Pickles in the running for 'America's Favorite Pet'

Submitted photo##Pickles enjoys sitting like a human on the couch of her owner, Mary Davis of Lafayette. Davis adopted the gray tabby two years ago.

A Lafayette feline has reached the semifinals of a pet competition that has a grand prize of $10,000 for her owner and a spot on the cover of a national magazine.

Pickles, who was adopted by Mary Davis as a tiny abandoned kitten, was in second place in the cat category of the “America’s Favorite Pet” contest, as of Monday. People have until Thursday, Feb. 12, to vote online to help her reach the finals.

Davis said Pickles was left in her neighborhood, and she took her in so she could find the kitten a home. “She fit in the palm of my hand,” Davis said.

She ended up keeping the gray tabby as a companion to her other two cats, Jelly, who was adopted from Homeward Bound, and Patches, from Oregon Friends of Animals. She also has a Yorkie, Leo, who is smaller than the cats.

Two years later, Pickles is fully grown and “such a good cat,” said her owner, who enjoys telling Pickles’ stories to friends when she works out at Planet Fitness five mornings a week.

“She’s very sassy and has zoomies through the house,” Davis said. “And she’s very loving.”

Davis hopes to see Pickles on the cover of Modern Cat. If she wins, she wants to donate half the money to Homeward Bound.

To vote for Pickles, go to americasfavpet.com/2026/pickles-412c. One vote a day is free; pet lovers also can donate funds to cast additional votes.