Hello, my dearest friends!

I hope this new year is finding you well and that your holidays were delightful. I’m not sure if you were aware that a new year at Tabby’s Place means that all of us felines have a communal birthday, so I’m now a year older than the last time I wrote to you. That makes me senior, shall we say?

Unfortunately, I’ve been feeling my age a bit these last several weeks. The wonder of sparkly lights and decorations notwithstanding, I didn’t feel so good for much of December. You may remember that my anemia got worse last month. Well, it’s stayed worse, and now I’ve lost a little weight, too. The wonderful people who take care of me here are already providing me the best possible treatment for this, and they’re keeping close watch over me.

My kidneys are also being a bit more problematic. Because of my polycystic kidney disease, they’ve gotten quite a bit bigger, so they’re taking up more space inside me. Between the anemia and the squishing-other-stuff kidneys, well…like I said, my health hasn’t been super.

I’ve started getting an appetite stimulant, because it’s important for me to eat well and stay as strong as I can. But to tell you the truth, even if my body’s been a bit off, my spirit still delights in the wonder that is my life these days! People tempting me with yummy food at every turn? Awesome. Blanket-cushioned nooks and crannies made for me to nap in? Amazing. Loving friends who sit with me and offer me laps to snuggle in? My favorite of all treats.

The last time my correspondent stopped by for a visit, I curled up on her lap for a good long spell. (It was clear to me that she needed help prioritizing the other things that she says she needed to do. And by “prioritizing”, I mean “forgetting it all in the bliss of having a fuzzy peach lap full of purr.”) She seemed to enjoy the time as much as I did. As Wordsworth wrote:

“We two have had such happy hours together
That my heart melts in me to think of it.”

And it’s true. What better way to spend my hours than sharing loving friendship with her, and with all of you?

I love you, my friends! I hope I can see you soon – I would be delighted to warm your lap for a while. But if that’s not to be, I send you a slow blink with a gentle head bonk.

Yours,
Jonathan