Dear Fans of Gentle Pepita,

Happy Valentine’s Month! There’s no reason not to have a whole month of love rather than just one day, especially when it comes to Pepita.  Actually, she wants you to know just how much she loves you every day of every month. To have a sponsor such as you loving her and supporting her happy life is a dream come true.

Think bullying only occurs online or in schools? Guess again. It happens at Tabby’s Place, too, among the cats (the humans are generally well behaved).  Our sweet and gentle girl has unfortunately been the victim of a bit of bullying in the lobby by several other cats who chase and sometimes corner her.  She’s not one to fight back, the gentle girl that she is, so it can turn into an overall bad situation. When a few cats do this and others watch and see that Pepita does not respond in kind, then more are likely to join in this bad behavior.

Pepita really enjoys the human interaction that she gets in the lobby and we don’t want her to lose that enrichment time. We also don’t want her to be stressed and scared.  So we are keeping a close eye on the situation. I’ve only seen this once or twice when I’ve been with her, but rest assured that all staff and volunteer eyes are on the case and reporting in when they see it.

On the health front, Pepita has been experiencing firmer stools lately so the staff is keeping a close eye on the situation to see if she needs to go on a stool softener. She had a skin recheck and her allergies appear to be stable so her medications will remain the same going forward. I have to say that her coat is looking very fine, indeed, and soft to the touch (and I’m one to do a lot of touching of her when I’m with her!).

A kind volunteer’s mother just made a big bag full of little socks filled with catnip for the cats at Tabby’s Place.  I was there when they were delivered, so Pepita had first dibs. As you can see, she was over the moon to have this wonderful toy, which contains that very special herb to make kitties feel great!

Based on the current COVID numbers dropping again, our Volunteer Director mentioned that we are going to reach out to the senior facilities and ask if we can start our Aged to Purrfection Program again. Pepita loved to visit the seniors and we know that the seniors and the fur babies equally love this activity—it brings such a bright spot to their days!  Other programs are getting restarted, such as the enrichment program for the cats, where volunteers spend focused time with cats, conducting fun activities with wand toys, motorized toys, and the like, engaging the cats in play and making their lives richer. Keep your fingers crossed that the pandemic numbers continue to drop so that these important activities can begin again.

Pepita was delighted to hear that there will now be a kitty named Willow at the White House! How exciting it must be to be the country’s kitty! The history in the article shows that cats have long had a place among the leaders of our country. I personally think there is a lot our leaders can learn from these clever felines.

Pepita and I and everyone at Tabby’s Place wish you a month filled with love. Pepita sends you a barrel-full of whisker kisses and purrs to brighten your month.

Your correspondent,
Sheila