Shakti graced my life the Friday before Thanksgiving in 2004. Daniel, the photographer, stated "This little gal was giving me too much luvin' to hold still for a photo shoot!" He was at his mother's lake home doing some fall cleanup, when "precious love" came running to him, as if looking for human help. She was flea bitten and skinny, but not "mangy." He called 20 neighbors around two coves to find her owner, but no one knew anything.

He thinks she was abandoned, as she was front declawed (sigh).
He sent several pictures to lure me into taking her in, as his mother hates cats. He let her stay in the garage, and snuck her into the basement at night, and she would stretch out on his legs and let him give her a tummy rub, and drool contentedly. The only time she lets me give her a tummy rub is when she's half asleep, or she's in a playful mood, and will THROW herself onto the floor with a "MRRR," which is a signal for me to come groom and pet, and then my hand becomes a human chew toy w/bunny kicks (she is not agressive, it's all very calculated) when I dare give her a tummy rub!

She has a big black X on her head, and I thought of naming her Xena (Warrior Princess!). Her naming came about in an unfortunate way. She didn't have much energy, didn't play like I thought she should. I was looking at ideas for cat names on the Internet at work, and I came across the Hindu creation myth name of goddess Shakti as energy to Shiva's material when they merged to create life.

That night as I rushed her to the vet after she'd ingested a string tied to a jingle ball (it was the only thing she'd play with, but she was ignoring it so I took four steps from my couch to washer to cycle laundry --), and when I came back, NOOOO! As I was standing at the admitting counter and they asked for her name, I blurted out "Shakti."

She is, if I understand correctly, a dilute marble Calico, with very strong Tabby markings (Tabico? Caliby?). She talks and talks, and as I live alone, this is her most charming aspect. She is my buddy and follows me everywhere. If I am ill (fibromyalgia), she comes to bed with me and will put both paws on my arm and lick my face or arm. She is my alarm clock, and wakes me up by meowing in my face, pulling my hair with her teeth, or pulling and snapping any available garment with her teeth. In my isolated existence, I tell everyone I didn't save her, she saved me. I can't imagine life without her!