Wherever 6-year-old Iris Grace Halmshaw goes, 2-year-old Thula is sure to follow.
When Iris is painting outside, Thula is always nearby, exploring in the garden. They play with the same toys in their fairy-tale-like playroom, take baths together, learn new things together, go on adventures and fall asleep together after long, exciting days.
They sound like sisters. And while the two best friends are like family, there is one striking difference: Thula is a Maine Coon cat and Iris is a child with autism, diagnosed at age 2. Together they prove what Iris’ mom, Arabella Carter-Johnson, has always believed: “different is brilliant.”