April greetings to you, and to all our kind and caring Kitten Fund sponsors!
The internal message dated March 26 was brief and to the point: “Kitten season has arrived! Basil (M black kitten), Oregano (M black kitten), Parsley (F tabby kitten), Rosemary (F tabby kitten), Marjoram (F black momcat).” The newborns are up there in the header photo, and I’m confident we’ll hear more about them—and other newcomers to Tabby’s Place—in the weeks ahead.
In the meantime, some who are past the baby stage, but still younger than a year old, have been under the care of foster moms and dads. Two of those young ones were originally rescued by another organization, which then reached out to Tabby’s Place when it was discovered that they had tested positive for Feline Leukemia. That’s just why Quinn’s Corner was created.
The two tabby-and-white kittens were named Jalapeño and Mango, and foster mom Lynn accepted the responsibility for them. One of the goals of a foster parent is to socialize their houseguests to prepare them for adoption. Lynn makes that task sound easy, saying, “They were a little shy at first, but it didn’t take long for them to get comfortable with us. They were so sweet.”
“You could hold Mango like a little baby, and she loved belly rubs. Jalapeño didn’t like being held too much, but loved cuddling on the couch and getting lots of pets and belly rubs. Once they got acclimated, they played so well together and loved wand toys.”
Since then, they have relocated to Quinn’s Corner, and I can vouch for Lynn’s descriptions of their personalities. In fact, the moment I walked into their suite, Jalapeño trotted up to me and welcomed me to his home, and as soon as I sat down, he got right on my lap.
Lynn told me that early on, they showed her they already had minds of their own. She says, “When we first got them, we set them up in our downstairs half bath. We had their litter box and two beds in there for them.” However, she went on, “The funny thing was they preferred sleeping together in the bathroom sink. Cutest thing ever.” Even better, she provided visual proof.
One thing more: last month’s letter to you featured a look at young Salem. I’m happy to report that early in March, she was adopted and, I’m told by our own Allison, “She is doing well in her new home. She’s still shy but venturing out more each day.”
“Her adopter has cameras on her at night and said she has a routine. She sits in the window, then sits by the fish tank for a long time, and then throws dirt in the air from two of her plants! She loves the fish so much that they got her a fish bowl of her own!
“They recently lost an 18-year-old kitty, and it’s been very hard. Her adopter said that she loves Salem so much and that ‘She’s helping me as much as I am helping her.’” Yes, cats have a way of doing that, and isn’t it great?
It’s especially great that you support the Kitten Fund. Thank you for your generous donations that aid the mission of Tabby’s Place. Recently, Tabby’s Place Development Director Angela described another of the babies you’re helping.
Until next month, I wish you much good cat companionship and all good things.
Your correspondent,
John
P.S.: As Tabby’s Place cats, Basil, Oregano, Parsley, and Rosemary share the surname Rosenberg, as explained by Angela in a footnote to a 2013 blog post. I get that, but I’d like to think their last names could be “McCormick in the East, Schilling in the West.”
P.S.S.: Have you ever yearned to care for the cats in a hands-on way? Please consider joining us for our April 25th Volunteer Recruitment Open House. We’d be over the moon to have you with us as a volunteer! But know this: even if you live an ocean away, you are right here with us every day, personally caring for the cats through your generosity. What an honor it is to serve them with you!
