Dear Sammy Supporters,

I was wondering the last week or two if the competition was still on. Let me explain.

I used to live within five minutes of Tabby’s Place. It was easy to pop over and visit whenever I wanted, but now I’m a bit further away and can make it over to volunteer and visit my beloved Sammy only once a week. So when I entered the Community Room and saw Sammy fast asleep in the cat tree and not in her usual spot, I was wondering whether her magical relationship with Puzzle was cooling off? Where was Puzzle anyway?

Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The competition between the two of them—the need to get as many pets and caresses as possible, more than the other guy—is still going strong. I can verify that Sammy will not stand by and watch Puzzle receiving attention without horning in and demanding attention be paid to her; luckily, Puzzle feels the same way.

Imagine this scene. I enter the Community Room and Sammy is fast asleep in the cat tree. I saunter over to say hi and do my usual thing—pet her and see how she is doing. Puzzle is nowhere in sight. Or so I think . . . Maybe a minute goes by. Something stirs behind me. Sure enough, Puzzle—from out of nowhere, it seems to me—leaps into the window box and begins to pace back and forth. He seems to be saying, “Pay attention to me.” Sammy glances over. I feel bad so I shimmy over to the window box and figure I’ll spend a minute or two petting Puzzle.

Well, Sammy, who up to this moment has been quite content to lounge around in the laziest kind of way, is out of the cat tree and in that window box before I can blink an eye. And I shouldn’t be surprised. Sammy is convinced that all petting performed in her presence should be directed exclusively at her!

The purring begins. The face nuzzling commences. I start laughing, and Ginny tells me that the other day Sammy was sitting on top of Puzzle so he couldn’t get away from her. How wonderful! How sweet!

Sammy has been doing fine health-wise this month. She has also gotten used to Polly and Clare, two kitties whose slight vision problems disrupted the routine of things in the Community Room.

Sammy and I thank you for your continued generosity. We hope you are enjoying the lovely fall weather we’re having!

Your correspondent,
Kate