Putting the cat among the pigeons is not normally an affectionate affair, but in Wainoni an unlikely bond has formed between a pair of natural enemies.

Homer, the pigeon, and Henry the cat, are living proof that differences can be put aside, since the pair each adopted their owners, Sandra and Murray Campbell.

"They eat together and play fight together.

"The pigeon flaps its wings and the cat puts its paws up."

"Homer even sits on the cat's back and when the cat stalks sparrows on the front lawn, old ding-dong pigeon follows behind to watch,'' Mrs Campbell said.

Henry arrived as a stray at the Campbells a year ago. Six months later, Homer landed.

"My daughter was visiting from Australia and we were sitting here looking out the door when my daughter goes  `Oh my God there's a pigeon with Henry!'

"We thought it was going to have its head bitten off. But no, they got along fine."

The pair have been found sleeping on a bed together although Henry is more likely to be found in the bird house Mr Campbell built for Homer.

"The cat goes in the bird house and the bird sits on the roof of it," Mrs Campbell laughed.

"Homer sits on my grand-daughter's head and she walks around with it.

"Homer can get quite nasty though. If any of the kids have barefeet, he'll go for their feet and he pecks quite hard too.''

Where the pair came from remains a mystery, but the Campbells speculate the pair may have come from the same home originally.

"We'd love to know  but we're quite attached to them now."

 Homer doesn't stick around at night, disappearing about 6pm each evening.

"But he's back the next morning about 6.30am coo-ing and carrying on," Mrs Campbell said.

Henry the cat retains its masculine name despite having had kittens not long after its arrival at the Campbells.

"That came as a surprise, but we've had her fixed now and made her our own."