If you’ve been reading these updates faithfully, you know that nothing gives me more delight than to see my beautiful Colleen doing one of three things.
The first would have to be laying on that lovely little sofa in the Community Room when the sun is shining in and she is getting the full benefit of those warm rays on her fur. All cats like the sun — at least, all the cats that I’ve known — but none seems to relish it as much as Colleen. I think she must have the sweetest dreams when she is roasting there in the warmth of Mother Nature’s brilliant rays.
The second would have to be sipping from that water fountain in the Community Room for what seems to me hours. She never tires of gobbling up that water, and we all know that cats with kidney issues have a real craving for vast amounts of water. I can only imagine that the sound of that water dripping must sound like heaven to her.
The third delight would have to be sitting in someone’s lap and getting petted. Partly because of Col’s face issues, I imagine that she enjoys having her face stroked the most. Even so, she usually purrs and purrs just to be picked up and held. She wants to feel the human touch.
Knowing all this, my heart broke when I discovered on my most recent visit that Colleen was not in any of her usual places. Instead, she was confined to a very special place where Tabby’s Place treats cats who are diagnosed with ringworm. And so, for the next six weeks or so, this poor girl who loves to roam around the lobby and the Community Room, and who loves to bask in the sunshine, and who loves the human touch, will have to forgo those simple pleasures as she recovers from this pesky condition.
Because ringworm is highly contagious, Colleen must be soaked in a special solution of lyme sulfur (and you can imagine how much she enjoys — not — getting her fur wet). Witnesses report that Colleen doesn’t fight the process. She just cries and looks forlorn. And any visitor she has must don protective outerwear so as not to carry the ringworm outside the room. Visitors must wear a protective surgical cap, gown, booties and gloves while in the room, making sure to carefully discard the garments when leaving. Now this may sound daunting, but, trust me, it takes only seconds to pull on the gauze-like yellow garments and blue booties, and to wrap your hair snugly under the cap.
It was no fun petting my poor little girl with latex gloves on, but perhaps I sympathized a bit too much with her. Maybe I realized her terrible condition more than she did. After all, Col was in a nice cozy cage with good food and water, and she’s still surrounded by people who love her. I’m sure she could feel that love even through those darn latex gloves.
Thank you as always for your continued, generous support of our sweet girl. Keep her in your thoughts as she passes through yet one more trying time, and enjoy the lovely sunshine and summer weather.