Dear Team Luna,

Fall is in the air, leaves are dropping from the trees, and our lovely Luna is ever at her observation post, on the watch for new findings to report.  A migrating bird, a volunteer graciously providing a kitty cat stroller walk, a bumblebee or butterfly winging by the lab window—Luna doesn’t miss a single detail. Except, of course, when she’s leisurely napping in the last warm rays of the summer sun.  A girl must set her priorities straight and even an accomplished scientific professional like Luna must make time for creature comforts.

Luna’s last medical report was stellar, and we wish we could say the same this month.  While she remains in good health, Luna’s weight is down and she still has a high white blood cell count. Everything else is within the limits we want to see. She did have a flare-up of the skin around her mouth and chin this month, but it is looking much better. Unfortunately, this is a reminder of the ongoing challenges this little girl will face.  Rarely have we seen a cat with such bad allergies and, even in a controlled environment like the lab and medical suite, making life comfortable for Luna is an ongoing experiment.  Because she has so many allergic triggers, providing Luna good medical care can be a daunting task. Even the flavorings added to some medications to make them more palatable to cats can set off a nasty reaction in Luna.

Caution is the watchword with a cat such as Luna. Near and dear to our hearts, she will require a lifetime of care. In fact, she is one “high maintenance” kitty and, while not a diva per se, her lifestyle does make her the most expensive cat we care for at Tabby’s Place.  With that in mind, we’ve decided to give Luna a starring role as the featured feline of our annual Linda Fund appeal this year. The campaign, which raises funds for emergency and specialty care, will be run a little differently from past years because of the pandemic.  Combined with our end-of-year annual fundraising drive, it will launch next month. Luna is the perfect poster kitty for the Linda Fund but, she assures us, she will not let it go to her head.  Besides, she thinks she’s allergic to caviar anyway!

Look for Luna, front and center, and beaming her best and brightest smile, at an online fundraising event near you!  Thank you for all you do to support Luna’s amazing life at Tabby’s Place.

Your correspondent,
Tina Bergman