Hips’ Happenings, #31

Happy July, My Devoted Fans!

We hope that you are relishing whatever July brings your way, be it summertime BBQs, cooling off in a swimming pool, time at the beach, or just hanging out. Mostly what I do is hang out, but sometimes “hanging out” can be a true adventure in the Lobby at Tabby’s Place.

My correspondent, Mary Anne, will be back to help me next month with my updates, but meanwhile, a guest correspondent, Sheila, has been visiting and finding out about all my shenanigans. So here we go…

One of the staff described me as the “quintessential frat boy.” Hmmm… well, I did start a “boys club” with Peabody and Berry. Being the largest of the trio, it only makes sense for me to be in charge of the young gents. One thing we like to do is to form a gauntlet at the Quinn’s Corner door, and we tell all who want to enter: “Before you can enter the Lobby, you must answer our riddles three.” This was all my idea!

In my free time, I continue to court beautiful Miss Prescott, who is not always amused by my antics. I do have a big soft spot in my heart for her, whether or not she wants my affection. I guess I will have to find some new methods to woo her.

I know that everyone thinks my middle name is “Mischief,” and maybe it is. When I am unsupervised overnight, the staff is now keeping me inside a soft and roomy crate to “keep me out of mischief,” they say. I guess they think it will help make the Lobby less chaotic at night.

I do continue my escapades, or should I say “escape-capades.”  During a recent excellent escape on my part into the Quinn’s Corner hallway, I decided to visit Willie through the glass, nose to nose.

Willie is a handsome kitty who went through a traumatic brain injury (and is doing really well!) and lives in the Development Office with Angela and Lisa, a generally quiet and calm environment. We enjoyed seeing each other up close and didn’t make any bad faces at each other. The staff said this was particularly exciting for Willie, who rarely gets to see other cats at such close range.

One of my favorite things to do is to curl up on the shoulder (or even the head) of a volunteer or visitor resting in one of our comfy lobby chairs. Though this is generally frowned upon by the Tabby’s Place staff (as it can lead to bad habits in a forever home), the volunteers and visitors seem to love it. I think this is why I’m deemed a lobby favorite among the hoomans!

Of course, napping is a favorite pastime for me, too. Naps on the desk in a special spot next to one of my favorite people, Sharon (our receptionist), are ideal. But frankly, I’ll nap anywhere—open laps, top of crates, top of the cat tower, or on the guest book stand. When you are sleepy, you are sleepy!

One afternoon, three volunteers were providing a lot of enrichment with several wand toys with us kitties in the Lobby. I got a little overexcited, so much so that I needed a 10-minute timeout to decompress. Later in the day, I was spotted relaxing and enjoying tummy rubs from another volunteer.  At the end of the day, this boy was plumb tuckered out!

In medical news, not much is happening, and no news is good news. I did get my annual vaccines this month, which probably also accounts for why I was so sleepy for a few days.

All in all, I feel my mission is to keep the Lobby buzzing with my daily shenanigans, delighting my fellow felines and humans alike. Thank you for making it possible for me to have such a fun and exciting life at Tabby’s Place, with all my Lobby kitty friends, staff, and volunteers, who I love as much as they love me.

But not anywhere near how much I love you!

Hugs and kitty kisses,
Hips
(With help from your guest correspondent, Sheila)