Dearest Buddy lovers,

Oh, what a spring it’s been for our gorgeous little green-eyed man. His unfettered adoration and worship of BFF Newman continue unabated. Buddy is generally Velcro-ed to Newman and is learning to be genuinely snuggly with humankind. Newman has been a tremendously positive influence on our boy.

This hero worship is not without its drawback. Buddy needs to learn a few feline social skills and pick up on Newman’s subtle and not-so-subtle hints. When Newman walks away or turns his back to Buddy, Buddy seems to interpret this as meaning, “Let’s snuggle even closer!”, which has resulted in a few bops on the head from Newman. The team at TP have begun to call our little man “Barnacle Buddy” for his tenacious attachment to his idol.

Our FIV+ cats may soon be participating in a new clinical study. A Colorado veterinarian is studying a new FIV test, which shows promise in differentiating between the antigen and the antibody for the virus. This could be a lifesaving development. Currently, even an FIV- cat will test positive for the virus if the cat has been vaccinated against the virus. This new test will hopefully be able to distinguish between vaccinated cats and truly FIV+ cats. Buddy and friends’ participation will involve cheek swabs and a bit of blood work. More to come.

Other than an occasional hurt feeling, Buddy is thriving, healthy and happy, very much loved.

Thank you for your generous ongoing support of our beloved boy.