Dear Friend and Sponsor,

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Like you, the Tabby’s Place cats have been busy celebrating and enjoying new toys and treats. Now it’s time to kick off 2026, and what better way than for me to introduce you to my good friend, Chicken Nugget!

I’ve known Chicken Nugget since he came to Tabby’s Place in October 2022. Given this, I’d better let you know of my nicknames for him: Chicken, Chick-Chick, Nugget, Nuggie, and Handsome Boy. And, what a handsome boy he is! Just look at that face, those long whiskers, and adorable big paws! You want to know the funny thing about Chicken Nugget? It’s his voice! You’d expect to hear deep resonating baritone or bass notes coming out of him, but no! He has a high-pitched squeaky voice that cracks me up every time I hear it.

Chicken Nugget’s name suits him well because, as you guessed, he loves food! In fact, he likes to position himself in the cat tree right next to the suite door. When you look through the window into the room, there he is looking right back at you! I think he does this so he can be first in line for meals.  He tells me it’s so he can greet everyone who comes into the room, but I don’t believe it for a minute!

To Chicken Nugget’s credit, he did have a rough life before he came to Tabby’s Place. He used to live in an outdoor cat colony next to a woman’s prison. Some of the inmates would share their food with the cats, but not all, so they had to hunt and search for food to survive. When we heard the prison was going to be closed, Tabby’s Place stepped up to help many of the cats in the colony, including his suite mate and good friends Cornbread and recently adopted Taylor Ham. I think one of the reasons why Chicken Nugget is always first in line to eat is to be sure that he gets to. We’ll cut him some slack for this.

Chicken Nugget is about 13 years old, and he is a carrier of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), meaning he is FIV+. This virus is not uncommon in cats who live outdoors and is spread through deep bite wounds. Cats with FIV can live long and happy lives if they have a consistent supply of good food, water, shelter, and medical care.

The FIV, however, does stress the immune system, which can lead to disease and illness. What this means for Chicken Nugget is that he’s had to have several of his teeth removed to stop and prevent gum disease. He is also diabetic, which requires him to be on a special dry food, have his glucose monitored routinely, and take insulin. In addition, he has asthma and gets inhaler therapy daily.

In the last year, Chicken lost more than 4 pounds and is always hungry and thirsty, which is common in cats with diabetes. In early December, an ultrasound test was performed on him. From that, we learned he also has heart disease, some fluid around his heart, and an enlarged liver. The medical team started him on daily heart medication, and during the last week of December, installed a glucose monitor on his back for a few weeks. This will allow them to see how his glucose levels fluctuate during the day and night.

Despite all of this, Chicken Nugget is comfortable and happy. He enjoys seeing visitors, being petted, brushed, and loves having his chin and chest scratched. He also loves going into the outdoor solarium despite the cold temperatures. When the weather is warmer, one of my favorite things to do is to sit in the solarium with Chicken Nugget at the end of the day when the sun is setting. He loves the fresh air and will lie on a blanket, tip his chin up, close his eyes softly, and smile contentedly. It’s a beautiful moment.

If you happen to have been a sponsor for Taylor Ham, welcome to Chicken’s page! Chicken Nugget is thrilled to hear the news that his good friend got adopted and would love for you to be his friend and sponsor.

I’ll close by inviting you to Tabby’s Place for Your Feline Valentine on Saturday, February 7th. This open house runs from 12-4pm, but the first hour (12-1) is just for sponsors like you. You can look forward to festive refreshments and cozy visiting time with the cats. Chicken Nugget and friends are eager to lavish you with whisker kisses. We’ll send a reminder about the event later this month, and we hope you can join us.

Thank you so much for sponsoring Chicken Nugget. Please know your support is helping us provide the medical care he needs to keep him comfortable and happy. I’ll tell him you said hi! Till next time…

With heartfelt gratitude,

Your correspondent,
Allison

PS: The cats received a special December gift that they’re excited to share with you: NBC featured Tabby’s Place on Philly Live! Click here to see some of your favorite felines enjoying their moment of fame. Thank you for helping to make this possible!