The Tabby’s Place BFF Program Presents…
OCTOBER REWIND
Welcome to our first BFF Newsletter!
Every month, the Tabby’s Place BFF Program (Befriending Fearful Felines) plans to post a culmination of socialization milestones our trained volunteers and timid cats have achieved.
This fall, we’ve made some wonderful progress in Suite D, home of some of our FIV+ kitties, and Suite I, a quiet space for shy cats and former ferals.
About a year ago, in the chill of December, a sickly, tangled mass of fur was trapped by a TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) group and brought to our doors. She was given the name Lucy, and she thanked us for the rescue with sweet rubs and purrs.
Along with the classic symptoms of an upper-respiratory illness, Lucy faced a myriad of other mysterious issues. Was she pregnant? Could she have cancer? After a more thorough investigation by our vet team, it turned out she had toxoplasmosis – a parasitic infection that can cause a wide range of symptoms, including fever-like conditions, behavior changes, and tummy troubles. Now that we had an answer to her illness, we could take her into medical foster care for some one-on-one specialized attention.
Once Lucy was feeling well enough to return, she had to face the brave new environment of a Tabby’s Place suite. It was not quite like a home, and definitely not like the great outdoors she was used to. Though this was a rough transition for her, she still remained sweet and gentle. However, there was an odd quirk about her that made socialization a bit of a struggle – hissing.
Lucy hissed when she was nervous. But she also hissed when she was happy. Hissed when being pet. Rubbed hands only to hiss at them, then rub them again. To all who are familiar with felines, hissing is a clear sign: back off! Our staff and volunteers didn’t want to frighten her, so we gave her the space we thought she was asking for, until we realized the hissing was harmless–it was all due to lingering after-effects of toxoplasmosis.
After months of sparse interactions, Lucy fully recovered, and the hisses stopped. She would occasionally swat, suspicious of us, but she never used her claws. She was a little overwhelmed by this new life, but she was still Lucy. When our BFF volunteer stepped in to give her a more consistent human experience, that’s when Lucy blossomed.
Just listen to reports from volunteer Jen:
“Was happy to see me. Responded to my voice and her name. Petted her with hand only. She enjoyed my visit. Rolling around & making biscuits. Lucy is becoming a favorite of mine!”
“Would walk away then come back to me for attention. Purring, rubbing head and walking with tail up. Making biscuits. Great cat!”
Although she is FIV+, Lucy is healthy, beautiful, and ready for a forever home! She has gained more confidence with us, so we know she’d be even more content in a warm, comfy house (or maybe curled up in a lap!)
On the other side of our building, we have another troubled resident who has made quite a turnaround. Kimchi came to us as a feral kitten, alongside his brother, Kombucha. They were adopted from us in 2018, but unfortunately returned due to behavioral issues. This became very apparent to staff when attempting their intake exams, or even simply weighing them on a scale.
Kimchi, in particular, seemed to have the most reservations about this return. Kombucha warmed up to us with enough snacks and gentle petting, but Kimchi would run. He would fly off of furniture, bounce off the walls, and hide where no one could access him. Although he was comfortable with his other kitty friends in the room, we ultimately decided to move him to a quieter space to give him a higher chance of pleasant human interactions. As things were, he would park in the best hiding spot and refuse to budge. The spot in question? The tube.
But Suite I, unlike Suite E where we originally placed him, does not have a tube connecting the indoor room to the solarium. It has a flap in the wall, like a small doggie-door. This meant we could easily interact with him inside and outside without worrying about him wedging himself in the tube. Soon, Kimchi started to realize the people who would walk nearby or even stop to talk to him weren’t all that scary.
Once a few staff members were actually able to pet him, we brought in the troops: a volunteer who is an expert on the cats in Suite I. Within the same day of the new assignment, our volunteer had him out and strolling around, tail held high, purring and rubbing against his legs—a completely new side of Kimchi we’ve never seen before! We almost thought it was a different cat, if not for video evidence.
Volunteer Sean says it best:
“I think he’s going to be fine in a home.”
Now that we know Kimchi has such a soft and sweet side, it’s clear he could be someone’s best friend. All he needed was some patience and compassion. While he was formerly a feral cat, he can still learn to trust if given the opportunity. It’s so exciting for us, and for him! Now he has a trusted human friend, and we feel much more confident that he would be happy in a home.
Our BFF team is continuing to work hard to gently encourage and soothe our frightened friends. We made some incredible progress this fall—such quick turnarounds like Lucy and Kimchi are highly unusual. This progress makes them not only feel safer in our sanctuary, but more likely to be adopted. They are truly a dedicated and skilled backbone of Tabby’s Place.