Hello, dear sponsors!
My name is Kim, and I am a long-time volunteer and cat correspondent at Tabby’s Place. It is a pleasure to cover our friend Anka for his regular writer, who will rejoin you next month.
It is a difficult thing for me to tell Anka that he cannot take a stroller ride on any given day. Strolling is his favorite activity, but it has not been a good season for the Stroller Team. Not for the cats OR the humans.
The weather has either been too rainy or too hot. Our veterinary staff has guidelines in place for the safety and protection of our cats. We consider such factors as the temperature’s “real feel,” heat that could radiate from the pavement, wind speed, and rain. Cats with certain medical conditions might not be good candidates to stroll in bright sunlight. What is a wonderful, healing warmth for one cat might be dangerous to a cat being treated for skin conditions or certain cancers.
Anka is blessed not to be afflicted in such a way, and he would ride forever if allowed to do so!
No matter the weather, Anka does not understand why he cannot be out there strolling. So, I’ve started walking him inside on the inclement days. I bring him around to visit everyone, and then to spend time in the Quinn’s Corner stroller parking area, a glassed-in area with benches and bird feeders. The first couple of times, he was OK with this compromise. But soon, it was too much of a temptation to get to the great outdoors. It seemed to frustrate him more than delight him, so his indoor rides were discontinued.
A recent arm injury kept me away from Tabby’s Place for the past two weeks. I wondered how Anka was doing, surely unable to be strolled by other team members in the 100+ degree temperatures that seemed to drag on in Central New Jersey. I then saw a remark from another volunteer. He stated how hard it was to tell Anka, “no to the stroll.” A second volunteer posted the same thing! Anka was trying to work his magic on them, too! We are all feeling his disappointment, and we share the guilt together.
Meanwhile, back in his home office, Anka continues to charm all visitors. His human office-mate Jae, our Volunteer Coordinator, took these photos of Anka with the following caption: “Live your life as if you could be caught by paparazzi at any time.”
Anka thanks you for your faithful love and support. I hope, as we enter the fall season, that Anka will get to enjoy the beautiful glory of the leaves here in the rolling hills of Hunterdon County, New Jersey.
With much gratitude for all your generosity,
Your guest correspondent,
Kim