This is Shilgiah the Huntress' favorite picture of herself in her old park. She is a stumpy-tailed white Manx. You can just see her tail if you look closely. She was dumped in this park about seven years ago and fended for herself for a while. When the nights started getting colder and the coyotes bolder, she decided that she really needed to find a home. She caught herself a little sparrow and took it to the patio door of a nearby house. The woman who lived there opened the sliding glass door, picked up Shilgiah and told her to spit out the sparrow. Shilgiah did as she was told and after the sparrow flew away, the woman informed her that nobody ate little birds in this house, but Shilgiah was welcome to stay and live on cat food. Shilgiah gladly took up the offer and has been living with the woman, now her Mom, ever since. Because Shilgiah liked being outside, her Mom would take her for long walks in the park and even let her stalk the doves and the elusive blue-tailed lizard, as she used to do when she was an orphan, but she doesn't catch them now. Actually, she admits, she wasn't very good at catching them then, which is one of the reasons she really needed to find a forever home. Last August, they moved to a new apartment, away from the park and Shilgiah doesn't get to go for walks any more, because there are too many woofies running loose in the area where she lives now. She misses her walks, but she has a very nice balcony, which is screened in, so she still gets to go outside some. She got a brother last year, too, and the two of them have a great time together.
Shilgiah once stalked the elusive blue-tailed lizard,
But it was tricky and in running was a wizard.
She now lives inside
And takes as her pride
That she once stalked the elusive blue-tailed lizard.
14 comments:
Wowww, this picture just like in the paradise~!!! Cool~!
Shilgiah is so so talent~!!No wonder she looks so spirited~!
Great Limericks for her~!
She sounds like she's really amazing. I like her limerick a lot.
Chase
We are in awe of Shilgiah. She has a very exciting life. We are glad that she is loved by a family now and it is good to go back and visit the places where it all began... good therapy.
She is beautiful.
very good limerick too!
That's a lovely photo of her outside!
Dear Karen Jo,
We are very sorry for all the pain you had in your life and apologize if we have added to it.
We totally understand your decision, even if it saddens us.
Believe me, the staff would love to be able to lock me in and know me safe for the rest of my life - I am eternally grateful that they realize that life is not about safety and to live it to the fullest you have to take risks. I know some cats do fine and better indoors, Anastasia and I were never of that kind.
She would have been miserable, locked up. Every day of her life was absolutely awesome.
We both came out of the desert, and Anastasia went back to it. I might follow. The staff is aware of it, they have lived in the desert for many many years, and it will tear them apart. But life is not about safety and control. It is about living it.
Our thoughts and hopes and prayers are with you that your and your beloved ones will succeed in being spared the hurt and pain we have.
Your friend Karl, and the staff.
Shilgiah is very beautiful. It is too bad she can't catch the elusive blue-tailed lizard. I cannot catch him, either.
What a beautiful picture and fantastic limerick! We came to visit since you visit Dinah and the Mites. Come and visit us sometime, we love new friends!
Wowie, whatta kool limmerick, and I'd love to catch a blue-tailed lizzard, too!
Shilgiah sounds like a wunnerful kitty.
Kittyhugs and purrs from MaoMao!
That is a great story!
Your buddy, Jimmy Joe
You captured her perfectly, Karen Jo!
What a great story, Karen Jo. I really liked it. If Shilgiah lived near me, I would not chase her and I would never let another woofie chase her.
Thank you Karen Jo for your wonderful last comment. Believe me, the staff talked about it a lot, they HATE to have us go out in dangerous environment. But they also do take a lot of comfort in the knowledge that Anastaisa's every day was so wonderful because she could do what she wanted to do.
Please let us know if we can ever help if you feel sad, or hurt, or pained. We mean it. We would have never made it this far without the blogoshpere and we know it will keep us going on - because our pain is not over... it might never be, we will just learn to live with it.
And the only thing that can sooth a broken heart is love and compassion.
Your friends Karl, and the staff
Shilgiah can be *proud of stalking that blue-tailed lizard - I love that picture of her!
Thank you Karen Jo. I am honored that you chose to tell my story. I especially like the limerick too.
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