My shelter Kitty gives me shelter.

This is Miss Gypz Jingles. She was once a shelter kitty, then a foster kitty. I adopted her and she adopted me at the end of July last year. We were destined to become family.

This little baby feline teaches me so much. She is the fine example of love, and independence. Her personality is that of curious, social, intellectual and ambitious. Yes, she has ambitions. And, she is quite opinionated.


Every morning she ventures onto her terrace, upon which she is posing in the photo. I will say to her, "Let's go say hello to the world Gypz!" And I'll dramatically whoosh open the french terrace door and she'll leap out there chatting at the birds and then she'll either go sit in her tent or in her kitty stroller and peer out into the wonderland before her. The terrace is a second floor perch off the house so this is quite a royal view for such a tiny feline.


Gypz is adventurous too. She likes to go camping, in her own little world. When she enters her little tent, she transforms into a little lioness and her ears twitch and move -- receiving the sounds of the world. I love watching her because her world and perspective is so queenly and natural. She is so in tune with nature -- the ebb and flow of everything around her fascinates her. The littlest movement she notices. She is so aware of her environment.


Gypz Jingles uses her senses full blast. All six senses are alive and alert; she lives completely in the moment. And it's a wonderful learning experience to observe her every movement, the sounds she makes -- her interpretation of life happening around her. She doesn't miss a thing. She's fully involved even if she is so still with her little eyes closed...she is completely and lovingly involved with the art of living life.

My feline is quite appreciative. She is in a state of thankfulness all the time. She is humorous and doesn't take anything too seriously. She desires to experience everything full tilt and is grateful to do so. Her life as a shelter kitty, then as a foster kitty, has not been easy -- but I believed she remained hopeful, perhaps in a state of grace somehow. Because she received me cautiously...as her new mother. She took her time to get to know me. Her taking her time, to me, meant that she really wanted to connect, not just throw herself at who ever would give her love and the time of day. No, Gypz wanted a quality relationship. It was evident in the way in which she did not campaign herself at the adoption place. She was absolutely unemotional, unattached -- did not throw herself up against the cage with grand purr....no, she has purrrpose to her action.

Purrhaps that's why she and I connected so very spiritually and emotionally. My kitty gives me shelter...she shelters me from the past...living there. Oh, you know how thoughts creep their way in....she pulls me into the here and now. She lets me know that strong and purrposeful is about living in the moment and tasting it, feeling it full on. She shelters me from thinking negatively about if, when, and so on, about my career....the future of it all.


To Gypz Jingles, life is all happening as it should, unfolding like a never-before-seen theatrical presentation. And she is fully involved in her six senses even though she may be still, with her eyes closed.

NOTE: Gypz Jingles was adopted from the fine foster care of Nashville Cat Rescue. They rescued this baby kitty from an animal shelter in Bowling Green, KY, according to her paperwork. The precious little went through a tough time. Thank GOD the Nashville Cat Rescue crew rescued this awesome feline and spared her little life! Please support your local animal adoption centers and make it a goal to investigate pet adoption through rescue organizations. These animals NEED good homes and love. Because they have soooo much to give to a willing and loving human family.

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN369.html - Nashville Cat Rescue.... and the overall web is www.petfinder.com and you can click on the organizations in your area that have little animals to adopt.

More about Gypz Jingles: http://www.bikerlady.com/portfolio/GypZ%20Jingles.htm

and here's a pictorial about Annie, my previous kitty of 20+ years! http://www.bikerlady.com/portfolio/annie.htm