Dear Fans of the Kittens,

It would seem appropriate to start talking about spring, but the persnickety weather hasn’t really allowed us to feel like it is here yet.

With the backdrop of the expansion marching forward, the prospect of caring for the most vulnerable neonatal kittens is becoming more of a reality.  In what can be interpreted as a bit of foreshadowing, the newest kitten to become part of the Tabby’s Place community is a little guy named Alfie.

Alfie has a cleft palate, which is a hole in the palate that separates his oral and nasal cavities. This condition requires extra special care during his early weeks. He has been in foster care with a staff member who reports that he is doing very well with his eating and litter box habits.

Caring for this cutie requires attention to detail, as he cannot have any water added to his wet food as this can lead to aspiration and huge messy sneezing fits. Aspiration is when food or liquid entering the oral cavity enters the nasal cavity. This can be more than just untidy and distressing, it can be fatal for neonatal kittens who can aspirate while nursing or being bottle-fed. Poor Alfie’s issues are compounded because of his cleft palate as this means milk can easily transfer between oral and nasal passages. Alfie has a surgical consultation in his future to see if a surgical repair may be required to address his condition. On the bright side, when he came to Tabby’s Place he had a nasty upper respiratory infection which is now resolved. Fortunately, this fellow’s cuteness far surpasses his medical needs. A true survival strategy!

In other news, as we prepare to open our expansion later this year, our need for volunteers increases. Volunteers are a huge part of our operation, as we could not run Tabby’s Place without them.

Beginning in May, we will launch an intense volunteer recruitment campaign to find those willing to give the gift of time and make an impact on the lives of our cats.  If you know of anyone who would be interested in volunteering (perhaps even you!), please let them know we will soon be reaching out with more details. (They can sign up to receive our emails here; scroll down to the “subscribe” box.) There are many types of volunteer duties to fit diverse abilities and schedules.

Thank you, as always, for helping to spread the word about Tabby’s Place!

We are grateful for your continued support and devotion to some of the most vulnerable members of Tabby’s Place. We hope that as things open more all the time, we will be able to see you soon at Tabby’s Place.

Warmest regards from your correspondent,
Karen