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Home to the head of the class, part I

Home to the head of the class, part I

The freshman class is matriculating.

Orientees are orientating.

And graduates of Tabby’s Place are celebrating.

Lou, class of 2017. Voted most likely to reduce you to a pool of quivering goo by mere force of cuteness.

Whether they experience our strange, magical realm as kindergarten or community college, Tabby’s Place cats are all making their way towards a mortarboard. For most, that means adoption. (More on the Not-Included-In-“Most” set tomorrow.)

Today, we take a trip through the true dreams and fully-hatched hopes of some giddy grads. Some of these sweethearts are just starting their first semester with a family; others are deep into the higher degrees of devotion.

Consider this a stroll down the senior class hallway, with pennants reading not Harvard or Haverford, but Home.

First, a report from Lou‘s orientation week Casa Forever:

“Thank you so much for Lou! He is perfect and we love him!”

As every English professor roars, don’t use twenty sentences where two will do. You said it all, Team Lou.

Lex, nee Matlock, class of 2016. Voted most likely to bring peace to the Middle East, with the help of BFF Clark.

Next, some class notes from Matlock 101:

“Hi! I wanted to write and let you know that Lex (Matlock; also pictured in top thumbnail) has been doing great! He is such a blessing! What a snuggler! He is so sweet and happy, and we all love him so much!!! Here are a few pics with his best friend Clark!”

That’s extra credit for supporting your thesis with photographic evidence, Team Lex.

And then there’s that Pokewoman, first out of our Pokepatch, Eevee. I’ll let the class discuss whether or not she’s got it made in the shade like an A+++ grade:

“It took two or three weeks for Eevee to get comfortable in the entire apartment, but once she did she’s really taken over!

Matlock and Clark’s senior project in interpretive dance.

“She reminds me of a dog sometimes, in that she runs to greet us at the door, runs to us whenever we call her name, and loves to play fetch! She’s obsessed with pets and belly rubs, but her favorite thing in the world is her brush. We could brush her for hours and it still wouldn’t be enough for her. She also loves sitting on our windowsill and watching all of the cars and people go by.

“Eevee really is exactly what we were looking for in a cat, and we couldn’t be happier that she adopted us! Thank you again for all of your help!”

If Eevee was voted Most Likely to Succeed, Owen was…not. But a lot can change between the turning of the tassel and the turning of the tide:

“Owen is great! He actually looks at us first before he jumps into our couch or bed! It’s adorable.

Eevee, class of 2017. Voted most likely to catch ’em all, while rocking Adventure Time PJs.

“He plays with the toys in the morning and meows at us whenever he is hungry and his bowl is empty. (Food scattered on the sides, he waits for us to clump them towards the middle.)

“He is not really into the cat tree or bed we bought him, preferring to sleep in our bed with us. He uses the litter well, and we did not have an issue about that. He got scared when he heard sirens in the distance. Overall, he is an adorable cat and we love him!”

But what of alumnae/i a bit further into their forever home programs? ‘Memba Ella? She’s proceeded to the higher levels of belovedness:

Owen, class of 2017. Voted Rebel With A Cause.

“Ella is doing great. She is still her skittish self, but I think that is just how she is. She follows me everywhere and rolls around for attention. She gets very loud when I don’t pay enough attention to her. She is so loud for such a little cat!

“She has started coming up on the bed with me, but then jumps off if I move or breathe. Very sweet, but still skittish! She has such a cute little personality.

“I always try to take photos to share with you, but she doesn’t sit still long enough for me to take them. She is always on the move, and she seems to entertain herself for hours at night or while I am at work. Her toys are everywhere. At least she isn’t bored. I think that she is very happy.

Ella, class of 2017. Voted most likely to walk in beauty, like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies. And also Best Karaoke Singer.

“She won’t exactly let me get close enough for hugs, but I certainly will give her lots of belly rubs for you.”

Then there’s that batty belle with a truncated tail, the Community Room’s erstwhile academic, the one and only Brielle. It would appear our milk-mustached marvel has a family with their triple-doctorate in dedication:

“It has been two years and two months since little Brielle came into our home and into our hearts. She remains the only cat in our house, and she is the queen of the realm. She has captured all of our hearts, including the resident grandma who originally wasn’t keen on having an animal bigger than a parakeet, but is now Brielle’s favorite human.

“Brielle is not a lap cat; I will spend an evening on the couch watching television, and Brielle will snooze on a cushion in the kitchen, or on a special blanket in Grandma’s bedroom.

“Keeping Brielle initially required love and lots of patience. She would poop in the litter box from the beginning, but it took a good six months before we figured out how to get her to reliably pee in the litter box and not on towels, rugs, newspaper. Litter mats had to go. So did the piddle pads we tried as an alternative. So the litter box has nothing underneath, and we keep a hand vac nearby to deal with stray litter.

Brielle, class of 2015. Voted most likely to give a TED talk on unconditional love. And least likely to keep her cookies down on the roller coaster.

“It also took that long to figure out how to minimize the morning vomit after breakfast. Quantity is everything; Brielle is a very small cat, and has never weighed more than 5 pounds in her entire time with us. So we feed her like a human infant a half tablespoon every half hour for the first couple of hours, and then once every four hours for the rest of the day, with snacks in between. Canned food only, and no fish.

“Brielle is very lucky that someone is always home. She would not do well in a home where her owner is away all day and has to leave a bowl of dry food for her. The dry food would be gone in minutes, and the owner would have messes to clean up upon coming home. We’ve been taking her to the vet once a month for her arthritis shot and to have her claws clipped.

“Brielle is a head-bumper, rather than a leg-curler. She likes to sleep with us, either on the bed or in a nearby reclining chair with a soft pink kitty blanket. She;s not one to prowl around the house, and seems to sleep the entire night. She doesn’t wake us up in the morning, but she will try to pull the covers down with her paws if we don’t get out of bed right away.

“Brielle has brought so much joy to everyone in our household. Thank you, Jonathan, for directing us to this little sweetheart two years and two months ago. She’s definitely a keeper.”

October may be the traditional season for Homecoming games, but when you come home to alumnae/i like this every day, the victory never ends.

Stay tuned later this week, when we consider some scholars of Tabby’s Place U who are living a different sort of post-grad dream.

2 thoughts on “Home to the head of the class, part I

  1. Wonderful! Dear awesome adopters of Tabby’s Place kitties – these kitties are always in our hearts! We long for news of their health and happiness – and love to hear how happy they have made you and your family. Lou, Lex, Brielle (how wonderful your family has worked to make you comfortable and happy, Eevee, Owen and Ella – live long and happy lives – carry the Tabby’s Place flag high.

  2. these “where are they now” stories and pics are so heart-warming! Awesome adopters are continuing the mission of Tabbys Place by providing loving homes for our “grads”

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