Welcome to Yardley’s world, dear sponsors.

You’re Yardley’s very first supporters! I can’t thank you enough for opening your hearts to this gentle girl. Although she may seem quiet, she is a mighty force of love, and we’re over-the-moon for her at Tabby’s Place. It means so much that you’ve given her your hearts, too!

Darling Yardley has spent the past month taking her time settling into Tabby’s Place life. The Lounge is home to all of our diabetic kitties, so Yardley joins neighbors Shifty (a sweet, raucous old man); Reese (an elegant introvert); Farrah (a big ball of love); and Candace.

Ah, yes: Candace.

I’m afraid Candace requires a bit of a digression. Our Candy girl is not diabetic. She is also not inclined to play well with others in one of our larger suites, where she had a reputation for throwing her weight around with her neighbors. Since Candace could stand to lose a little weight, and since the Lounge is a much lower population of laid-back cats on a special diet, it’s Candace’s home now.

For the most part, Candace has done well with her sweet roommates. She does, however, have her moments. Alas for our angel, some of those “moments” have been tantrums directed at Yardley.

As a gentle girl who hates conflict, Yardley has fled Candace’s cattiness every time. It only takes a squawk or a swipe from confident Candace to send Yardley shooting back into the safety of her crate. We generally start each cat in a new room with a large crate from which she can safely see and smell the goings-on from her own “home base.” In Yardley’s case, she’s still so comforted by her crate that we’ve left it there for her even after several weeks.

We all go and grow at our own pace, and we’ll give Yardley all the time she needs to find her confidence. As you can see from the photo above, she’s already making dreamy forays out into the room on occasion.

Dear sponsors, I must confess that, try as we might not to have favorites at Tabby’s Place, Yardley has quickly landed a special place in my heart. Her gentle spirit and polite meow, combined with her courage as a diabetic, have made her one of my feline heroes at Tabby’s Place. Yardley doesn’t push anyone around; she doesn’t seem to have an iota of ego; she simply loves and lives and oozes gratitude for every snuggle given. (Rest assured they are given with gusto, lavishly!)

I’d love to end this update there, assuring you that I’m now headed to the Lounge to love on our Yardley. But I’m afraid we have some worrisome breaking news.

Earlier this week, our vet team became concerned that Yardley had developed stubborn diarrhea. We found that our lovely girl had also lost two pounds in two weeks, and she was dehydrated. We treated her with subcutaneous fluids, anti-nausea medication, and pain medication, as her belly seemed quite uncomfortable. The next day, Yardley’s dehydration had actually worsened, so we gave her a course of IV fluids. Within hours, she was “joyful Yardley” again, eager for food and cuddles.

As of this post, we’re not quite sure what’s going on with our brave beauty. Our vet team has scheduled an ultrasound and extensive blood work, and I promise we’ll keep you posted. Most of all, I promise you — and Yardley — that we will do everything Yardley needs to thrive.

Thank you, dear sponsors, for helping to make this possible. Yardley and I send you our love and warmest gratitude!