COEUR d'ALENE - Lucky Lady's lucky day was Tuesday.

The black, long-haired cat had lived at the Kootenai Humane Society shelter since being dropped off there Dec. 4, 2010 - a year and nearly three weeks.

It didn't help her adoption chances that she arrived with a broken jaw and needed medical attention.

Not another dog or cat has been there longer, said Rondi Renaldo KHS executive director. Hundreds have come and gone, but Lucky Lady remained.

"She's the sweetest thing, (but) because she doesn't take good pictures, nobody would look at her," she said.

Until Patti Ziebell came her to rescue.

The Coeur d'Alene woman adopted the 7-year-old cat, along with 3-year-old Ernie, a white cat with food allergies that had been at KHS for eight and a half months, second only to Lucky Lady.

It was buy-one, get-one free during a "Christmas Pawty" with a goal of finding homes by Christmas for the shelter's most "adoption-challenged" pets.

Ziebell, who has a background in the veterinarian field and has sold pharmaceutical and medical equipment, said she has the experience to care for Lucky Lady and Ernie.

"I know how to handle them," she said. "Those with special needs, I can take care of."

Besides, Lucky Lady deserves a break, she said.

"Sounds like she was a sweet kitty that somebody just didn't take care of," she said.

Veterinarian Nichole Leonard was all smiles when learning Lucky Lady found a home.

"I'm so glad she's getting adopted," she said. "That makes my day."

She said there were two failed attempts to put Lucky Lady's jaw back together.

Six weeks ago, Dr. Timothy Penberthy of Coeur d'Alene, an endontist, teamed with Leonard to operate on the jaw. She said he basically performed a human procedure on a cat that was successful.

Wires holding the canines and jawbone will be left in place three months.

Leonard hopes Lucky Lady will be fine.

"We'll cross our fingers when we pull those out she'll be a fairly normal cat," she said.