The View from Here

There may be a plot brewing here at Chez Gainey; Shiva is being sweet. Okay, sweet for Shiva, at least. She is coming when I call her, following me around the house as I go about my business, and sleeping on top of me more often at night. Dan is still the light of her life, but (dare I say it?)…I think she is finally starting to sort of tolerate me. Shiva is showing a softer side.

Don’t get me wrong; she still often runs from me like she’s seen a ghost, tearing up and down the stairs so fast that her hind legs almost bounce over her head, but more often than not, she at least flirts and rubs on everything now before doing so. She is staying longer during her nocturnal visits, often curling up in a purring ball on my chest or lap, sometimes almost nose-to-nose with Sophie. The happiest part to me, she is often choosing to join us for family time in front of the fire, curling up in Dan’s lap as he works on his computer. Those peaceful times with all of us together are such a heartwarming gift.

The ever-sweet and patient Sophie.

There is another part to this equation, however. With time, I have come to learn at least in some part what makes my crazy Tortie tick. When I truly approach her with the realization that everything has to be on her terms, our relationship is so much less drama-filled. She begins to trust me knowing that I’m not going to initiate affection or contact unless she requests it. Letting her come to me is the key.

The sun porch makes the best kitty tv…

It turns out that Shiva has become a teacher to me, my own little feline guru. She is teaching me to let relationships unfold as they will, not to force them just because I think they should happen a certain way or be a certain way; that patience has great rewards. She has helped me to learn to laugh at her foibles- and my own; she is such an intelligent and quirky animal.

Amazing as it sounds after the rough beginning we went through, I am grateful that I brought this little maniac into our home. She is completely different from the two dear animals we lost this past summer, so there are no comparisons that tug on our heartstrings. She has her own very distinct personality and has taken ownership of the house, the dog, and of us. She brings laughter into our home each and every day, along with lots of stories to tell,,,”Honey, you will never believe what that crazy cat did today…”

Shiva is only two years old, and so we hopefully have many years to watch her mellow (as much as any Tortoiseshell mellows) and continue to settle into our home and our routine. The real challenge may come next spring when we hope to bring another dog into our home…but that’s a worry for another day. No matter what, Shiva will be large and in charge. (Don’t tell her yet, but I truly love her…I don’t want her wielding too much power over me quite so soon…)