Shakula

Shakula is a petite young adult black cat with golden-green eyes and a story that’s a little hard to summarize briefly.

She came to us after being pulled from another shelter – she had arrived there very young, already pregnant, and in labor. One of our foster homes took her in immediately. Her kittens didn’t make it, lost one by one despite everyone’s best efforts.

Her name is Hebrew. Shakula (שְׁכוּלָה) means “a mother who has lost her child.” It fit when she was named. What happened next is the rest of the story.

She still had milk, and when two tiny kittens named Gloria and Rosanna needed a mother, Shakula stepped up without hesitation. She raised them well. They’re all still together in the same room, and the bond shows.

She also came in with an injured tail – bent completely back on itself about halfway down, forming a hook that had a habit of catching on things. When she was spayed, we had the affected portion removed. She now has a tail that’s roughly a third the normal length, and it suits her.

Since her spay she’s been coming into her own as a sweet, attention-seeking cat. She has a fondness for rolling around dramatically on the floor, which looks very inviting. We’ve admired it from a safe distance and are not yet committing to the belly rub situation. She gets along well with all the cats in her room, and has a particular soft spot for Gloria and Rosanna – which, given everything, makes sense.

Shakula is spayed, vaccinated, and will be microchipped. Adoption fee is $75.

To apply, visit www.midwestpetrefuge.com/adopt.