Tabby: The Continuing Saga

by Courtney Mroch | More from this Blogger

20 Feb 2007 03:17 PM

I continue to be a foster mom to the little stray cat we've named Tabby. Life with Tabby continues to be interesting:

Friday, February 16

At 2 p.m. she had her check up appointment at Banfield Pet Hospital. The Friday before she was so out of it that putting her in the carrier I bought at PetSmart to transport her home was no trouble. And she simply slept during the car ride, so there was no muss or fuss.

She fussed considerably about me putting her in her cardboard carrier this go around. She did the whole splayed leg routine and made it very difficult for me to load her in. Somehow I did, but I feared how she'd do on the ride.

Mr. Meow mews like a madman if he's confined in his carrier in the car. Tabby mewed only a couple of times. Her thing was to scratch at the air holes. But that didn't last long. Once underway, she was a very good traveler.

After checking to make sure she wasn't limping anymore or weaving like a drunken sailor when she walked (like she did the Friday before), the vet declared, "It's remarkable. She's an entirely different cat. Good work."

Yep, the TLC did the trick!

Saturday, February 17

This will forever be known as the day we decided we'll keep her if her rightful owners never come forth...

We got a call from a woman who saw Tabby's picture on Nashville Pet Finders. She said she wasn't sure, but hers looked similar to the one we found.

While we were waiting for her, Wayne was on the couch pouting.

"I don't know why she's coming. Tabby's not her cat. She's our. She's found her home. If her other people had wanted her, they should've taken better care of her to begin with."

Needless to say, when Tabby turned out not to be that lady's cat, Wayne was overjoyed. (Tabby is really a wonder. She won him over in less than a week with her lap lovin', nighttime snugglin' ways.)

Sunday, February 18

Mr. Meow and Tabby had a major breakthrough. Not only are they tolerating each other's company in the same room, they started playing together! While I cooked dinner, I watched as they batted balls around, dashed in and out of Kitty's red "hut," and played some hide 'n seek.

Kitty with his toys by his red hut

Wayne also came up with the nicknames Snak Pak and Princess for his little girl.

Monday, February 19

I came up with some nicknames of my own for her: Tabernathy, Tabbers, and Tabberkins. I also discovered she definitely knows her name is Tabby when I asked Murph, "Where's Tabby?" after coming home from running errands. She answered by dashing out from her upstairs nook and trucking down the stairs to greet me, meowing the whole time as if to say, "Here I am! Here I am!"

Learn more about Courtney Mroch

Courtney Mroch is a wife, a proud pet parent, and a writer. She's been with her husband, high school sweetheart Wayne Pryor, over 20 years, married 11 of those. She's "mom" to Mr. Meow, a.k.

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Linda Hansen (1796) 20 Feb 2007 06:10 PM

We have 5 cats, formerly 6, but we just lost our 18 yr.old Thomas aka Mr. Bones. We sure do miss him. They are a delight to have around and keep us entertained. Each one has his own personality and behaviors and we consider them all a part of the family. I enjoyed this article. Artcraft

Courtney Mroch (9169) 21 Feb 2007 07:17 AM

Oh, I am so sorry to hear about Thomas/Mr. Bones. (What a cute name!) 18 YEARS???? Good grief. Every time someone calls and I think it might be Tabby's people my heart aches...and we've only had her a week and a half!!! I hope all of you (your husband and boys, plus the other 5) are doing okay. So hard to say goodbye. Thanks for your kind comment. Glad you enjoyed this.