Two feline best friends are supporting each other through all of life’s hurdles.

According to Second Chance Animal Services, the cats arrived at the animal welfare organization in East Brookfield, Mass., in October. The duo was surrendered by their former owner, who had to move to a place that unfortunately doesn’t accept pets.

It was quickly clear to the shelter that the cats were close.

“When they arrived, they both needed each other:  Maggie was Lily’s seeing eye cat, and Lily was Maggie’s emotional support cat. They really relied on each other,” Wendy Hall, Second Chance’s animal relocation director, tells PEOPLE.

Lily has progressive retinal atrophy, a hereditary condition with no treatment that causes gradual, ongoing vision loss. The orange feline is now blind and navigates new spaces with help from Maggie.

“Lily started to really rely on Maggie as she became more and more visually impaired,” Lisey Good, the development and communications manager of Second Chance, says. “Millie seemed to rise to the challenge, walking side by side with her to sort of lead her around like a seeing-eye cat. She calls to her when Lily seems frozen, or even nudges her.”

Lily also helps Maggie navigate new spaces. Lily, the older cat by two years, is confident when approaching new people and encourages Maggie to do the same.

“She is the more outgoing and mature of the two cats,” Good adds of Lily. “Maggie looks to Lily for cues about whether or not she is safe and whether it is OK to trust a situation or person. Lily’s presence helps Maggie to be less fearful and timid.”

This symbiotic relationship between the two cats was apparent to their former owner, who asked Second Chance to adopt the felines out together.

“Whenever we have new animals coming to us in pairs, we evaluate if they are bonded, and if they are, we will keep them together even though it takes much longer for them to find homes. It’s easier to adopt one cat or dog than two at the same time!” Good explains, noting that it was evident to Second Chance that Lily and Maggie would benefit from staying together as their owner had requested.

So Lily and Maggie waited weeks to find the right match for both of them, but their patience paid off. Recently, Kathleen Livingstone and Beryl Adams of Worcester, Mass., adopted the bonded feline pair.

“We thought they were beautiful, and we knew they were bonded, and it seemed like they had been waiting for a bit at the shelter. We wanted to help them,” Livingstone says.

It took some time for the cats to adjust to their new home, but they helped each other through the transition.

Lily helped Maggie “relax” and “come out of her shell,” while the shyer cat assisted Lily around the house until the blind cat memorized the new layout.

“Now that they are here, both of them are much less fearful. They hang out together, side by side, but it seems like Lily doesn’t need Maggie to be her eyes now that she has a permanent home that she knows. She feels safe,” the new pet parent shares.

Maggie is trying new things as Lily becomes bolder. According to the cats’ owners, Maggie loves to watch the fish in their tank and the birds outside.

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Second Chance hopes this happy ending for Lily and Maggie inspires others to adopt bonded pairs and pets with special needs.

“People are nervous that they won’t know how to take care of them, but animals are amazing and resilient and independent. We’ve seen incredible stories,” Good shares.

To learn more about Second Chance Animal Services and its adoptable animals, visit the organization’s website.

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