Travelin' On

We want to say goodbye to one of the Scottsdale Cat Clinic family. Jasper, one of our resident felines has decided to pursue other offers. In truth, Jasper had grown too big and too important for our small clinic. He was receiving offers we just couldn't match. We quickly felt like the Milwaukee Brewers with a hot prospect we couldn't afford to sign. I like to think Jasper's out there somewhere in pinstripes--hopefully with the Cubs.

In truth, Jasper was a pretty shy young cat when we adopted him. He was one of the guests of honor at our Grand Opening, and we thought he'd make a great addition to the staff. But as the months wore on, Jasper became more and more bold. Lots of you, I'm sure, saw him run out and greet your cats as they arrived for exams or surgeries. While he was friendly, Jasper was also particularly keen to let these other cats know they were in his house. He accomplished this in the usual feline manner; with the occasional spray.

Jasper was also a handful in the back office. Once he became comfortable in his clinic home, he expected a lot of play time. We found it hard to get on with work with our young black cat draped all over us. Jasper also had a love-hate relationship with Margie, our dignified senior calico. Jasper loved teasing Margie, and Margie just flat out hated Jasper. Who knows what havoc was wrought in those long nights when the clinic doors were shut. Eventually we realized that Jasper was the Shawn Marion of our team (to mix sports metaphors). He was incredibly talented, but unhappy with his role. We had to let him go.

Our thanks to Shannon for enthusiastically negotiating Jasper's trade. Good luck and Godspeed to you, little black fellow.