Shayla

photo provided by Marianne

Shayla can be one of those look-but-don't-touch cats, so don't be offended if she's less than enthusiastic when approached for a little visiting time. This one can take a while to warm up. But for those who really take the time, she can be all hugs and kisses.
Here's the story from Marianne:

"Shayla is a pretty, long-legged, green-eyed young cat who was found wandering on the street with one of her front legs trapped inside her collar.  The leg must have been caught there for some time because there was quite a bit of damage to the tissue at the base of the leg.  Fortunately, the vet was able to repair the damage and save the leg, although there's a permanent "dent" under her right front leg. When she first came to the shelter, Shayla had to be confined to a shelf-free cage and had to wear a cone so she wouldn't disturb the bandages. 

 photo provided by Marianne

The wound required quite a bit of cleaning and attention from the Animal Care staff. Despite their gentle care, Shayla was not inclined to welcome this contact.  Although she wasn't nasty, she just didn't appreciate their help.   Her cage in the double-wide was part of my cleaning duties at that time, and I felt so sorry for her that I started sitting on the floor of her cage and just talking to her whenever I could.  Over time, she worked up the nerve to sit beside me and then eventually worked her way on to my lap, where she'd allow me to pet her. 

When she was healed enough to be released from the cage, she disappeared into one of the sheds in the back courtyard and didn't seem to want anything to do with people.  I was thrilled and very honoured to discover that she thought I was still okay though.

Even now, long after her ordeal, not many people can get close to her, but she and I have remained buddies. She loves to be carried around and snuggled, and I'm treated to lots of head rubs and slimy smooches.  I'm delighted to see that she's finally becoming much braver and is now allowing a few more people to make contact. She can usually be seen galloping happily around the back courtyard or snoozing somewhere in the double-wide. She's one of the few cats who knows her name and (usually) appears when I call her."

photo provided by Marianne