Happy lazy, hazy, crazy days to you. The old cliches about the “dog days of summer” have had their day, as far as we’re concerned — these are the fabulously feline days of summer 2014.
And I do mean fabulously. This month’s feral adventures begin with our old friend Martha. As you may recall, Martha came to Tabby’s Place in the spring, injured and aching.
After four gleeful months in our FIV+ Suite, Martha’s moved on up — to a forever home of her own! In a triumphant twist of fate, a lovely woman called earlier this summer with one request: did we have any all-black, female FIV+ cats? She knew this was a tall order, but hoped to find a lookalike lady friend for her regal raven FIV+ male.
That’s one tall order granted…and one very happy alumna snuggling into her forever home. As you can see at right, Martha — now affectionately known as “Mac” — is settling in quite comfortably (and acquainting herself with a new canine companion, too). It’s been a whirlwind tour to greater and greater life for this former free-roaming girl — and I cannot begin to thank you enough for helping to make it possible.
Where one feral tale finds its happy conclusion, another has just begun. Make that many others. Yes, feral friends: construction has officially begun on our expanded hospital at Tabby’s Place. As you can see at left, this space is rapidly transforming into a haven of hope for hundreds of feral felines in the years to come. Envision, if you will, the surgical tables and compassionate vet team tenderly working on our feral kitties in this space. Wounds will be healed, pregnancies will be prevented, and dozens of happier, healthier feral lives will result. Once again, I am awash in gratitude to you.
Even as we prepare for the future, the present is very much wrapped up in needy felines. One of our newest residents has followed in Martha’s pummeled pawprints, and she’s making the same steady journey to wholeness. Little Ella came to us at just six months of age, a terrified semi-feral who’d been struck by a car.
Alas for Ella, the little torbie’s injuries were far more severe than Martha’s had been. Multiple surgeries rendered Ella the “bionic woman,” piecing her back together with pins and plates. Gentle daily bandage changes and all the love in the world couldn’t save Ella’s most injured back leg, however, and as I type this update, she’s healing from an amputation.
But life with three legs will be perfectly sweet for this little feline — and, for Ella, life is getting lovelier by the day. The tiny girl with the gigantic green eyes is learning to trust us, and she’s already adapting swiftly to her “new” body. In fact, although nothing’s certain yet, Ella even has a potential adopter.
Miracles abound, and they have everything to do with you, dear friends. Thank you for loving our feral cats all the way to wholeness. Have a glorious August!