Dear Josie Fans,
With the summer coming to an end, my correspondent shared her favorite summer story: the first day of the school year. Her teachers would always ask the class to write an essay on “How did you spend your summer vacation?” If my paws could type I would write you an essay, but instead, I dictate to my correspondent who types, very slowly—sometimes I think she has paws!
My summer was amazing because, first and foremost, you are my amazing sponsor, and second, this was my first summer as a Tabby’s Place resident. I made so many new human and feline friends and welcomed visitor after visitor, and volunteer after volunteer into the Special Needs Suite—for kitties with skin allergies. I formed a close bond with my roomies, Xena, Lucy, and Lost. Our summer bonding moment came on the 4th of July when the booming fireworks lit up the sky and practically shook the sanctuary. We huddled together and shared emotional stories of how being a resident at Tabby’s Place saved our lives.
One of the big events of my summer was when the kitten brigade arrived at Tabby’s Place, poised for adoption. The kittens did not have a suite to call home, so my roomies and I decided to offer our suite and bunk next door with the Suite B cats. The staff made Suite B hypoallergenic, so we could continue to heal and get healthier and make the skin allergies part of our past. I admit we all needed a period of adjustment in the new suite. The layout was very different, plus we had new roomies. Sketch, Carrot, Alex, and the newest resident Jerome (a chunky tabby, we nicknamed Jeromio). Although I turned 14 on June 10, I admit that I have a crush on Jeromio—he is half my age, but very mature and sweet!
The kids in the Paws to Read program filled my summer with joyful times, lots of smiles, and hypoallergenic cat treats. My correspondent is a volunteer dinner feeder on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and always peers into my suite to say hi. I look up at her with “Josie eyes” (this means I am starving, and only cat treats can revive me). She cannot resist my gaze and brings the treat bag into the suite. She is very kind and gives me a giant handful of treats, which I gobble in record time (she always leaves me extra treats in my cat bed). I still need to gain some weight, so the staff allows me to receive as many treats as possible—life is good!
My correspondent makes sure to share the treats with all my “allergy girls” plus Jerome (the other roomies are usually relaxing in the solarium). Xena is tiny, but boy can she gobble treats; Jeromio is not allowed a lot of treats because he needs to be at a healthier weight, so she gives him 3 treats. His whole body and tail shake with excitement when the treat bag is opened. Because sweet Lost, the calico, is deaf, she cannot hear the treat bag being opened. My correspondent slowly approaches her and puts her hand out for Lost to eat treats from her palm, and she leaves extra treats for Lost to snack on before bedtime. Lucy usually sleeps a good part of the day high up on the ramp to the solarium, so treats are left by her cat bed.
My health update this month is what I consider “mild.” At the beginning of the month, I started having loose stools once again. Since I have a history of chronic diarrhea, the vet staff put me on an allergy medication to see if that would help. My skin has improved but has not cleared up. I was taken off a course of antibiotics and will be rechecked in 2 weeks. In the meantime, we keep an eye on whether I am over-grooming. A lady must stay groomed and always look her best, right Jeromio?
One last thing…I’d like to formally invite you to the Grand Opening of Quinn’s Corner on Saturday 10/7! From 12-4pm, we will have great fun celebrating Tabby’s Place’s expansion for FeLV+ cats, and we’d sure love to have you with us. We’ll have tours, speeches, activities for all ages, and of course visits with sensational cats like me! Someone here will be emailing you further details soon, but please mark your calendar for this fabulous moment in feline history and a chance to see me in person!
Welcome fall into your life with a walk in the cooler weather… sending you bunches of Josie kisses, filled with love and sunshine.
Love,
Josie
(with help from your correspondent, Ilene)