As the New Year begins, we humans are usually making resolutions for the upcoming year, looking forward to changes we would like to see happen in our lives. Here at Tabby’s Place, the staff and volunteers are wondering if Max might have made a resolution himself.
The staff noted that Max has changed quite a bit from the feisty fellow that first arrived at Tabby’s Place in 2009. Gone is the boy who would lash out on occasion towards other felines, finding even the nicest of cats an annoyance at times. Gone is the cat-man who needed to be crated at feeding time and during nights for the safety and protection of the other cats in his suite. Here instead is a gentleman who likes his other suitemates – and gets along well with them.
Could it be that these suitemates are all female? We have not noted any romantic intentions on Max’s part with any of the lady cats that share his suite. I must admit that if I was Max, I would be loving life in that suite, too, as a delightful little group of cats abide with him. Dare we say that Max may have made his New Year’s resolution to be the super-nice boy we all know he can be? Has “Mad Max,” as he has been affectionately called, turned into “Mellow Max?” Stay tuned!
January also is the month when every Tabby’s Place cat celebrates a birthday. In most cases, we do not know a cat’s exact age when he arrives at the sanctuary, so our veterinary staff makes an educated guess. Unless a cat has a specific birth date on record, we mark January 1st as his birthday. As we see Max entering his 11th year, the changes mentioned previously could have something to due with aging. “Birthday Month” here at Tabby’s Place is a gentle reminder that Max and the other residents are aging.
We can never take the aging process for granted. A cat that is well today may present unexpected symptoms of illness tomorrow. Max has been blessed with good health recently, and we surely want it to keep him this way!
I found spending time with Max this week very helpful, as I was recovering from the sudden passing of one of my own pets this week. When not at Tabby’s Place, I am a Dachshund rescuer; Rudy was a dog I assisted to safety, then kept as my own pet. When I visited with Max, he seemed to sense something was wrong, and he was quite an affectionate fellow. He seemed glad for my company, and I was happy I had come in to see him.
Many animals across the country will never know the exceptional medical care, love, and companionship that the cats of Tabby’s Place receive. Thank you for your gracious gift each month, that allows for “Mellow Max” to share these special blessings. When he lays down his pretty head at night, he knows he is loved; I adore him so.
Thank you for the opportunity to share his news with you each month.