they'd be back for their cat. It was a promise they didn't keep.

That was in September. The outdoor cat was a familiar presence to Nancy Jeffe, who lives nearby. Over the years, she noted the critter got little attention from its owners.

Once she realized the cat was abandoned, she began to bring it food, and eventually a blanket for warmth.

As the weather turned, she coaxed the cat, by this time dubbed Athena, onto her porch. She built a tent home with a carrier for comfort and the cat began to take over — but not too much.

The problem was the home's older dog, a 70-pound Doberman, who hates cats, said Jeffe, a counselor at Los Alamos High School. Initially Jeffe said she thought the arrangement worked, with the dog happy with the house and backyard as his domain, and Athena with the front porch kingdom.

But after speaking with her veterinarian, Jeffe said she realized the cat deserved a happier life. So she contacted Felines & Friends.

Within days, volunteers took in Athena, put her photo on their Web site, and found her a temporary foster home at Santa Fe Cats. On Wednesday, less than two weeks after Jeffe's porch became cat-free, Athena was adopted.

"The people at the cat hotel were very kind and never minded giving me updates," Jeffe said. "They were also experienced at working with her social and interactive skills, as this was a huge period of adjustment for her."

Now renamed Willow, Jeffe is overjoyed that the cat she came to love is in a happy, safe home. Willow now has an older kitty brother and is adjusting to the new arrangement.

"Felines & Friends volunteers have kept me updated, and Willow's new mom has called me as well," Jeffe said. "This is a happy ending story — unfortunately many animal stories are not. Felines & Friends is a wonderful, kind, caring and responsible organization who came to my (and Athena/Willow's) rescue. I will be forever grateful."