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Vinny’s big day

Vinny’s big day

VinnyI don’t use the word big lightly with Vinny.

This is a cat who doesn’t do anything in a small way…and finding his forever home was no exception.

Jack Nicholson doing his best Vinny impressionVinny (who, Jonathan has noted, bears a passing resemblance to Jack Nicholson) made a big splash in his first hours at Tabby’s Place. A New York City shelter picked this tuxedo boy up from the streets with a slew of sores across his neck, and, by a merciful twist of fate, Vinny was soon bound for Tabby’s Place rather than euthanasia. To put it mildly, Vinny was not grateful for this reversal of fortune when he arrived. In fact, during Vinny’s intake exam, as Ginny did her best to hold him down gently and without aggravating his injuries, Vinny gave her a nasty bite.

Despite this unwelcome first impression, Vinny made a big turnaround in no time at all. I think it’s fair to say that, over the next 3 years, Vinny became one of the most popular cats at Tabby’s Place – and not just with humans. From Tails to Jan to Paprika, our bouncy-yet-gentle Vinny had a way of loving his timid roomies into bloom, and bringing out the very best in them.

Vinny took good care of gentle Tails until Tails' sad passing in 10/08You may notice that each of the roomies I mentioned above has been a resident of the Fat Cat – I mean, weight management – suite. To Vinny’s chagrin, so, too, has he – and a repeat offender, no less.

Vinny’s propensity to live large is most evidently on display in matters of his one true love: dry food. In fact, Vinny is the only cat in Tabby’s Place history to have “graduated” out of the Weight Management Suite, only to eat his way back in almost overnight. Seemingly just days after returning to a free-feeding suite, Vinny, well, exploded. (And, not that Vinny would believe me, but putting him back in the weight management suite was harder for us than it was for him. In fact, we put off doing so until his incredible girth made it nearly impossible for him to groom his rear end!)

But, as befits his big-hearted nature, Vinny made the most of the Weight Management Suite, using the time he would previously have spent eating to groom and snuggle his roommates instead. Mild heart disease hasn’t slowed Vinny down at all in his pursuit of affection from multiple species. And that love-bug style is also what brought him to his long-awaited big day last week…

Vinny has been adopted by a Tabby’s Place volunteer!Vinny shows off his physique

Volunteer Amy has loved Vinny long and well, and planned patiently for the right time to add him to her family. He’s only been in his forever home a few days, and has yet to meet Amy’s other kitty (who is in for a big, beautiful surprise), but we hear he’s doing just great.

And, you’ll be relieved to hear, Vinny is still eating well. 🙂

5 thoughts on “Vinny’s big day

  1. Congratulations to both Vinny and Amy. May you both enjoy each other’s company for many years to come! And love to all the Tabby’s Place residents and their people who care for them. You’re the best!

  2. I always enjoy the comparison of your cats to celebrities..an earlier post included a cat who looked like Don Knotts.

    One of my own cats bears a striking resemblance to Jay Leno..she is gray and white and has a chin that protrudues…She really looks like him; it is hysterical.

    I’m so happy to read about another happy ending!

  3. Kathi, I would love to see your Leno lookalike cat. 🙂
    And, Fred, you’ll have to let us know if the Vinny dance, like the Grady dance, requires Belgian footwear?
    Mishale, thank you for always bringing warm words and sunshine to the blog!

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