Jordan and Newman Inseparable Pit Bull Siamese Duo

Jordan and Newman teased death in different ways before they were rescued by the same man. The dog persuaded the man to keep her, then the cat persuaded the dog to keep him.

In this photo taken Friday, Oct. 9, 2009, in Los Angeles, Jordan, a 2-year-old, 50-pound female pit...

In this photo taken Friday, Oct. 9, 2009, in Los Angeles, Jordan, a 2-year-old, 50-pound female pit bull, top, and Newman, a year-old male, 14-pound flame point Siamese with vivid blue eyes, bottom, play at the home of Ben Lehrer, president and CEO of Kitten Rescue. Jordan lost half her jaw after being mauled as a pup, so her tongue hangs out and there's no stopping her drool. Newman was rescued with a serious case of pneumonia from a feral cat colony. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

(AP)

Jordan is a 2-year-old, 50-pound female pit bull who lost half her jaw after being mauled as a pup. So her tongue hangs out and there's no stopper for her drool.

Newman is a year-old male, 14-pound flame point Siamese with vivid blue eyes who was rescued from a feral cat colony but had a serious case of pneumonia.

That was dangerous to other cats, so Jordan nursed him, using her untamed drool to lick him healthy.

The dog got her name from Michael Jordan, whose tongue would often come out as he prepared to score. The cat was named after blue-eyed Paul Newman, because he arrived at Ben Lehrer's home the day the actor died.

"It was the Jordan and Newman show. He was on her back. She was on the ground. They wrestled and played and were inseparable. There was no aggression at all. He would whack her on the face, but keep his claws retracted," Lehrer said.

For six years, Lehrer has been president of Kitten Rescue, an all-volunteer welfare group for abandoned, stray and hurting cats. Volunteers provide foster homes until the cats are adopted.

"Cats have a way of finding us. We get them adoption-ready, healthy, fixed and micro-chipped," he said. "I have been doing this long enough to know not to get too attached to foster cats. It is better for everybody."

Newman seemed to know the score. "So he went for the dog." In the end, Newman became a rare keeper cat at the home Lehrer shares with girlfriend Michel Campbell.

Jordan is the only dog.

"For many of my baby kittens, she is their first friend," said Lehrer, a legal consultant for the medical school at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Lehrer has to bottle feed many of his foster kittens. It is Jordan's job to lick them, clean them and cuddle them. It helps their adoptability if potential owners know they get along well with dogs.