Happy summer, Team TNR!

It’s “meteorological summer,” anyway, and that’s enough for us to feel more than a little sunny around Tabby’s Place. Then again, how could we feel otherwise, when we’re smitten with so many little sunshine-bearers?

I’m afraid I’m getting ahead of myself here.

As you know so well, every summer is “the summer of love” for free-roaming felines. As soon as the mercury starts rising, unspayed and unneutered cats start finding each other, and the next thing you know, we’re finding kittens in every cabbage patch.

Honestly, we wish the kittens were curled up in such serene settings as cabbage patches. (Sounds like a children’s book, doesn’t it?) In reality, little ones are born anywhere and everywhere their mothers can find a tiny corner of quiet, and the life of a feral-born kitten is no storybook. As recently discussed on the Tabby’s Place blog, kittens are devastatingly fragile, and they face steep odds against their survival outdoors. Without a doting mom, those odds drop to zero.

And that’s where you, through your generosity, swoop into action.

Sure enough, the early tendrils of summer came with calls of kittens found alone, kittens found with conjunctivitis, kittens upon kittens upon kittens in need of expert care and endless tenderness. Thanks to you, Tabby’s Place can be there for these tumbles of tinies.

All the kittens pictured here were found in Tabby’s Place’s feral colonies, a sober reminder that there’s always more work to do when it comes to trap-neuter-return. Even a colony that’s fully “under control,” in the sense of all the adults being neutered, can attract hungry feline newcomers. That’s one of the many reasons we monitor our colonies closely, and scoop up any fresh arrivals…or their babies.

Fortunately for all these cuties, a Tabby’s Place colony is a fine place to be born. Both of these beautiful litters were found without parents, so it’s a very good thing they came to us when they did.

Team Ice Cream — Edy, Breyer, Talenti, and Blue Bell — are, as you can see, in dashingly robust good health. They’re a bit older than the other niblets shown here, Atari and Nintendo, who fared a bit worse in their pre-Tabby’s Place days. At the moment, the Video Game Gals need to be syringe-fed and treated with eye ointment three times each day.

Happily, all of these wee angels will get to grow up in doting foster homes, where trained staff and volunteers will tend to their every need as they grow. This may be the most adorable side of TNR, but without friends like you, these cutie pies wouldn’t have a chance.

But you’re here, and so six sweet survivors will get to grow up and do what they do best: be our sunshine.

Speaking of sunshine, life is bright and warm for the little family we met last month. Nessie gave birth to two wonderful kittens, Yeti and Sasquatch, on Mother’s Day, and the little trio is nestled into foster care with our Junior Veterinary Technician.

Normally, kittens with their mothers are among the “easiest” cats to foster. But life is never tidy, least of all life with cats. Despite Nessie’s best efforts, this nurturing mama cat is unable to nurse her kittens. It appears as though she simply is not producing milk. In addition, little Yeti has a slight intention tremor, an involuntary, rhythmic muscle contraction that occurs during purposeful movement.

Suffice to say, it’s a lion-sized blessing that these itty-bitties came to Tabby’s Place. We’re very optimistic that Yeti will be just fine, but whatever he might need, he will receive, regardless of cost.

Of course, you and I both know that these sweet smidgens give us more than we could ever return. It’s our joy and our honor to care for them…and we could never do it without you.

Dear sponsors, may you bask in the glow of your own goodness as we all settle into summer. And may you know that a flotilla of tiny feline sunshines are living and thriving, all because you chose to love.

Your grateful correspondent,
Angela