Dear Carrot Friends,

Carrot had a fairly good month and did all of his favorite things… went on a lot of stroller walks, ate good food, got lots of pets, took a nap in the sunshine, and all the other things we know he loves so much.

We have a few more volunteers doing stroller walks now, so Carrot and all the other cats who enjoy it, are getting to go outside frequently. Now that we have more volunteers who are doing stroller walks, we are adding more cats to the program. First, we test the cats in a stroller inside, then take them outside. All the time we have a new cat in a stroller we are very carefully watching their body language:  we watch for any kind of stress that indicates they do not like being outside in a stroller, and we make sure this is something they like and will enjoy the ride. Some cats absolutely love being out in the stroller, and some cats don’t like it at all. The first time we took Fenek out in a stroller he howled! He was immediately stressed and agitated, so we brought him back inside quickly. Some cats, such as Carrot, love it right away, and thoroughly enjoy the stimulation of being outside. At the moment we are testing Boobalah and Bellamy in the stroller to see if they like it, and so far it’s going well.

We only have specific people who can test new cats for the strollers program, and they have to pass the tests with these people first, then they are allowed to officially join the program and go for walks with all the volunteers in the program.

Carrot went to a senior home, in our Aged to Purrfection program, and had a wonderful time, of course. He is always such a good boy and loves all the attention he gets during the visits.  We added one new senior home, so we are slowly building this program back up again. We also trained some new volunteers who wanted to join this program, so we will have enough people to take the cats to the senior homes.

There has been a little drama in Carrot’s room lately, and the addition of Charly didn’t help the situation. Charly has been guarding her favorite places in the room, and swatting at Carrot (and others in the room) whenever they go near her favorite cubby.  We have a lot of strong personalities in Suite C, so there’s often a little drama going on, but luckily nothing too drastic.

Carrot has enjoyed a healthy month, which we are always happy to hear. Our sweet boy is a happy and healthy boy.

As we undergo the construction on the expansion, it has been mostly quiet. You can sometimes hear the construction work from the Community Room, but not really further into the building. The other day, however, they were demolishing the overhang that is outside of the front door of the building, and it was very noisy! All the cats in the building kept looking around as if to say, “What is going on!?”  Carrot and his friends just went outside to the solarium, so they were further away from the noise.

With the expansion nearing completion, Carrot and all of us at Tabby’s Place would love your help in expanding our family—with volunteers!  Last month I mentioned our need for additional volunteers as we prepare for our Quinn’s Corner expansion, which will open later this year. From cleaning to feeding to delivering tender affection, volunteers make a huge impact on our cats’ lives. If you have a heart for cats, we have a role perfectly fit for you at Tabby’s Place.

If you, or anyone in your own “family” of cat lovers, can come aboard, please visit our volunteer page, submit a volunteer application, or contact me (I am the Volunteer Director) at kj@tabbysplace.org. Volunteers must be 12 years or older, and a parent must accompany those under 16 during their volunteer shift. Please share this opportunity with your loved ones! And if you live a bit too far away to join us in person, know that you are still very much “right here” with us through your generosity…and we are so very grateful!

Thank you so much for all your support.

Your correspondent,
Karina