Therapy Cat Tales

Tabby writes:

Welcome to a new year! Busy day, new buses, and new system! Since we live in our new house now, I have to be in a regular pet carrier (read: stuffed in a bag) on the bus instead of in my stroller. Add in rain that Mommy didn't plan for, and I was not happy being out of the house.

We didn't have long to wait for our buses, though, so once I was inside the bus and light rail train I was fine. It was just getting there that was a pain, and I let Mommy know very loudly that she should've checked the weather forecast and packed my raincoat. She had the umbrella, but that only covered one of us and she forgot her coat, too. So that umbrella was trying its best to be over us both!

I hadn't been visiting at H. for over a month, but I knew exactly where we were going when we got close. I sat up closer to the front of my stroller (I can be in it on the light rail train, our last ride), and looked at the door, waiting for the train to stop and Mommy to wheel me out.

Once inside the building and in the hallway, I hopped out of my stroller and walked in to greet my friends the Wellness Directors, the people who "hired" me ("hired" even though it's volunteer work). They were as happy to see me as I was to see them! They missed me! Mommy showed R. pictures of our new house and talked with her for a few minutes, then off we went to see the other people.

There were four new people on the floor we usually visit, and three of them wanted to meet me. There were also two new staff members who had heard about me but not met me yet. Fun! Of course, I charmed them all. We heard all about the cats they grew up with, or sat while they petted me and smiled happily, or just looked at me sitting in a chair by myself watching tv with them. Hey, I'm a person too, so why can't I just relax and watch tv on a chair too?

Of course, I visited all my regular friends as well. The lady with the hurt arm was still there, but her roommate was feeling better and had gone home. I looked for the roommate, and kept glancing over there, but the lady and Mommy reminded me that she had gone home already. I missed her, but I was so glad for the snuggles the lady gave me. I curled up in her armpit just like her own cat does and closed my eyes. She goes back home in three weeks, then she can take her cat with her to the next place she goes. I'm glad that she can do that, because I know she needs one of our kind with her to help her heal.

Another resident let me walk all over his legs, then he told us about a squirrel that runs up and down the tree outside his window. I spent the rest of the time at his bed watching that tree intently and twitching my tail, waiting expectantly for that squirrel! It didn't come, though. He thinks someone on one of the upper floors feeds it from their balcony.

When we left, we stopped at a store and got a jacket for Mommy and a water-resistant blanket for putting over my stroller. I was a very happy camper then! We went to the bank (outside at the ATM, since pets aren't allowed inside the bank), then rode the bus to Mommy's work. I was hungry because I had skipped breakfast for some reason that I can't remember right now, so I actually ate my food while at her work! I NEVER eat while out! Then I greeted the students, after realizing that they weren't going to scare me, and settled down behind Mommy's chair while she taught. Daddy came, so I went to sit on his lap for the last half of class, then we went back home.

My stroller is now set up in the kitty room/office, and I'm going to curl up in it and take a nap. It's my second favorite sleep spot. My first favorite is behind Mommy's knees while she sleeps.