Dear Team Pepita,

Tabby’s Place is buzzing with excitement and energy these days! With COVID infection numbers declining, we are inviting more and more volunteers and visitors to return. We have restarted many programs that we had to stop or curtail during the worst of the pandemic. You must know just how delighted Pepita is that the Aged to Purrfection program has restarted as she has been anxious to visit with her senior friends again as a certified therapy cat. The seniors get such delight in these visits and one new facility has reached out to have our sweet kitties, such as Pepita and Carrot, and Rose, spend time with their residents.

Additional programs that are starting up again include ones where the cats receive more socialization and enrichment. In the last few weeks, many new and returning Comfort Buddies (volunteers who spend time with assigned resident cats) have returned to Tabby’s Place, to give cats who just need a little bit of company some extra interaction with humans. Our feline Enrichment Program is starting up again with new volunteers to ensure the cats get solid time with puzzles, toys, and other activities to enrich their lives.

Pepita continues to enjoy the solarium, especially as the warm weather has set in and the flowers and trees are starting to bloom. Though I’m not at Tabby’s Place as the sun rises, I can just imagine Pepita enjoying all the wonderful sounds as the birds wake up in the morning and chirp away. I hear them when at home we have the windows open overnight. Between that and anxious kitties at home who are ready for breakfast early, there’s no need for an alarm clock!

On the health front, Pepita developed chin acne this past month.  The area was shaved and cleaned and the acne is resolving. Pepita’s skin on her back showed signs of improving and her allergy medication was decreased to once a day. But, unfortunately, the hair loss began to happen again and she is back on a 2x daily dose of her allergy medication.

Since Pepita has moved back to Suite A, I would like to bring you up to date on some of the new suitemates she has since when she moved to the lobby.  Malora is a shy kitty who is still trying to figure out that she can trust the humans who care for her and visit with her.  Mishush is a petite older kitty with a silky black coat. She seems so tiny as to be a kitten or young cat, but, just like one of the seniors in my own family, is actually a furry baby with quite a few years under her belt. And Gator is first in line for breakfast when I feed the cats in the suites on Sunday morning. He is ready for attention, too!

In other news, by now you know that Tabby’s Place is building an expansion called Quinn’s Corner, for vulnerable cats with feline leukemia virus (FeLV). As we prepare to open our expansion later this year, our need for volunteers increases. Volunteers are a huge part of our operation, as we could not run Tabby’s Place without them.

Beginning in May, we will launch an intense volunteer recruitment campaign to find those willing to give the gift of time and make an impact on the lives of our cats.  If you know of anyone who would be interested in volunteering (perhaps even you!), please let them know we will soon be reaching out with more details. (They can sign up to receive our emails here; scroll down to the “subscribe” box.) There are many types of volunteer duties to fit diverse abilities and schedules.

Thank you, as always, for helping to spread the word about Tabby’s Place!

And thank you for all you do to enable Pepita to thrive and enjoy a good life. She and I wish you a wonderful launch into spring and the blooms that will soon fill our senses!

Your correspondent,
Sheila