Welcome to November!

Breaking news: my wish to go on stroller walks was granted!  Kim, the volunteer who manages the Tabby’s Place stroller walk program, took me out for my very first walk.  Before I was able to stroll, I was “stroller tested” to be sure I did not get motion sickness or become uncomfortable.

Kim reported back to my correspondent that I loved the stroller walk, purred nonstop, and did not want to exit the stroller at the end (reminiscent of Rose).

This gets even better: Kim sent my correspondent a photo of me in the stroller, and I could hear her cheering all the way from Pennsylvania.

The following week, my correspondent and I set out on a stroller walk adventure. We had so much fun and strolled the area in front of the sanctuary, the courtyard at Quinn’s Corner, and the Memorial Walkway leading to Cherny’s Garden. Then we chatted for a long time.  My correspondent watched as I lifted my head to breathe in the fresh air, and smiled.  She played a beautiful ballad on her cell phone which relaxed me even more.  I enjoy listening to soft music.

We must have spent over an hour together, losing track of time.  My bonus was a pile of hypoallergenic treats placed carefully in my stroller to enjoy during the walk.  We did not want the walk to end, and my correspondent promised more stroller walks were in my future on warmer weather days.

I hope that your Halloween was filled with lots of your favorite snacks.  My correspondent gave out her favorite candies to the kids— Milk Duds and Rolos.  I don’t think that you need a Halloween costume, because you are already purrfectly dressed as my sponsor—no costume required!  Thank you for caring about me and being my “treat” year-round.

Tabby’s Place staff came to work in Halloween costumes.  I counted several staff “cat costumes,” and my correspondent dressed as a tuxedo cat for her Halloween tour shift.  A few of my fellow Tabby’s Place cats voluntarily wore adorable costumes.  I am entertaining the idea of dressing up next year.  What do you think I should dress as?

My health update this month is not what I originally planned.  I gave my correspondent and staff a health scare and spent several days in our medical suite.  I was placed on IV fluids after turning away from food bowls and treats and was found to be dehydrated.

The vet staff did not miss a beat and ran blood tests to discover that my kidneys were in bad shape. This would seem to be part of my aging process.

My correspondent spent a great deal of time with me while I was recovering.  After several days, I was able to return to my suite and am now receiving subcutaneous fluids.  My appetite is slowly improving (the feeders are putting hypoallergenic treats on top of my food dishes).

After returning to my suite, I developed a fever and was put on additional medication.  I am also receiving a potassium supplement because my levels were low, due to my failing kidneys.  My best medicine is knowing that you, my dear sponsor, are keeping me in your thoughts and prayers.  I am blessed to be at Tabby’s Place and to be surrounded by love and given the best medical care in the universe.

There have been quite a few positive happenings lately in my world.  My roomie Sketch was adopted!  She came to Tabby’s Place from Kuwait and was adopted by a lovely woman.  But her adopter passed away, so she came back to Tabby’s Place.  Once a Tabby’s Place cat, always a Tabby’s Place cat.

Sketch needed to be an “only cat;” she didn’t enjoy the company of other cats.  She is now an only cat and is happy in her forever home.  There is now a welcome calmness in the suite, and several of the shyer cats, such as Flower, are more visible and more comfortable around humans.

An extra treat this month is frequent visits from my correspondent who is hard at work on our next big Tabby’s Place event, “Thanksgiving with the Cats,” this Sunday, November 19.  Visitors can feed real turkey to the cats as part of a fun day.  I get to “people watch,” my favorite lobby activity!

Another highlight was having my correspondent watch as I carefully leaped from my cat bed area on top of a cat crate to the upper ramp.  Slowly I made my way down onto the cat cubbies level by level.  I reached my goal, the steps to the floor, and onto the lap of my waiting correspondent.  As the expression goes, “Age is just a number,” and I am proud to be 14!

As Thanksgiving approaches, I continue to count my blessings and give thanks to you, my treasured sponsor.  Sending you a cornucopia filled with Josie kisses and love.  Happy Thanksgiving!  xox

Love,
Josie
(With help from your correspondent, Ilene)