Anka poses for a photo.
Submitted by Angela Townsend, Development Director, Tabby’s Place
December 15th was National Cat Herders’ Day. This underappreciated “holiday” recognizes challenging jobs of all stripes, but one organization is celebrating literally.
As a cage-free haven for over 100 cats, Tabby’s Place knows about impossible tasks. After 21 years, the sanctuary knows its residents will always be a few steps ahead of the humans. Fortunately, the herd on four hundred legs (give or take) is fond of its cattywampus “cowpokes.”
Tabby’s Place’s stampede includes Anka, whose advanced needs pose no roadblock to raising a ruckus. Anka came to Tabby’s Place from Istanbul, where a speeding car left him paralyzed. Yet today, Anka corrals caregivers with the power of his personality. The majestic cat commands a fleet of volunteers aged 12 – 78, who do his bidding by pushing him through Tabby’s Place’s gardens in a stroller. There is little question who is in charge at Tabby’s Place.
Down the hall, a proud “palomino,” named Gator, gallops. The massive marmalade cat was once withered and frail, diagnosed with a form of feline coronavirus long considered incurable. But at Tabby’s Place, “herding cats” involves wrangling world-class medical treatment. Following an 84-day antiviral protocol, Gator has regained Clydesdale proportions, as well as an ego as wide as Wyoming. He permits his staff to believe they have the reins.
Yet perhaps no cat epitomizes “cat herding” at Tabby’s Place like Trifecta. At first glimpse, the poky silver tabby appears docile. Called “the kindest cat in the world,” Trifecta exults in making others happy. Yet Trifecta, too, is in charge. Human expectations might “herd” a cat like Trifecta into the stable of pity. The cat lives with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline leukemia virus (FeLV), and diabetes. But Trifecta has taken life by the horns. A certified therapy cat, he exults in trips “off the ranch,” delivering delight to nursing care centers and a cancer support group. Even Tabby’s Place’s gentlest cat outruns all expectations.
Like each Tabby’s Place cat, Trifecta is difficult to “herd” and impossible not to love. If you’d like to celebrate National Cat Herders’ Day every day of the year, visit Tabby’s Place in person at 1100 US Highway 202 in Ringoes, NJ or online at www.tabbysplace.org/.