“Come a little closer, my darling. I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too, heh heh heh”…… Yup, I was one of the early rescues (VA0337) and stayed with Aunt Siri at the Center forever. I got to remain at the Rescue because I brought just the right cattitude to this place, classing it up a bit. I had such a fan base, and if you weren’t quick enough, you were initiated into the club. Every Center needs a Princess and that was me – the Warrior Princess as I came to be known! Don’t I look fierce?
Shiena was one of our very early cats – coming into the Siamese Cat Rescue program in December of 1999, and living with us until her passing in April of ’03 (1,223 days). These were the younger days of our program – she came in as a pregnant stray and shortly thereafter gave birth to three kittens. Shiena had no interest in being a mother, and back in the day of metal playpens, she would climb to the top shelf of the playpen and lay there, refusing to nurse the kittens. Removing the shelf helped some, but that maternal instinct was definitely missing.
She was such a character. Opinionated, stubborn, determined, and crabby as all get-out. She was NOT into manicures and her talons were lethal weapons. She would not be told what to do and ruled the roost. Someone needed a bandaid without fail every time they came in contact with her.
When Shiena made it to her one year anniversary in the program and still hadn’t been adopted, the first cat to do so, it was unanimously agreed upon that she should become the Shelter Cat. And so she became a permanent resident.
Shiena seemed right at home in the shelter. She claimed everyone’s cage for her own, ate out of everyone’s food bowl, and slept in everyone’s bed. She didn’t mind the other cats, as long as they didn’t bully her – and she just adored the flame boys. Every time a new flame male came in, you could count on Shiena to be close at hand. (Pictured below with one of her pals, Jason).
She continued to uphold her reputation as the Warrior Princess, despite gaining pound upon pound and thus earning the alternate nickname of Beluga. She had an impressive immune system and whenever there was an outbreak of ringworm, bordetella, URI or other goop in the shelter, Shiena was never affected. She knew all the routines and rituals: Friday night was chicken soup; cleaning day meant cage time with Fancy Feast; Tuesday was hairdressing day – she had the system down. Her anger became less and less pronounced over the years, and she eventually enjoyed scratches and pets, soft voices, an occasional game of silliness, and kisses on her forehead by those of us who were really brave.
While Dinky followed in her footsteps several years later (see post “For The Love of a Dinky Doodle”), Shiena was, without a doubt, an original.