Dear Kind & Generous Pepita Sponsors,
Pepita sends greetings from the solarium, where she has been spending more and more time as summer’s soup pot heats up—providing a toasty place to feel the heat from the air, but at the same time coolness from the concrete or from chilling pads that get placed on the floor this time of the year.
Our beautiful princess has been enjoying many stroller walks this past month. We’ve had some very hot days and those days are too hot for the cats to go outside. The volunteer who manages the stroller program watches the feels-like temperature closely and makes a call each day as to whether to stroll, as we don’t want to put our kitties in any jeopardy with the heat. We’ve had plenty of nice days, though, and our stroller volunteers have made the most of those days, getting as many cats as possible through stroller walks. We’re also expanding the number of volunteers in the stroller program by asking volunteers who do Comfort Buddies (cat socialization for cats who love to or need to have volunteers provide company) to also do stroller walks. Many of them were happy to sign up for this fun activity, so many more cats will get outside each day. The cats and the volunteers experience a lovely time during the strolls.
I asked one of the volunteers who took Pepita out for a stroll the other day to report on how it went. She said, “Pepita and I got caught in the sprinkles! We were exploring the new driveway out back when a light rain interrupted our journey. I got her back “home” safe and sound, but Pepita let me know it was not fast enough for her…..Funny thing—as with the canvas hood and thick netting of the stroller, she really could not feel the rain. Some days, Pepita wants to stroll; other days, she will run up into the tube to avoid me!” Our girl is a mystery sometimes.
The Aged to Purrfection program continues regular visits to the senior homes, which Pepita also enjoys greatly. We are trying out a new program called Whisker Wednesday. Tabby’s Place teamed up with Evolve Pink, which is an organization to support women with breast cancer and survivors of breast cancer. We are going to provide a pet therapy night once a month for women going through, and struggling with this terrible disease. They have once-a-week meetings and hold various therapy activities for the women, so once a month we will be providing pet therapy. Later this month Carrot, one of the current Aged to Purrfection kitties, will go to the first outing, as he is really good at trying out new things. I’m sure that Pepita will join the rotation in short order, and will bring smiles and joy to these women at a time when they need it most.
I’m sure you have asked yourself the question: ‘How do you keep so many cats with such different personalities content to live with so many other cats?” Well, it is an ever-constant challenge and requires vigilance and understanding of all those personalities! One of Pepita’s suitemates, Gator, has moved to Suite C. Gator was terrorizing Steven, a sweet, quiet boy, and being quite vicious with him. Steven was so scared he was just hiding all the time, so it was time for a change. Suite C has many confident kitties, rather than timid ones (including Pepita) in Suite A, and the mix seems to be working well for Gator, as he is being a good boy. He is getting along well with his new suitemates and even making a few friends.
The next challenge is Kozmo, who is relatively new to Suite A and determined to show his dominance, already going after Wonton and Steven, and even our sweet Pepita. At least Steven growled at him as a warning, instead of hiding. We’ll be watching to see how Kozmo settles in and, if necessary, behavior medication or a move to another suite might be in order.
On the health front, Pepita developed a urinary tract infection once again and is back on antibiotics until it resolves. She is full of love and affection during my visits with her and is truly appreciative of all the attention the various volunteers and staff bestow on her.
I hope you are enjoying the summer’s explosion of bloom, birdsong, and fragrances! My kitties at home are enjoying the birdsong when we open the windows and watch the deer early in the morning in our backyard, fascinated to see the fawns prance about with their mommies close by. Let us hope for continued good weather for strolling with the cats and solarium time galore.
“The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all directions.” Chanakyu. We feel your goodness in all directions at Tabby’s Place, and especially in your devotion to our beautiful princess.
Pepita sends you whisker kisses and purrs and hopes you can visit with her this summer.
Your correspondent,
Sheila