Thanksgiving 2018 With the Cats at Tabby's Place

This past Saturday I attended the second annual Thanksgiving With The Cats at Tabby's Place in Ringoes, NJ. I had made a last minute decision on Friday night to go because I had a very large cat tree to donate and I needed to make room in my living room for my Christmas tree. And also because I missed last year's festivities, and, of course, I wanted to see the kitties (including my sponsor cat, Rose.)  

In a nutshell, this was a fabulous event! Attendees were able to feed a Thanksgiving meal (either roasted turkey or turkey baby food) to the cats...

 take self-guided tours of the sanctuary...

My scan came out a little askew - sorry!

have human treats...

and bid on a mini silent auction. There were a lot of great items, which included a Lil' Bub basket, a cat cube with food and toys, Swarovski earrings, gift certificates, a chance to be a DJ for an hour on a local radio station and more. 

Attendees were encouraged to bring donations such as non-clumping litter, cat food, toys and treats (and anything else a cat could want.) I would say the Tabby's Place kitties hit the jackpot! There were toys galore and treats that will last for months. 

The turnout was great! I had never seen so many people at the sanctuary at one time (except for their Catoberfest a few years ago.) One of the suites was very crowded and I had to go back a couple of times to get in. 

When people arrived, they were given a map so they could find their way around the sanctuary. The rooms were clearly marked so everyone knew which suites were cleared for visitors and the ones that did not allow entry. 

Any cautions that needed to be followed were clearly displayed, including being watchful for any cats wearing orange collars who could become overstimulated. Like Archer, one of my favorites. 

So, what did the kitties think of their turkey treats? These pictures say it all! 

With the number of people that were there (including children) one might think it would be chaotic, but the opposite was true. The cats' space was respected and they were well supervised by staff and volunteers. 

Carrot enjoying the birds.

Some chose to find some solace away from the crowd. 

Pixie in her window box

Pixie

Oscar

And some weren't phased at all and weren't the least bit distracted from watching the world from their window. 

Tux

Okay, now let's see some more cats!

Sparkly

Surprise - a hold was put on her during the event! 

Swiffer

Primrose

Reese

Stafford in the FIV suite

I brought some nip nanners with me which turned out to be a big hit. (Disclaimer: I brought them so Rose would have a stash, but the other cats sniffed them out and pounced on my purse so Rose and I had to share.) 

Rose, Jennifur, Carrot, Snoop

I always enjoy my day when I'm at Tabby's Place. It's a good way to escape everyday life for a few hours, and when I leave I'm definitely de-stressed. 

Elijah - such a sweet cat! He needs a forever home! 

Faye with her haircut.

Catsup 

Mackenzie

Missy

It was such a pleasure to see that others enjoy visiting Tabby's as much as I do. When I visited in September to see one of my favorite cats, Jackie, before she made her journey to the bridge, there was a familiar face in the lobby. I couldn't place her at first, but after thinking for a few minutes I realized we went to the same massage school and took a continuing ed class together. Small world! I remember she specifically asked to see Pixie. 

Pixie scooting around the lobby

Feeding turkey to cats for the holiday was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. A good time was had by all. 

Abe and Chewi

Tabby's Place is located at 1100 US Route 202, Ringoes, NJ. They're open for adoptions and tours seven days a week from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. You can view all of their adoptable cats here, or you can sponsor a cat here. You can also help them continue their wonderful mission by purchasing items from their Amazon Wish List. 

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Dawn