Hello, Olive fanciers!

Ready for another update on our lobby greeter? First, the medical news: there is none! Hooray! Olive has enjoyed a month of stable good health, and long may it last.

Everyone knows that Olive can be quite feisty, particularly around other felines. She does not hesitate to express her opinions if other cats cross her path. But now, there’s another petite cat in the lobby who might just prove a match for her.

Jaguar is a buff-and-white girl with some strong opinions about, well, most things in her life. A couple of weeks ago, I saw Olive under the small table in the lobby, making her way gradually toward our front door. Then I saw Jaguar jump onto the table; before I could do anything sensible, Jaguar had reached a front paw down and swatted Olive. Olive hissed loudly, but she was clearly very startled and moved off with some speed. We’ll have to keep an eye on those two.

Which Olive do you know? If you’re a visitor, you’ve most likely met Friendly, Inquisitive Olive. Oh, she’ll occasionally swat at someone, and she’ll hiss if she is startled, but overall visitors love her because she comes up to so many people and usually responds well to petting.

On the other hand, if you’re a staffer or volunteer at Tabby’s Place, it’s much more likely that you’ve encountered Temperamental Olive. The volume of feline threats and curses she emits during expressing or diaper changes is most impressive, given Olive’s small stature. The fearlessness that’s a source of wonder and pleasure to visitors takes on a whole new meaning if you’re doing something to Olive that she dislikes.

No matter which side of her personality Olive displays, we love our feisty girl and wouldn’t have her any other way. Thank you for helping us keep Olive in fine fettle!

Your correspondent,
Stephanie