Happy New Year, Favorite Sponsor!
I can feel it in my belly, 2023 is going to be a great year for both of us! I can’t wait for the adventures ahead and having you by my side is the greatest gift of the new year. The new year is already bringing changes to Tabby’s Place. Quinn’s Corner is coming to life and the main sanctuary is receiving some extra touches. Our new feeding and laundry areas are now in Quinn’s Corner, they are spacious, beautiful, and look like professional workspaces.
I am over the moon about a tall baby gate added to the Community Room doorway. Now lobby and community residents can safely meet!
One of the biggest lobby changes is that my pal Anka has moved to Quinn’s Corner to help the Volunteer team by residing in their office! My correspondent visited Anka, and he is enjoying being an only cat. Recently we welcomed two new lobby residents. Antin is an extremely handsome and affectionate tuxedo cat, who happens to be paraplegic. He looks a lot like Olive, but much bigger. Pretty Nina experienced severe head trauma before coming to Tabby’s Place and has secondary hydrocephalus. When Nina walks, she sometimes gets excited and goes in circles. If you remember Walter from the lobby a few years ago, he also walked in circles. I like our new roommates a lot!
I do declare, 2022 ended at full speed, and 2023 started at full speed! I started 2023 off by continuing to greet visitors, adopters, and new volunteers. I am still in charge of seeing off newly adopted cats headed to their new homes with warm wishes. This must be part of my southern upbringing. My Aunt Daisy always said it is good manners to spread love and good wishes.
I am feeling more like “Rose” these days. I follow (stalk) volunteers with food trays as they maneuver through the lobby. On Saturdays, my correspondent does the PM feeding, and I am mesmerized watching her carry 3 trays of wet and dry food. She “sneaks” me chicken lickable treats (we can’t eat seafood in the lobby). When she arrives, she holds my lickable treat behind her back and pretends there is nothing there. I hold back my laughter! Recently we had some warmer weather and volunteers treated me to my favorite, stroller rides!
Being a lobby cat has extra advantages! Staff decorated the lobby into a holiday wonderland. A tall Christmas tree with colorful ornaments and a pretty menorah took center stage. My roommate Hips’ mission was to topple the Christmas tree. Staff was steps ahead of him and anchored the tree. My correspondent and I watched in horror as the tree and star swayed back and forth, with Hips hidden in the middle. Hips has a sweet side to him and felt bad for scaring us—I cuddled up with my correspondent on the couch.
I had my follow-up appointment with the neurologist. My correspondent picked me up and drove me home to Tabby’s Place. She wore her Rose sweatshirt and carried a Rose tote bag. I was a li’l black-and-white furry southern belle who was happy as can be! I blushed when the vet tech said she wished that every cat was like Rose! The trip home was a purrfect bonding time with my correspondent. She serenaded me with my signature song “Rose has 4 toes,” and we chatted and chatted. There was a rolled-up towel in my crate that was my pillow. I rested my head on it and was soon fast asleep.
My health report has a few items this month to share. I started the month with a bit of congestion, but happily, no upper respiratory infection was found. I am blessed to receive so much love and care from the vet staff, who are my guardian angels. I had a few episodes of vomiting this month, but nothing was prolonged or found to be serious. I saw my neurologist for a repeat of my MRI. Unfortunately, there was no improvement shown on the MRI. But clinically I am doing well. The staff is grateful for that and will continue my medication regime long-term to keep me stable. The sweet tea glass is extra sweet and more than half full!
Wishing you a Happy New Year with special warm apple cider with cinnamon stick whisker kisses!
Love,
Rose
(With help from your correspondent, Ilene)