Marty update and STP

2009-07-24 14:25:18.000 – Stacey Kawecki,  Observer and Meteorologist

We are all very saddened by the passing of Nin, but we must remember our current furry mascot, Marty. Marty has recently been through some tough times. After another trip to the vet and valley, he came back up on Wednesday and was not quite himself. In fact, he cried all the way up and then hid behind the TV at State Park for most of the day. Upon inspection, we found him with less teeth and a pain patch on his back paw. We think the latter is the cause for his not-so-normal behavior. Since Wednesday night he has definitely begun to act more like himself, with a few distinct un-Marty-like characteristics.

For example, he has been purring…a lot. Marty had always been selective about who he allowed to hear him purr. He has also been downright friendly. He has rubbed against everyone’s legs (and not just because he wants food, though his consumption has increased since Wednesday night). He practically begs people to pet him, and his interest in playing is sporadic and erratic.

I am forced to come to a conclusion regarding Marty’s behavior. I have two ideas: the pain patch is altering his mood, or he really is feeling much better. It’s probably a little bit of both. One of the reasons I’m concerned is tomorrow is our annual Seek the Peak Hike-a-thon and we’re expecting over 300 hikers atop Mount Washington! Having a discombobulated kitty would make things interesting, not necessarily in a good way either.

So, tomorrow is the big day and we’ll be sending off our amazing hikers from Pinkham Notch Visitor’s Center from 7-9 am. If you’d like to contribute or help any of our hikers, please visit Seek the Peak and find out how you can help support the Mount Washington Observatory!

Stacey Kawecki,  Observer and Meteorologist