Happy autumn, Team TNR!

Although this sweet, golden season doesn’t officially begin for another few days, we’re in “meteorological autumn.” That’s good enough for me to get excited about snuggles, sweaters, and the glorious en-goldening of the whole world around us.

Speaking of snuggles, this month’s update concerns a former feral who’s long since abandoned outdoor life for cuddle country (which is to say, Tabby’s Place).

You’ll recall triumphant tortie Agnes, one of 2021’s brightest joys. Together with Toulouse, Edith, and Audrey, Agnes came to Tabby’s Place from a local cat colony whose caretaker suddenly passed away. These four gentle seniors were far too old, fragile, and tenderhearted to return to the outdoors, and so we were blessed with an instant community of golden girls at Tabby’s Place.

(Let the record show that, if Agnes and her “sisters” were recast in a 2021 reboot of The Golden Girls, Agnes would most certainly be Sophia — petite, as zesty as an ocean of marinara, and more colorful than all of Sicily. Toulouse is obviously Dorothy, while recently adopted Edith is goldenhearted Rose. Gorgeous Audrey, therefore, is one Blanche Devereaux, and twice as beautiful. But I digress.)

Perhaps even more than her senior sorority sisters, Agnes has exulted in this major life event. To put it very mildly, Agnes is elated to be at Tabby’s Place. She loves living in our Director of Operations’ office; she loves every human being who enters her orbit; she loves giving and receiving love with great gallons of gusto at every chance she gets. She loves us even more than she loves food, which is saying a great deal for a cat who’s gone from 4 to 7 pounds in just a few months. This is one happy, hearty, huge-hearted old gal, and we’re blissfully smitten.

Agnes is such a love machine that she’d excel in affection under any circumstances. But, it turns out our snuggly senior has an extra reason for her, um, exuberance.

Agnes is unspayed.

Naturally, “fixing” Agnes was one of our first orders of business when she came to us. But, a round of medical issues (all now under control) delayed that routine procedure over and over…and over again.

As our vet tech dryly puts it, “Agnes is in no danger of becoming pregnant.” However, like any red-blooded female feline of a certain age, she does go into heat each month, which is equal parts adorable and outrageous. Like clockwork, once a month, Agnes’s already exuberant affection will go into overdrive, and she’ll start rolling and trilling and demanding our constant cuddles. (Rest assured, dear reader, that we oblige.)

Heat can also make Agnes a little agitated in other ways, including nipping at Toulouse. (Again I refer to the Golden Girls: if Agnes is Sophia and Toulouse is her daughter Dorothy, there may be very good reason for this harmless “scolding.” And, fear not: Toulouse can hold her own.)

And so, we were finally set to finally spay our zestiest tortie in the first week of September, when another visitor arrived.

This one was far less welcome than a quartet of elderly feral felines: it was none other than Hurricane Ida.

I’m immeasurably grateful to report that Tabby’s Place (felines, humans, and this blessed building itself) all fared just fine, although two of our sturdy staff members and a handful of stranded motorists did spend the night in our Lobby (as you can read about in further detail here). But, the historic flooding left many roads impassible, meaning our Thursday 9/2 vet day had to be rescheduled, meaning…

…the heat goes on.

Not to worry, sweet sponsors: Agnes’s spay will come, and in the meantime, she will be just fine (if a wee bit zestier than her already batty baseline). Life and love are not in short supply at Tabby’s Place, and Agnes is exuberant to have them both in full measure.

This is all only possible thanks to you, and you have my zestiest gratitude!

Have a beautiful start to autumn, dear ones!

Much love,
your correspondent,
Angela

PS: You may have noticed that autumn isn’t the only special season that’s found us once again. The annual Linda Fund Matching Challenge has begun, raising much-needed funds for our most critically ill and injured cats. If you might be in a position to make an additional one-time donation, over and above all that you do for the TNR cats each month, you can do so here, and your gift will be doubled. Thank you for your extraordinary love!