Christmas 2005: My parents and I traveled to the local animal shelter in search of a new kitten for me. We had become a foster family to our neighbor’s kitten but we had to give the kitten back because she was a gift for our neighbor’s daughter. My parents had their hearts set on a different cat, but Libby reached out, grabbed my coat, and would not let me go. If I started to look at other cats she would meow very loud and begin to play with the toys they had inside her cage, trying to get me to look at her. I was instantly smitten.

We adopted her and she quickly created a new ranking system in our family. The four other cats, all males, are terrified of her! She strikes the fear of God into their hearts with just one look from those bright green eyes. Before they enter the room they each check all four corners and any other area she may hide in so they will not be caught off guard. They never look hard enough. They also have been subjected to other cruel attacks. They have been shoved down the stairs, pushed into the running shower, and when they try to defend themselves, it angers her even more and they get the crap beat out of them.

She is a very intelligent cat. Before she was a year old she had learned how to open and unlock doors. She was so clever we were forced to put a child-proof doorknob on some of the doors so she couldn’t get in. She throws temper tantrums if she does not get her way. If you tell her no, she will stare into your eyes and knock over something as if saying, “Take this!”

She also has a strong obsession with pens and pencils. She is always taking them away from me when I’m trying to do my homework.