Hello!

It is time for me to take “pen to paw” again and share my news with you.  It is still rather quiet here at Tabby’s Place without our full complement of volunteers, many of whom remain on visiting restrictions due to COVID-19 safety precautions.

However, I have to tell you a story:  it involves that Correspondent of mine, Kim.

The other day, I saw her!  I was in my cat tree, second branch up, for my afternoon siesta.  I thought I was dreaming: was that actually KIM looking in the window at me?  No, it can’t be.  But the image was smiling and waving at me.  I looked again; the person continued to wave.  IT WAS KIM!

Now, for the details:

Tabby’s Place, in its infinite wisdom, developed the Curbside Volunteering Program.  It allows for the visitation of the cats in the outdoor solariums from the outside of the solariums.  By appointment, one volunteer at a time may spend an hour visiting the cats without coming into the building.  Certain cats have also been approved for the program’s stroller ride option. This option allows one cat at a time to be placed in a super-secure pet stroller and walked along the beautiful garden pathways behind the sanctuary we call “home.”   That cat is given the opportunity to get some fresh air and have “one-on-one” time with a volunteer.

Although I am not a participant in the stroller rides, Kim has been taking other cats out and about that are able to comfortably do so.  So yes, she did have a stroller with her that day, with a cat safely secured in it.  I was not losing my mind, nor was I dreaming.  It was really her!  I was happy to see her and to hear her call my name through the windows and listen to her voice again.  We are hopeful that soon our volunteer friends that we miss so very much will be able to return full-force.

We have started to carefully expand the number of individuals (staff and volunteers) that can be in the building at a given time (10 people as the maximum capacity of humans at the time of this writing). I look forward to Tabby’s Place being back to “business as usual” in the near future.  The staff told Kim that my demeanor is more cheerful when there are more people stopping by to fuss over me.  Sure thing!  It is important to keep my spirits up during this time, to match my “status quo” health report.  At Tabby’s Place, “status quo” is considered good news, so I am happy to share that news with you, too.

I know that Tabby’s Place relies very much on the continued generosity of its sponsors of the Special Needs cats, particularly now in this most difficult and challenging of times.  That support means the world to us, especially to a senior fellow like me.  Once upon a time, I was lost and lonely.  My life was not a happy one.  It was filled with pain and sorrow.  Today, when I rest, I know I am well, safe, loved, and adored.

Thank you, dearest sponsors, for YOUR part in that security.  It means everything to me.  So do you!

Love,
Shifty
(With help from your correspondent, Kim)