Dear Team Steven,

Steven and I hope each of you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, friends, and fur babies. We are so grateful you are a part of our amazing Tabby’s Place family.

Here in Ringoes, New Jersey, the holiday season officially began on November 22nd, as we hosted another very successful Thanksgiving with the Cats, with several hundred folks making it a point to stop by.

Visitors, young and old, enjoyed meeting, greeting, and feeding turkey treats to a crew of excited, happy cats, while also getting tours and enjoying refreshments for humans. It was a joyous occasion, and Steven, along with Regina, Prescott, Taylor Ham, and Tux, welcomed sponsors and friends with open paws.

Anka was available for limited visits, but the lobby cats, including Olive and Peabody, had to hang out in other places at the sanctuary, as the lobby would have been too crowded and unsafe for them. Plus, getting overstimulated by the crowd would not have been a good thing for the lobby cats.

You can be certain Steven didn’t miss a single opportunity for treats. Wise old fellow that he is, Steven resolutely follows his age-old motto, “Eat when you are hungry … and even when you’re not.” It is but one of many maxims Steven follows regarding food. For example, Steven firmly believes it is never okay to leave your dish.

Play with your food, if you must, until you are hungry again. In case of emergencies, when guarding your food is impossible, be sure to cover up half-eaten treats with a tea towel or invisible dirt for later consumption. Steven slyly confirmed that he never shares a plate of food … unless it’s someone else’s. And, he believes it’s always okay to ask for more, be it a volunteer’s lunchtime leftovers or a succulent tidbit left behind by a foolish fellow feline.

There is only one personal food guideline Steven cannot seem to manage: “Keep a secret stash.”

Try as he may, oh-so-many times, to furtively hide away a few morsels for secret snacking, Steven’s appetite always seems to get the best of him. Of course, the vast array of goodies available this time of year makes keeping such a resolution all the more difficult.

We’re just grateful that Steven doesn’t have a taste for tinsel, stringed popcorn, colorful chocolate balls, or any of the other holiday items we must keep from our cats. We don’t want even a ribbon or a bow to make it to Steven’s tummy, no matter how delicious they might look!

Not one to keep an eye on his own cholesterol, Steven relies on our top-notch medical staff to keep him healthy. After all, as one of our oldest, longest-term residents, he has a duty to show those who follow in his footsteps how to stay fit.

Steven had his annual echocardiogram at the beginning of last month. We are happy to report that everything was stable with his heart. His recheck will not be for another 18 months, unless he becomes symptomatic for a cardiac issue. Steven’s residency in the medical suite allows us to monitor his health daily, so you can be sure his needs are well attended. We’ll always keep a watchful eye on our big orange boy. You can count on it.

Now for a special holiday treat. While reviewing some of our old files, what to our wondering eyes did appear, but an old snap of Steven as a little fella! Not one for nostalgia, Steven at first vetoed its publication, but … you guessed it. I talked him into it.

This 2009 photograph, which I had never seen, brought such joy to my heart, I had to share it. Consider it Steven’s special holiday gift, a grateful acknowledgement of just how far we all have come together—one fabulous feline, one dutiful correspondent, and the tenderhearted, generous sponsors who make Steven’s fabulous life possible.

Steven (and all of us at Tabby’s Place) send you our love and deepest gratitude. Thank you!

We wish the happiest of holiday seasons to you and your loved ones. See you in 2026!

Your correspondent,
Tina