Happy November!
After about a month in her new residence in the lobby, your special girl is loving her new space! She continues to explore all the parts of the lobby and has decided that her favorite hiding spot is in the diaper bins. She pushes the middle drawer of the soft-sided 3-drawer cabinet out from the back so she can hide in the bottom drawer. Clever girl! One staff member told me that one day they opened the bottom drawer and were surprised to see Pepita! Although she does not wear a diaper (she gets expressed regularly), there must be some great fascination with the colorful diapers in the bin. Or perhaps it is just a soft bed, and, as we know, many cats love anything that resembles a box, a bin, or a cubby. She also loves the chairs in the lobby—soft cushions and plenty of room to curl up in a warm blanket or bed.
A bit of surprising news at Tabby’s Place is that for the first time in 14 years (an amazingly good record for a cat shelter), we are having a ringworm outbreak. A bit of explanation is required here. After all, any kind of outbreak sounds very alarming, especially now. If you do not know about ringworm, it is not a worm at all, but a fungal infection, and one of the most common skin infections in cats worldwide. It can spread very quickly from cat to cat, but luckily there are effective treatments available and it is, at worst, very annoying. Because it is so easy to spread, Tabby’s Place has established very strict protocols for staff and volunteers regarding sanitizing one’s shoes and hands as they go into and out of various suites, wearing gloves, limiting hugs with the cats, and the like.
Apparently, we are not alone as our junior vet technician reports that a large number of shelter/rescues throughout the country are also experiencing outbreaks. Whether it is the very wet summer or more frequent flooding or just an unfortunate turn of events, we currently have several residents in ringworm quarantine from four different rooms/suites, including the lobby. But the great news is that Pepita does not have ringworm, so she does not need to be quarantined!!! However, cats who are immune-compromised or have known skin issues are particularly susceptible to ringworm. As you know, Pepita has a skin allergy, so she is getting antifungal oral medication since she is at greater risk.
I’m disappointed that for the time being, I cannot hug Pepita or allow lap time and that when I pet her I must do so with disposable gloves on, but all these precautions are needed so that no new cases of ringworm surface. There have not been any new cases of ringworm in the last week or so and next week the staff will once again examine each and every cat in each and every suite/room to double-check that there has been no spread. It is more annoying than anything but must be treated so that it does not spread. I expect we will be back to normal in no time. What amazing care and attention the staff and volunteers give to this outbreak! I’m so grateful for their diligence.
Today I was filling in for another volunteer who normally cleans the lobby, so I had a lot of face time with Pepita and some serious petting near the end of my shift. She was supervising my work throughout the morning—the sweeping, the cleaning of the soft crates, the replacement of litter pans, food bowls, water bowls, and finally the mopping of all the floors. I think I saw her wink at me a few times. Maybe that was her seal of approval!
Pepita looked great this morning and even looked as though she gained a little weight. However, her allergies flared up this month and she had an increase in hair loss along her lower spine. Her allergy medication dose was increased and she continues to be treated for a urinary tract infection with a more specific antibiotic. She also is getting access to regular food in the lobby, which she was getting for lunch on a regular basis, but had to be crated in Suite A when receiving it. While transitioning her diet, she did experience some GI upset and loose stool. We have stopped her stool softener with the hopes that the dietary change with help to regulate her output.
In other news, our Quinn’s Corner expansion has a roof! The construction carries on and with it, the excitement grows. We’ll need more volunteers when we open in the spring, so if you know of anyone who might be interested, is reliable, and loves cats, please reach out to us. We’ll start our outreach in earnest early in the new year.
“Thankfulness is the quickest path to joy,” says Jefferson Bethke. We are so joyful to have you as a guardian of Pepita, caring for her through your generosity and loving her from near and far. We wish you the happiest of Thanksgivings and please know that we will be thinking of you often in grateful appreciation during this season of thanks and joy.
Your correspondent,
Sheila