Kat Dennings on Losing Her 'Soulmate Cat' and Adopting Two 'Fantastic' Kittens: 'They Save You' (Exclusive)

Kat Dennings doesn’t just identify as a cat lady—she wears that title like a crown.

From her first feline love, Daisy, to Pumpkin, the stray who wandered into the actress’ life and made her think she’d “never love again,” Dennings has “always been a cat,” she tells PEOPLE of Best Friends Animal Adoption Center pets in Los Angeles.

In recent times, WandaVision star’s life was changed by the unexpected death of her “cat soulmate” Millie, who lived for more than a decade, last autumn.

“It was very unexpected and terribly traumatic, and I was like, ‘What should I do? I still can’t believe this.’ I thought she would live to be 30, and that was the worst,” recalls the 37-year-old star. “But a friend of mine said, ‘Just get another cat now. Just don’t wait eight years like last time.'”

So Dennings did just that—and discovered that good things often come in pairs.

“I found these two little sisters, Lentil and Barley, who are wonderful and so funny and completely different from Millie, and it’s healing,” Dennings says. “I mean, it doesn’t take the pain away, but it’s amazing.”

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Kat Dennings with husband Andrew WK Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Although he’s not destined to be a “crazy cat lover” like Dennings, her husband, Andrew WK, also enjoys life with the kittens — who have quickly become “daddy’s girls,” she says.

“He loves animals. But with cats, because he’s allergic, he never got engaged,” the actress tells PEOPLE. – I know he was afraid, but now he loves them.

The 2 broke girls star is glad the kitties have her, her musician husband and each other because the hardest part of being a pet owner is “probably just having to leave them for the day,” she says. “That’s really hard.”

Kat Dennings and Andrew WK relationship timeline

Dennings hates seeing a lonely cat, which is why she adopted Lentil and Barley as a couple — and why she’s excited to team up with Fresh Step and The movie Garfield support Best Friends Animal Society in their mission to make all US animal shelters no-kill.

Fresh Step sells a limited edition Garfield boxes by June 9. The purchase of each box triggers a litter donation — up to one million pounds of litter — to Best Friends Lifesaving Centers across the country, which A doll’s face the star has been supporting for years.

“Adopting cats is one of my passions. It’s very important to me,” Dennings says, adding: “It’s always great to get them in pairs – or three or four, I’m very tempted – but then they can keep each other company when you’re out and about. ”

Kat Dennings with a box of ‘Garfield’ Fresh Step benefiting Best Friends Animal Society.

Kat Dennings with a box of ‘Garfield’ Fresh Step benefiting Best Friends Animal Society. Kat Dennings with a box of ‘Garfield’ Fresh Step benefiting Best Friends Animal Society. PHOTO:

Michael Simon for Fresh Step

Kat Dennings with a box of ‘Garfield’ Fresh Step benefiting Best Friends Animal Society. PHOTO:

Michael Simon for Fresh Step

With Millie, Dennings was “always rushing home” from work. “But now that I have two, it’s really like they keep each other company, which is fantastic,” she says. “Maybe they could care less if I’m out of the room. They said, ‘Whatever, ma’am.’

The Marvel star has embraced the kitty’s “whatever” attitude as a lifelong lover of Garfield and an actress who, from her experience working with cats on set, can’t help but care for the animals’ welfare.

“That’s the reason why Garfield’s good for me, because it’s not a real cat, so I can enjoy that,” she says. “If I see a real cat on TV or in the movies, I get really stressed about the cat… I’m like, ‘Is it okay? Does he want to be an actor? Does he want to be here?'”

And it doesn’t help that “every time I see a cat or work with a cat, I fall in love,” Dennings adds. “It’s hard.”

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Kat Dennings poses with a cat for Fresh Step.

Michael Simon for Fresh Step

Dennings and her husband have a full (and furry!) house and encourage everyone to adopt cat ladies — especially by adopting rescue cats.

“If you just look, there’s always whatever breed you can think of,” says the actress. “You might just have to wait, but there’s always an adoption thing because there are these precious little angels sitting around waiting for their loving homes and they just need a family.”

“People would ask if Millie was a special breed, and I said, ‘I think she’s part squirrel. I don’t know,'” she jokes, adding, “You really can find the most special, amazing loves of your life through adoption.”

“There’s nothing like it, because you save them and then they save you.”

Limited edition Garfield box of Fresh Step litter is available exclusively at Walmart, and The movie Garfield it’s in theaters on May 24.

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Source: HIS Education