Ventura, the one-eyed cat

"'Okay, so I've come home with a one-eyed cat that hates me. Oh, joy!' That's what I thought when Ventura first came home with me. I picked Ventura (whose name means luck ) because she immediately walked into my lap. Then I got her home, and she spent the first week under the couch. She didn't want me to touch or brush her when she was out, and she also had an eye virus that brought on lots of trips to the vet. Then it occurred to me Ventura had had a pretty tough year. She was in a high-kill shelter, then in cages at a pet store [hoping to get adopted] and then in two different MCR foster homes before being driven from Oakland to Ventura to be adopted. So we relaxed and just let her do her thing. Now, two months later, she's funny, intelligent, interactive and affectionate we recently had a party at the house and Ventura stayed the entire time mingling with the guests. She follows us from room to room and sleeps next to (and on) us every night. All it took was a little patience and, in honor of her name, we all lucked out."