Therapy Cat Tales from Yesterday

Tabby writes:

Hi everyone!  I'm back to visiting again!  We took a break for a couple months, because Mommy wasn't feeling well and we had Grandma moving in, but now we're back.  I'm sooooo happy!

We love overhearing conversations on the bus and MAX train when we ride.  It's fun how my presence on public transportation gets people talking about their own cats, even if it's not directly to us.  We heard one person who had always wanted an ocelot as a pet, but couldn't get a permit to own one because they are wild animals.  He got a Savannah instead, which is a domestic cat but has been bred from an African serval (wild animal) and a domestic cat.  We also heard about a long-haired black polydactyl cat that a homeless couple has.  They are trying to find a place to live and may have to give their cat up to be able to live in low-income housing.  Most low-income housing doesn't allow pets (other than emotional service animals, which need a doctor's note).  That would be sad if they had to give up their kitty!  I made them very happy by purring for them while they petted me.

We got on one MAX, but the driver told everyone that it wasn't in service, so everyone got off again.  Why did it even let us on if it wasn't going to take us anywhere?  We had to wait another half hour for the next one, because they weren't running on time.  That made us late, and I don't like to be off-schedule!  Kitties love schedules and patterns, and I'm no exception.

When we got to H., the people there were off-schedule, too!  They'd gone on a field trip for lunch to a restaurant and were just getting back, so we waited a few minutes before going up to visit them to let them settle.  I saw them going up, and said hi to one of my friends before she got in the elevator, but we waited until they were in their rooms before "officially" visiting them.  That confused me, because I could see they were going back home and wanted to follow them, but Mommy said we needed to wait.  I kept asking her with my paw when we were waiting, to let her know that I wanted to get going.

Finally, we went upstairs!  We went to see my friend A.M. the first thing, and she had the picture of her and me in a frame on her shelves!  I love her so much and always snuggle with her.  One of her friends was there, and asked her if I was the kitty she loves so much.  She just smiled and hugged me.  Purrs!

We went to see more of our regulars, and it was so great to see them again!  They missed me as much as I had missed them, and were glad to see me again.  Mommy's friend L. from her former church held me and hugged me, saying how nice a kitty I was.  I purred hard for her, too, because she's one of my favorites as well.  We met a new friend, C., who told us about her kitty.  She and her husband have a kitty they took in, but then the kitty showed up one day with a collar and tag.  It turned out to belong to their neighbors, who are backyard neighbors!  The cat doesn't like to be alone, so when its people aren't there it visits C. and her husband!  We also heard about a cat who didn't want to move when its people moved.  It was hand-raised from a kitten, but became an outside cat with the backyard and surrounding area as its territory.  When its people moved, they took it with them but didn't move far, so the kitty kept going back to its territory.  Its people made arrangements with the family who had bought the property, who agreed to adopt the cat and care for it.  It's so wonderful when that happens so the kitty can stay in its territory!  We had that happen with our feral Shadow at our old house.  We weren't able to take her with us when we moved, but we arranged with Spongebob's person that he would take care of Shadow since Sponge was best friends with her.  I also visited with someone who is going to go home in the next week but was so glad that I came to visit her.  I could tell that she wasn't feeling well in her stomach so I snuggled up really close to her on her lap right away.  She, Mommy, and R. (who takes us around to everyone) visited while I snuggled, and talked all about how we cats just know when we're needed and where.  Well, of course we do!  That's why I visit!

After we were done visiting at H., we went to C.  We don't really have a set schedule at C. yet, so the person we usually visit wasn't available to visit.  I was disappointed, but then we went to another floor and I got to visit with three ladies who work there!  That was fun, because I got to settle on the rug while Mommy talked with one of the ladies.  She was quite impressed with me, especially when I asked her to pet me, and took our contact information so that we could get a set schedule there.  Someone called the next day, but Mommy missed the call.  She'll call back and then we'll set up a definite time to go visit more people there!

If that weren't exciting enough, we came home to a big surprise!  Go to the Oregon Humane Society's Doggie Dash page at this link, scroll down to where it says "Doggie Dash Poster" and click on either size.  Tell me what you see!  We got it in postcard-flyer form in the mail, and were so surprised!  Yes, we are definitely planning on going this year.

PhotoHunt: Lazy (and Tabby's Doggie Dash Report)

Tabby writes:

Do I look lazy in this picture?  If so, I deserved my rest!  Mommy and I had just gotten done walking the 2.5-mile Doggie Dash!  Well, Mommy walked it and I rode in the stroller, so I guess I was lazy for that part, but it was hot out today and I got a lot of attention because I was the only kitty there.

Because of river traffic holding the bridge up just before we got there, we arrived later than expected and were unable to meet Auntie Diana, who helped make the balloon arches.  She works at the Oregon Humane Society.  Isn't it great that all these people (and more) turned out to help the animals at OHS?

K103, a local radio station, is the main sponsor of the event every year.  The man on the right is from there, the lady on the left is the director of OHS, and the others are also event sponsors.  The man was talking about all the different dog breeds he could see from the truck/stage, then said that he hadn't seen a cat yet but there usually are one or two who come.  Mommy rolled me over to the truck/stage and waited until the awards had been given, then held me up and pointed to me.  The man announced me and Mommy held me up high so that everyone could see the "intrepid cat" who had come!  He was laughing that it was like the beginning scene from The Lion King!

Mommy loves huskies, so she was very happy to see these four!  She tried to get a picture of them posing on some rocks, but it was washed-out because the sun was so bright on the river.  I stayed in my stroller most of the time, but thought that all the doggies were very interesting to sniff.  I touched noses with a few, got licked by some, but put my ears back at a couple who thought they might be able to jump into my stroller with me.  As one lady put it, I didn't want them to burst my personal-space bubble inside which I was invisible (or so I thought)!

Two of Mommy's students saw her and waved us over before the walk started, so we ended up walking most of the time with the "Bad to the Bone" team.  Kelley (in the middle with the little dog) and Julie (at the end in the vest) are in Mommy's Norwegian language class.  It was fun walking with them!  Of course, we had to stop a few times to let other people take pictures of me, since I was a novelty among the dogs, but that kind of goes with the territory.  I had doggies sniffing me out before their people knew I was there, then would hear, "Oh, there's the cat!"  Mommy just smiled and said how I am such a good girl and such a special kitty to be able to do this.  I agree, of course!

Mommy had someone take this picture of us at the finish line.  I look like I'm unhappy, but it's just because I was looking into the bright sun.  I really was sleepy and wanted to be in the shade napping, so that's when Mommy let me lie down on the park bench and rest.  When we were about to cross the finish line, a couple dog walkers were joking with Mommy:  "We'd better hurry up and cross the finish line before the cat does!"  But then those same people pointed me out to the announcer at the finish line, who announced me again!  Wow, and whew!  Glad I'm home now!

Are you a PhotoHunter?

Doggie Dash 2013: Tabby's Fundraising Challenge

Tabby is asking all her friends to purrrlease support her and the PDX pride mommy as they walk the Oregon Humane Society's Doggie Dash on May 11th.  She is challenging her fellow pet-bloggers, and the winner gets a free copy of her e-book for children!

There are two ways to win:

1.  Donate on our personal fundraising page below and leave a comment here afterward saying you donated (with the name used on the donation) so we can match it up.

OR

2.  Donate as above and leave a comment, then get your friends to do the same and comment, noting who sent them in their comment.

So, if Carbon donates x amount and that amount is the highest donated, he would get the prize.  If Starla donates y amount and gets five friends to donate z each and they all comment on this page that Starla sent them, she would get the prize even though she personally donated less than Carbon. If one of Starla's friends donates, gets others to donate, and those others credit the friend in their comments, the friend would win the prize if the amount adds up to the highest amount.

Here is the link to our fundraising page:

Doggie Dash 2013: Tabby and Karen Thompson - Doggie Dash 2013

Doggie Dash 2010

Tabby writes:

No, we don't have a dog.  However, I love to stroll and love dogs, so Mommy asked the Oregon Humane Society if we could participate in the Doggie Dash this year.  They said yes, and to our surprise said that another lady brings her cat and does the walk/run with the cat around her shoulders!  We didn't see the lady & cat this year, but heard from many people that she was there again.

So, on Saturday the stroller was packed into Mommy's mom's car, I was harnessed and ready, and water, food, and other essentials were along.  It was a beautiful day, one of the first sunny, warm days we've had since the start of the year, at a high of 74 degrees F.

There was a run, a 2 1/2 mile walk, and a 1 1/2 mile walk.  We participated in the 2 1/2 mile walk.  All three went from downtown Portland, OR, USA, along the Willamette River on the west side, then the longer walk and the run went over a bridge, along the other side of the river, and back over another bridge to the starting point.  A wonderful, scenic route, with lots of photo ops for those who chose to do so!  Everything was untimed, so you could go at your own pace.

SO MANY PEOPLE!!!  The Doggie Dash is now in its 23rd year, with major publicity, but we still were surprised at the amount of people involved.  My friend Diana and I had talked about meeting before the race started, but neither of us could find the other!  At one point, we even lost where Grandma was, and she and Mommy had to call each other on their cell phones and leave messages as to where we were, because of course it was too noisy to hear the cell phones ring!

There was a pancake breakfast before the race started.  I didn't want any, but Mommy said it was good.  At the butter & syrup table, there was even a plate of pancakes with a note that said, "Doggy Cakes"!  After she ate, we walked around to a few of the vendors.  One vendor, LexiDog Boutique, had special t-shirts for sale with "Doggie Dash" on them and the logo, so I got a pink one.  Lexi's mom, who owns and operates the store, told us the shirts stretched, and thought maybe the medium would fit me, but the large fit me best.  I wore it until we got done with the walk, then it was too hot for me to wear a shirt.

We saw a group of people stopping to take pictures along the walking route, so we asked a volunteer from the Oregon Humane Society to take one of us.  I would NOT look at the camera, though!

While we were doing the walk, or should I say Mommy was doing the walk and I was riding in my stroller, we got mixed reactions from the other people and dogs.  Some people questioned whether I should be there, two dogs didn't like me (but Mommy pulled the stroller back when she saw them react to my scent from a safe distance and kept everyone safe), but then we had others who thought that it was great that we were there.  That's the normal mix we get when we go out anywhere.  I got kisses and tongue baths from five or six dogs, nose touches, and some tried to sniff my rear end.  No reaction from me, of course, except I did hiss at one that kept on too long, but other than that I let the dogs sniff and lick away, and sniffed them back.  Mommy said I was a good girl during the whole day!  :)

Three dogs had never seen a cat before in their lives, so their owners asked if they could introduce the dogs to me and see their reaction.  Two of those dogs licked me, one touched noses with me, but one could've cared less!  It was like it was saying, "Oh, THAT'S a cat?  So???"  Looked, then sniffed the grass.  Another dog was afraid of wheels, but we ended up walking by her during a lot of the time and she didn't even flinch at the stroller or at various bikes that went by!  Her mom was so proud of her!  We were also a landmark for a couple people as we were strolling, hearing every so often:  "I'm right by/behind the cat!"  We met some therapy dogs and complimented each other on the good work that we do.  Of course, the other animal-assisted therapy team people were nonplussed about a cat working, because they know the training required for it, and their dogs ignored the fact that there was a cat in the stroller, because they knew that they weren't supposed to react.

The 2 1/2 miles took us an hour and 10 minutes.  After the walk, Grandma, Mommy, and I strolled around to all the vendors and also watched sheepdog trials.  Mommy had a border collie/Aussie shepherd/golden retriever mix when she was growing up, so she still loves to watch them "work", even if it's for show.

I was getting very warm, so Mommy took my pink shirt off me.  Mommy was going to cool me down with water and get me into the shade, and a couple people who stopped to pet me had commented on that as well, but then she saw a vendor that was selling cooling collars!  I now have a blue cooling collar made by Outward Hound, and I LOVE it!  It's got crystals in it that expand when it's soaked, so they keep the water and the cold.  It's the same system as the bandannas that are available for people.  The vendor, PetUtopia, was also selling cooling vests, but Mommy thought that would be a bit much for me.  I'm very glad they had the cooling collars, though, because they were the only ones who had anything like that for sale!  With the warm weather, we were surprised that none of the other vendors had thought about that.

I cooled right off with my new collar, and meowed at Mommy to re-soak it when it started drying out again two hours later.  I posed proudly for a few pictures that other participants took, and some that are for the official Doggie Dash photo page.  Volunteers walked around and took pictures of participants and vendors, then the pictures will go up on a website.  Prints will be available for $5 each from the Oregon Humane Society, and all proceeds will go towards the shelter programs.

At one point, I saw a welcoming patch of grass in the shade and sat up very tall in my stroller, wanting to stop so I could jump out.  Mommy stopped, and I walked into the Woodin' You booth, with its food/water bowls & pet beds.  Belly-down in the cool grass, with Mommy holding the end of my leash, I crossed my paws and closed my eyes, taking a little time out from all the activity around me.  After a few minutes, I got some visitors who sniffed and licked me, and some who petted me.  The person who was running the booth let us be in there for as long as we wanted and didn't comment on it, instead just smiled and went about helping customers.  When I was done resting for a bit, I sat up again and Mommy got a really good pic of me.  Then she picked me up and put me back in the stroller.

We went to a couple more booths, then found Grandma again and left.  We stopped for food on the way home, went to the Vancouver side of the Columbia River to a park to eat, where Mommy soaked my collar again, then went home.  All the other cats sniffed EVERYTHING all over when we got back, of course!  I was SO tired, so after some food and a litter box trip, I took a long nap!