Happy Almost Spring to Pepita Lovers!

Yes, spring is almost here and the temperatures are starting to rise after an appearance of snow this past weekend.   This week promises temperatures in the 60s and 70s and brilliant sun, which Pepita will now get to enjoy from her old solarium back in Suite A!

I mentioned in Pepita’s last update that she had become the unfortunate victim of bullying in the lobby. It’s similar to what happens with teams at work:  whenever someone new joins the team, everyone goes back to zero in terms of social hierarchy, roles, and interactions.  Well, it’s the same with cats. So, although Pepita had fit right in when she joined the lobby, the last few months brought some cats being adopted from the lobby and then new players joining the space, all anxious to show who is in charge. Remember the stages of forming, storming, norming, and performing for groups? I think the lobby was stuck on ‘storming!’  Plus, bullying can be contagious—once one or two cats bully another and that cat doesn’t fight back, then everyone thinks it is fair game to team up on that kitty.

Pepita was feeling stressed and scared too much of the time, so the wise staff at Tabby’s Place decided to move her back into Suite A, where the personalities are more mellow and the solarium holds much appeal for Pepita. Remember that she had been moved to the lobby a few months ago because she was not getting as much interaction with volunteers and visitors due to COVID restrictions on the number of folks permitted in the building. Now that we are out from under much of the COVID restrictions, she is seeing lots more people with smiling faces (no masks!) and love to bestow on her.

This past weekend I visited with Pepita and, even though the day was particularly cold, there she was in her beloved solarium, soaking up the fresh air and bopping about with a big smile on her adorable face.  She was clearly enjoying her old stomping ground—from the many levels of the tower where she leaped with ease, to the warmth of the igloo (with warming pad), to racing up the ramp and through the tunnel and back into the inside suite to interact with her old buddies Boom, Steven, Wonton, and others. I truly think she missed all the variety that comes with Suite A!  She was very loving and seemed very happy. That is only bound to increase as the temperatures rise this week and the clear plastic tarp is removed from the side that opens to the outside (it is up in winter to shield kitties from the cold winds) so that she can enjoy Cherny’s Garden and the birds and butterflies that will visit there soon enough.

The staff had reported that the hair on Pepita’s lower back had begun to thin once again, though when I saw her this week her fur seemed thick and full. It is possible that some of the irritation was in response to the stress of the bullying, as stress can lead to a host of physical reactions in the body. We have increased her allergy medication for now and will see if things settle down now that she is in a less stressful environment.

Pepita is also delighted that the Aged to Purrfection program is back on and that she will be visiting the senior homes once again. Plus, stroller rides are back!!!! As the weather gets nicer with each passing day, the volunteers who take the cats for stroller rides around the property are geared back up for that much-loved activity (loved by both volunteers and the cats).  The strollers are being inspected for any needed repairs and the word is out to the volunteers.  There are only certain cats that are approved for stroller rides, given their personalities. Of course, as you guessed it, Pepita has always been on that list.

Though November is the official ‘gratitude month,’ Pepita believes that we should have at least two official gratitude months and that March should be one of them.  She is sending oodles of gratitude and love to you and wants you to remember what Henry Ward Beecher said, “Gratitude is the fairest blossom that springs from the soul. ”

I’m looking forward to bringing you more news of your sweet Pepita in April.

Your correspondent,
Sheila