Happy Valentine’s month, Presidents’ Day, NBA playoffs, and assorted February happiness, Brielle buddies.

If ever a cat expected a Valentine, it was our Brielle this year. Not one, not two, but three adoptive families seriously considered our girl. I’m not ashamed to admit that I was responsible for all three. I am, however, ashamed — actually more befuddled — to admit that none of these adoptions panned out.

At least, not yet.

At the end of January, a delightful young couple came to Tabby’s Place. They sought a one-and-only cat who would be the snuggle-buddy of their dreams. All adopters are wonderful adopters, but I could tell very quickly that this was an extra-special pair — kindred spirits, if you will. They loved each of our cats with full-sized delight. We bonded over our love of obscure bluegrass bands and vintage everything.

Any cat of theirs would be cherished, crooned to with the best possible music, and surrounded with retro awesomeness. So, naturally, I introduced them to Brielle.

And they loved her.

Brielle loved them right back, chirping and prancing and working every inch of her wonders.

But then — and here’s where befuddlement takes over — the couple disappeared.

Are they thinking about it? Will they return? Is this a love song with verses yet to come? I hope so…

But just in case, I continued to besiege Brielle with adopters. A wonderful woman, and then another young couple, came in to lavish our cats with love and seek their furry soulmate.

“Meet Brielle,” said I. “She is our very very very best cat,” promised I. “She is the most beautiful and the most cutest and the most wonderful and loving and sweet.”

And they loved her.

And then they disappeared, too.

These non-adoptions, I hasten to add, are no fault of Brielle’s. A cat couldn’t possibly have been a warmer, cheerier hostess than our little-limbed girl. She clicked across the table towards her potential families. She flapped her squash-racquet tail with happiness. She even wrapped her little “lobster claw” paws around their hands.

It was, as every single girl has heard from her mother more than once, not meant to be.

Yet.

Dear sponsors, as our Brielle awaits her true forever home, I can’t thank you enough for being her faithful valentines all year long. Sell the drama though I may, Brielle isn’t angsting an iota over her unfulfilled “adoption dreams.” As far as she’s concerned, she’s already won: she’s loved, warm, fed, and the happy queen of all she surveys.

Thank you for making this possible — and know how very much you are loved!