The following is a special guest post from John Graham, cat-adorer extraordinaire in London, England. John, everykitty at Tabby’s Place sends big thanks and many purrs for your kindness and your amazing heart! I couldn’t agree more that you and Bets are truly family to every one of us at Tabby’s Place, and we are so grateful for it.

Hello to all cats everywhere and especially at Tabby’s Place. I am delighted to write a short piece for a place I have never visited yet is very very special to me- 1100 US Highway 202. Why on earth would a guy from London reach out across such a distance to a cat sanctuary?

My short story starts with my own tabby cat Basil – a special little guy that touched me with his rather chaotic and highly amusing behavior across the all too short time he was with me. I am a self confessed cat addict and this little tabby re-affirmed my addiction!

When I lost him to cross the rainbow bridge, I retained a whole host of items memorable to him and me, then one day trawling the Google search I entered “tabby cat” and up came a long list of sites along with one for “Tabby’s Place.”  Jonathan Rosenberg’s story about Tabby mirrored my own about Basil, and I cannot state highly enough my admiration for the commitment and strength he has to live to his belief and deliver to his word. He is clearly fortunate to have a team that shares that level of commitment.

I was lucky enough to have 6 other cats living with me in a large house and garden (each cat seemed to have its own room!!). All were rescues of one type or another, but all lived a good life with me in an area of London called, rather suitably, CATFORD.  As is the circle of life, they all passed to the other side of the rainbow bridge and I still miss each one, Baxter, Boo, Barts, Barney, Basil, Bets and Beatrice, plus of course the visits from neighbors that came around!

The Egyptians believed cats were family members and mourned for days when one was lost- even shaving eyebrows as a sign of grief. I believe that the team at Tabby’s Place are family members to me and Bets, as we are truly kindred spirits. The clear commitment to these tiny creatures is something that has touched me across the ocean.

Now I live in a converted orphanage, which had the foundations laid by Queen Victoria and still has Royal patronage as an historical landmark building, with the remaining colony member – Bets – who is very happy with her seat in the arched windows and summer days in the courtyards. I support a wide range of animal groups in the UK and globally, but there is the one place that is truly called sanctuary - Tabby’s Place.

Join in and make the difference today – there is a reward for your help – it’s called joy and you can’t buy it – you can only get it in return for helping. I know that joy – you can as well; it just takes a little bit of love.