Happy September to you. “Happy” is the name of the game when it comes to our girl. Addy’s elation shows no signs of slowing with summer’s end.
Then again, it’s still perfectly summery out in Adelaide’s solarium. (And make no mistake: Suite FIV’s lovely outdoor area does belong to one Adelaide. She is so gracious as to permit other cats to use it, and she’s backed off from beating up the boy cats…but it’s her domain.) Addy’s been basking in bliss this month, and it’s rare to find her without sun-warmed fur and a bright light in her eyes.
In her brief time at Tabby’s Place, Adelaide has become a connoisseur of comfort. If there’s a new bed, perfectly angled igloo, or fresh-from-the-dryer blanket in the solarium, Addy is on it, in it, owning it, immediately, in a pile of purrs.
Until, of course, you or I or any member of our species enters the room.
Then she’s up in a flash of calico delight, racing to The Human at lightning speed. I’m convinced that Adelaide would spring out of heaven itself if offered the choice of a human lap. No sleep is too deep, no dinner too delicious, for Adelaide not to abandon everything for the chance at love.
Apparently Addy’s initial eagerness for our affection was no “honeymoon period” — she’s just that sweet, all the time.
I must confess that, for all these reasons and others, Adelaide is one of a small number of cats who’ve slipped through my well-intended, self-protective filters. If you work or volunteer at Tabby’s Place and have any hope of not becoming a cat hoarder, you must steel yourself against adopting every single cat. Fortunately, this process is eased by the fact that the cats are outrageously happy at Tabby’s Place. No matter how much you love them and want to bring them home, you don’t feel badly about leaving them at the sanctuary at the end of the day.
But then there are those few who run the gauntlet of all your best defenses, and proclaim themselves yours.
I’ve been at Tabby’s Place over eight years now, and our cats have all touched my heart in deep and different ways. Since my landlord limits me to two cats, and my two cats very emphatically limit me to two cats, I’m rarely too tempted…
…but it happens.
And, oh, friends, it’s happening with Addy.
Maybe you’re feeling The Pang with this particular wonder-cat, too. There’s just something about Adelaide, tiny and elderly and mighty all over, that seizes your heart and never, ever lets go. She has music in her eyes and fire in her belly, and love enough for ten universes of souls.
She is a marvel. A blessing. And, because of your generosity, she’s only just begun.
Given Addy’s addictively-awesome sweetness and spark, it’s easy to forget that she is, in fact, a Special Needs cat. In addition to her age (thirteenish or so, guessing by her teeth), there’s the FIV, of course, and the dental disease. She’s still a bit underweight, and if you didn’t know her, you might think she was frail and fragile.
But the biggest medical mystery this month concerns Adelaide’s kidneys. Like most cats “of a certain age,” Addy has some early renal insufficiency. This is mild enough that she requires no treatment for it at this point, and our vet team isn’t overly concerned. But, it seems related to a certain stubborn symptom: mild anemia. We’ve not been able to find a definitive cause for this anemia, and it’s certainly not causing Addy any problems (she’s the very antithesis of “lethargic”), but it is a concern. Our vet team will continue to monitor Addy’s blood values and kidneys — and I’ll always keep you posted.
Meantime, know that our girl is unaware of anything but an ocean of love, and a world that’s her oyster. That’s thanks to you, amazing sponsors. Thank you for your generosity and compassion!