SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

We are back to school today! Alex is wearing his Christmas bandana that lights up when he moves. He does look very handsome. He is having quite a day, too…No wonder he likes coming to work better than staying at home.

The day started with a can of his favorite treat, Fancy Feast Appetizers.

At the end of first period, Brandon, one of my 5th graders, came calling, “Alex, I have something for you!”

And he sure did: A velvet-feeling green Christmas stocking filled with packages of all kinds of toys for Alex and even a Christmas card.

What fun we had watching as each package was opened to reveal mice, all kinds of balls with bells in them and a soft sparkly green ball. Not having to wait ‘til Christmas to open presents is pretty cool.

Later, my third graders came. We try to always follow the rule “Books before cats,” so Alex stayed in my office while the kids selected library books and had a library skills lesson.

Before they left, though, Alex came out to visit, and he was rewarded with a big kiss from one of his admirers.

The kids also enjoyed looking at a 2010 calendar which I have put on the bulletin board, turned to December of next year. The calendar is from CARE for Animals, the group which rescued our Big Footsie from Animal Services, and he is being honored by being featured on the December page.

We are all touched and proud. We especially like part of the caption, “He was a one-of-a-kind kitty who brought joy to so many.”

In that way Footsie and Alex are a lot alike.

SUSAN LOESCH

CATS IN THE STACKS

Once again Alex had to come back to school to REST!  He spent another weekend being sociable and cute and representing the Arkansas School for the Blind and FuRR (Feline Rescue and Rehome).

Little Rock Animal Village celebrated the 2^nd anniversary of their new facility and had a ribbon-cutting for the opening of their education room and clinic. Several rescue groups set up displays outside, including FuRR, and Alex and I went inside for the ceremony.

The head of the Animal Services Board gave Alex a shout-out when she thanked “Alex, the Library Cat at the School for the Blind” for attending! Alex took it all in stride…even wearing his costume all day and coming face-to-face with dogs.

There was a “showdown” at high noon – a costume contest for animals! Alex got cheers from the crowd as he appeared, and he won third place.  He lost to “Two Peas in a Pod” and a zebra, all of which were D-O-G-S. We quickly reminded him that he was the very best cat there. (We didn’t mention that he was the ONLY cat there.)

After the contest he visited with more dogs and more people and was filmed by one of the local TV channels and appeared on the news. He got kisses from a little brother and sister who, you could tell, have a kitty at home and know what they like.

Back at school, on the job, he is enjoying a few days with no costume and even no bandana.  He is basking in the admiration of his fans, our student body, and he is getting many comments about his picture appearing in the newspaper on Halloween.

The two students in the picture with him were excited.  Brianna told me that, “It was awesome,” and Dominique thought, “It was SO cool!”  They both have laminated copies of the picture, which they say they will keep forever.