Cool, if not Classy

Mats necessitated a full body shave for Betsy

 

Betsy at her most beautiful - before she got matted

The Cat Sanctuary lies about as far north as it’s reasonable to consider placing a largely outdoor facility for felines.  Cats like their comfort, and most of them don’t care much for rain and wind and snow – and the rain and wind is something that we do quite well in BC winters, so cats and humans alike look forward with great anticipation to warm spring days.  Unfortunately, part of getting through cold weather, for cats, consists in growing more fur, and for some unfortunate felines, that means matting!

Kenji was not cooperative about having his much-needed haircut!

We see mats suddenly becoming more obvious in the spring, when shedding undercoats may be affected by humidity, and the hairs refuse to shed, clumping together.  This happens particularly in some of the long-haired cats, but short-haired cats can mat as well. The interesting thing is that one long-haired cat may have no problems at all, while another is a furry disaster – in the Front Courtyard Caleb remains fluffy and elegant, while Kenji is a mess (even after his haircut!)

At least Baker's back-shave is pretty smooth

Sometimes matting is a factor in feline shape – many cats will twist themselves into yoga-like postures to groom themselves, but when you’re a little on the tubby side, those contortions are just not possible.  Poor Baker is short-haired, but his stocky body meant that not only did he need a sanitary cut, so that he wasn’t walking around with a dirty bum, but he actually needed most of his back fur trimmed. Fortunately, he was due for dental surgery, and the vets did a very thorough shave job on him while he was fully sedated.

Adam & May just got spot-trims
- they look a little tattered, but the mats are gone.

With the elderly cats who are matting, we tend not to do more than make sure they are comfortable; if a mat is pulling on the skin it is removed, but otherwise, we don’t want to stress them more than strictly necessary. Some of them like being groomed; others prefer that the grooming is gentle and soothing, with a soft brush, rather than using any sort of de-shedding tool.  Volunteers are asked not to try and cut mats out – it’s too easy to damage fragile skin – but to report bad ones to the med staff.

Smithy managed to get his own mat off

The problem with mats is that they do pull on the cat’s skin, and if not spotted and removed, they can be quite painful or uncomfortable in the way they hang.  But simultaneously, we have to deal with the fact that we’re often talking about feral cats who resist human touch, let alone any attempt to groom them. In order to deal with fur problems, the cat may have to be netted and given sedation, and we have to balance that trauma against their grooming needs. When Hissy Smithy gets a big mat, we will sometimes just watch him, and see if he can get rid of it himself – and quite often someone will report finding “Smithy’s beardy bit” lying in the courtyard, without us having to intervene at all.

Bailey LOVES her haircut;
she rolls and wiggles, enjoying freedom of movement.

If the cat is handleable, there is generally someone who will take time with grooming tools to prevent most of the problems. But with so many of our cats being feral, or at the “you may look at me, but not touch” end of the spectrum, a list develops as the warmer weather approaches, and the med staff get to work. This spring, this has been particularly true of the group who came in from the Kootenays three years ago: the three little Himalayans, Betsy, Cleo and Zoe, and their larger companions Basil and Bailey. All of them have needed salon care; none of them are entirely comfortable with being handled by humans.

Cleo had a saddle trim to remove specific mats; the rest of her fur was fine!

It’s not a good idea to give full sedation to a cat without a really good reason – like necessary surgery – and most of the cats who need shaving get their haircuts while a little zoned out on gabapentin. And because this affects different cats to different degrees, some of the haircuts are a little erratic!  Some will receive a full shave, lion-cut style, given at the hospital – with others, just the mats are cut out and the remaining fur covers the gaps.  Some of them are obviously embarrassed by their sudden nakedness; others love feeling free to move without discomfort.  

Alfie always mats badly, and needs a lion-cut

With the tamer cats, we can take the opportunity to do some gentle brushing of the new short coats, reminding them how good it can feel. If they get out of the habit of grooming themselves, or refuse to allow it, the haircuts have to happen all over again next year!

Blog & photos by Brigid Coult

Supper on the Deck

Happy anticipation! - Bodhi, Luke & Denzel  (BC)

The back Deck of the Double-Wide building is both a home for a colony of semi-ferals, and a transition area for felines expanding their comfort-zone to include the back courtyard.  In the winter the residents snuggle together on a mattress under the comfort of a heat-lamp, while the rest of the “room” is protected from the elements only by plastic screens.  The “red light area” is the home to the core-group, and every other cat-bed around the upper area is occupied.  Now that warmer weather is with us, natural body-heat replaces the need for the heat-lamp, and more cats pop in and out of the cat-door in the corner.

Classic tabbies Ziggy and Hickory  (LBF)

One of my regular shifts for the past fourteen years has been to feed in the Double-Wide building on Saturday evenings – usually working with Molly, who began as a volunteer, then a staff cleaner, and is now the med-staff person on Saturdays, mixing up the necessary medications and delivering them all across the Sanctuary.  Operating from the Laundry Room sink, I plate up wet food for the building, including smaller dishes for caged cats. And usually I do the clean-up and wash the cans before I take the last three plates through to the Deck, so that, with a clear conscience, I can sit for a little while with the cats there.

Lotsa tabbies on the mattress   (LBF)

One plate gets delivered to the upper level in front of the mattress; one to the main area inside the door, and one to the back of the deck, where the shyer cats can eat without feeling too close to a human.  I will usually sit on the steps inside the door, and am quickly surrounded by feline friends who are so certain that I have something even tastier than the assortment of cat food flavours being offered.   

Gwen says "Gimme!"  (BC)

At my feet, Gwen hovers hopefully, smacking any other cat within reach. 

Crinkle looking hopeful (BC)

Crinkle comes down to the shelf beside me; she is still inclined to swat food from my hand rather than accept it, but the swat now comes without claws. The other tabbies prefer to get first dibs at the plate before coming to beg for tidbits; Hickory, Mitzi and Ziggy wait at the top, while the black boys, Denzel, Luke and Bodhi swarm closer. Bodhi doesn’t actually care much for the chicken tidbits, but he wants to be part of the crowd.

Nootka remains in loaf-pose  (BC)

Other cats hover at a distance; they are still wary around humans, but visits like this can help them to learn that we don’t need to be feared, and that if their companions can approach easily, they may do so as well. Little Nootka remained comfortably on her chair without feeling she had to hide; she came to us with black and white Tofino who prefers to wander the back courtyard;  Nootka prefers to stay indoors.

Madonna (BC)

Pretty Madonna has moved from hiding on the upper-level shelves to remaining on the other side of the room; she is cautious but no longer feels she has to hide.

Two little oranges  (BC)

I had two small orange tabbies hovering hopefully. They’re from a quartet that came into our care a few months ago, and were named Mandarin, Tangelo, Valencia and Tangerine. Mandarin is the single male and the only one I can identify from a little white patch on his chest; he is also the bravest of the four and the most food-motivated.  

Mandarin   (BC)

He has made himself at home in the Double-Wide, preferring to roam the cage-tops, but has also begun to explore the back courtyard. The three girls are much shyer, but at least one of them has become more confident in being around people on the back deck. I will look forward to getting to know them better in the next few months.

Ivy  (BC)

At another time, I will come to the deck without food, but with a wand toy or something to chase, and spend time to coax the shyer cats to interact with me. Pretty Ivy is getting braver all the time, and Marshmallow will accept petting and gentle grooming if there’s not too much action around.  Food is a useful motivator, but we need not rely on it.

Marshmallow prefers cat-food to treats  (BC)

The cat radar is working outside the deck – they know when tidbits are being offered. Before long Fletcher and Fonzie have joined up; Fonzie prefers the plated food, but Fletcher is watching the chicken bag with full attention. And then of course Lindor and Jasper arrive  – Lindor in particular doesn’t need more food; he’s been accepting treats from visitors all afternoon. Jasper and Gwen get into a swearing match, and then Jasper moves into “cute” mode and offers a high-five as incentive for something tasty, while Gwen retires under the stairs to lurk and mutter darkly.

Supper-time (BC)

Once the feline sharks gather, it’s time to wind up the treats visit, and return to the rest of my shift – checking and changing water-bowls as needed, and topping up kibble.  I need to visit the DW deck again on one of my Kitty Comforter shifts and take quiet time for some one-on-one with these delightful cats without food being too much of a factor! 

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen & Brigid Coult

Triple FFFelines

Shy Flynn and Fonzie on the cage-tops  (KN)

Sometimes our new cats come into the Sanctuary and settle down really easily, and sometimes the acclimation period may be extended – and then it’s a matter for much patience on our part, the application of the appropriate bribery, and the cat’s determination to hold (or not!) to their feral roots.

Fletcher discovering the joys of solo play  (KN)

In the late fall of last year we had contact with Boundary Helping Hands rescue in Grand Forks. They had previously trapped a trio of young male cats in the spring, but had no luck in taming them. In some jurisdictions cats like this might be returned to the place from which they had been trapped, but sometimes that’s not possible. RAPS can offer an alternative; a space where they can remain feral if that’s what the cats need, but where potential socialization can happen at a slower pace.  The three of them were transferred to our care, arriving just after Christmas.

Handsome Flynn, considering contact   (BC)

Whoever named them was an Ice and Fire fan – they were Jorah, Corlys and Theon – but whether the RAPS med-staff were not followers of Game of Thrones, or just wanted other alternatives, the trio was renamed as Fletcher, Flynn and Fonzie. Claire suggested that given Theon's end in GofT, it was perhaps not such a bad idea to try an alternative.

Fonzie is happy not to be living a GofT life!  (KN)

The three of them might well not be genetically linked; they are very different in appearance. Fletcher is a beautiful silvery grey tabby – spotted more than striped – with neat lynx-tips to his ears. Flynn is the largest, a handsome brown and white tabby boy. Fonzie is black and white, and was named for his black “sideburns” markings, like the Happy Days character. The two tabbies are around three years old, and Fonzie is a little older.

Fletcher guarding a scared Fonzie   (BC)

The three of them were caged in the DoubleWide for their initial stay – for vet-checks and neutering and vaccines. Flynn, as the biggest, had a cage to himself; he spent much of the time hidden behind his drape, hissing and swearing at us when we visited him.  Fonzie and Fletcher shared the cage next door and obviously took comfort in each other’s company; both were fearful, but not so vocal about it. Fonzie usually elected to climb over Fletcher in order to hide behind him.  Once released, these two boys made their way to the Great Outdoors – they can occasionally be found visiting on the Double-Wide deck with the other semi-ferals, but they are happy to explore the pens.

Fletcher seeking the safety of the DW Deck  (KN)

Fletcher in particular has had a wonderful time exploring mainly in pens 1 & 2, or finding bushes under which he can lurk and keep an eye on whatever’s going on. Initially he was very wary of contact with us, but he has joined the chickaholics crew, and hovers hopefully when tidbits are offered. He is still happier to take food off the floor, but he has dared to nibble from my hand, especially when he thinks I’m not looking at him. He and Fonzie can function independently, but they enjoy each other’s company, and can often be found play-wrestling in the long grass. There is a guarded truce with the other cats.  

Fletcher & Fonzie playing in the grass  (BC)

Fonzie is the most social of the three – he’s not ready for much petting, but allows contact and offers occasional leg-rubs. He likes to divide his time between the DoubleWide and the back courtyard, often coming in to share dinner with the Deck semi-ferals, before returning to be with his buddy.

Flynn observing DoubleWide life   (BC)

Flynn had the biggest struggle with coming to us; he was initially cage-aggressive, but rather than fleeing the cage area on release, he has remained in the DoubleWide, mostly on top of the cages.  Height obviously gives him a sense of security, and he would perch on the edge and watch all that was going on below him.  

Ready for just a little petting...  (BC)

In the last few weeks he has come down to shelf-level and allowed a little tentative contact – not much in the way of touch, but interest in being talked to. He has also occasionally been spotted outside, though his outings don’t yet last very long.

Fonzie enjoying back courtyard exploration  (KN)

I’m looking forward to getting to know these three sweet boys much better. The progress they have made is in small increments so far, but they’ve got all the time they need to decide that in true cat-fashion, they have fallen on their feet with their arrival at the Sanctuary.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson

Sweet GeriCatrics

Senior Hannah still looks young!  (KN)

Volunteers and staff working in the Adoption Centre are used to a steady flow of cats and kittens coming in from fosterage, and leaving when the right adoptive family comes along.  We can celebrate these departures, knowing that they are going to loving homes, and more kittens will always come along.

We've just lost Amelia Earheart  (KN)

But the volunteers and staff in the main Sanctuary area get used to checking the calendar when we sign in, looking for names of cats who have crossed the Bridge that week – sometimes very suddenly (because cats are so good at hiding what is wrong) and sometimes inevitably, as we watch the med staff increase the care for a failing body. Sometimes the losses go in waves – I remember a particularly hard couple of weeks in the spring of 2021 when we lost a dozen cats in a very short time – and sometimes we have weeks of peace and hopefulness.

Under all that fur, Autumn is getting very old-cat-bony  (BC)

The cats I always worry about are the old ones. Age, of course, is relative;  like humans, some cats continue into chronological age like Energizer bunnies, and other are frail at 14 or 15. Early aging may be a factor of the adolescent years; a cat who has been malnourished as a youngster may not have the same stamina as a cat who has enjoyed good health all its life, and many of our seniors are little old ladies who may have used their early growth in nourishing their first (and last) litter of kittens.  Appearance is not always the tell-tale of age; our oldest cat in the Sanctuary at the moment is little orange and white Hannah (sometimes known as Hannah-Banana) who is regularly assessed at being half her age. In fact, she has lived here more than fifteen years, and the vets estimate her as being about nineteen!

Queen Hannah rules  (BC)

Recently we lost little Amelia Earheart from pen 4; Amelia lived most of her life as a touch-me-not feral cat, and only made a sudden U-turn to being handleable two years ago when she had to come into a cage for some medical care.  Amelia’s sister, sweet Willow, is still with us, but is definitely more fragile.  She had a bout with vestibular disease awhile ago, and remains a little tottery, though she doesn’t let it stop her from visiting around the back pens. Usually she can be found on one of the shelves in Waldi’s hut, and we have to be careful to leave furniture where she can safely make the ascent to her favourite bed.

Little Willow gets snugs with her buddy Basil   (BC)

Sometimes aging can produce a change in behaviour. I don’t think we’ve got anyone currently exhibiting vocalizing, but we’ve had a few oldies who wailed when they were confused about where they were, where their friends were, where they should go....  Sweet old Vesper in the Connor building is more vocal, but in his case, it’s probably because he is getting very deaf, and can’t tell how noisy his voice has become. His two much younger girlfriends (Dominique and Butterfingers), keep him active, and don’t seem to object to his loud voice.

Flash is slowing down  (KN)

Flash, in the SingleWide, is sleeping more and more; typically cats will sleep 12-16 hours a day, but that figure increases for both very young and very old cats.  Flash used to live up on the cage-tops, but her disability (she had been attacked by a dog), made it harder and harder to manage ascents and descents, and she made the transition to floor-level last year, and can usually be found sleeping comfortably on one of the lower shelves, or, if she can get there before anyone else, on one of the easy-chairs.

Sweet Pea is interested in contact from "her" people  (KN)

Currently there are two little old ladies on my Front-Courtyard radar – both of them around 16 years old, but looking more frail than the older Hannah. SweetPea came to us as a semi-feral at the far end of the spectrum – “you may look at me but not touch!” Over the years she has become accustomed to us, and especially loves Sunday volunteer Alison Murphy who has taught her that good things come from humans; the trust she gave to Alison now extends to many other people. 

At last, Bricklyn is seeking petting from us  (CM)

The other senior is little Bricklyn who for years could only be seen at dawn and dusk, and hid under the drapes in the Old Rabbit Area. In the last few years she has become braver, and more ready to hover close enough to field her share of tidbits – though only if tossed to her; hand-feeding has not been a possibility, and actual touch was no-go.  In the past month I have found that I can sit beside her and pet her. This situation always gives me conflicting feelings: gratitude that she is allowing contact at all, and sorrow that this is mostly a factor of her senility – she has forgotten that humans are scary creatures.

The boy who allowed grooming in the cage... (BC)

There’s very much the same sort of situation with my sponsor-cat Sylar – I’ve spent more than nine years offering treats and coaxing him into accepting attention, but generally the only time I’ve been able to touch him has been when he’s been caged, and as soon as he’s released, he forgets all about what it feels like to have a human friend. Recently he was again in cage-care to receive meds, and rather than greeting me with hisses, he was more inclined to meow when I visited.  He rubbed and bunted against me, and allowed me to groom him – and I wonder how much of that was because he had moved past feral behaviour, and how much was being old and forgetting his fear. Now that he's out, he is hiding again - though less from me, than from the other pushy cats, who also want treats. When tucked away on his shelf in Waldi's Hut, he allows petting and talk. He’ll probably never be fear-less, but I think his age has much to do with his change in behaviour, and I hope that he will continue to allow physical contact. from the people who love him.

...is now back to hiding in the courtyard  (KN)

We’re always sad to see these signals of aging – but grateful that they give us a chance to make loving moments to hold in our memories when the favourite old cats finally pass.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coulr, Courtney Milburn, Karen Nicholson

Promises Kept

Nugget  (KN)

I have often mentioned in earlier blogs that RAPS Cat Sanctuary does not work in isolation, and that we have strong ties with other rescues around the province. The most consistent one is probably with Sammy’s Forgotten Felines in Kamloops, with whom our Manager, Valerie, was associated, and we have a number of cats who have originated from there – but we also work with rescues on the Kootenays and on Vancouver Island.  Most of these are grass-roots organizations, funded by local donations and made possible by the devoted work of volunteers. Many have very little space, and rely heavily on those volunteers to foster the rescues they take in until a more permanent home can be found for them.

Thistle  (KN)

Our visitors this past Saturday afternoon included a small group from Broken Promises Rescue near Victoria. Over the past year, we have taken some of their cats, and they were anxious to see how they were doing, and that they had settled safely into a new life with us.  We had a heads-together with Karen, to identify them all, and to establish the ones whose names had been changed, and where they might be found, and then I abandoned the regular visitors to the care of Kate and Brad, and became their exclusive tour guide.  

Chance  (BC)

We began in the New Aids pen, with a visit to Chance. Chance had come to us from Broken Promises last year because he was FIV+ and could not be released to a feral colony after neutering; he had loving care from a fosterer, but was still very hissy-swatty when he arrived into our care. Quiet, and lots of patience from the Kitty Comforters helped him to relax, and he now is one of the established lap-claimers in the cabin.  It’s hard to know if his happy reaction to the visitors was because he recognized voices or just appreciated company, but he was quick to jump up and ask for petting and treats.  It will be interesting to see if he decides to explore outside as the weather warms; he’s been almost exclusively an indoor cat since he arrived.  We introduced some of the other cats as well – both the very social ones like Biggie and Obelix, but also with a quick visit to shy Boston, as well.

Nothing Nugget loves more than a box!   (KN)

Returning to the back pens, we did a little hunting round to see if we could ID any of the more recent Broken Promises cats, and to let the visitors see the space available to our resident cats.  At least one of the BP cats is in Pen 4, and most of the Pen 4 cats are expert hiders; that afternoon Ranger (from Haida Gwaii) and Annie were the only ones basking on the path, and everyone else was safely tucked out of sight. A return to the main courtyard and the TeaRoom gave us an encounter with Nugget, enjoying his under-the-chair bed.  Nugget wears a collar as an indication of his tendency to be reactive, which is the reason he’s with us; when he began getting aggressive with the other cats with whom he was fostered, it was clear that he couldn’t remain in a standard home.  Like Chance, Nugget also seemed to recognize his visitors, and wriggle-squirmed in an effort to get more attention.

Aster  (BC)

The Double-Wide is off-limits to visitors usually, but under these circumstances I was able to take just one person in, while we hunted for a couple of the newer cats who had joined us.  I was pretty sure I knew where Aster hung out, and there she was!  She had come in with the name of Daisy, but for us there is only one Daisy, and the name was retired after her passing. Keeping the flower theme, this little one became Aster, and her buddy became Thistle. 

Thistle  (BC)

Both are still pretty shy, and divide their time between the Double-Wide and the courtyard, but with visitors around, I guessed that they might well be indoors. I think Aster recognized the voice calling her, but she was still nervous enough that she preferred to remain on the cage-top in her safe zone; she was interested, but not brave enough to approach.  I hoped Thistle might be on the back deck, but at that point he was hiding, and didn’t appear until later.

Gwen hoping for goodies   (BC)

A couple of other Broken Promises cats were around; poofy tortie Gwen hovered anxiously, hoping for chicken handouts and quite unmoved by the presence of her rescuer.  Blond Tucker was sound asleep in bed and not to be disturbed. We returned to the courtyard and more joyful interactions with Nugget.

Tucker - Do Not Disturb!   (KN)

Broken Promises takes its name as a reminder that we make commitments to the animals in our lives.  And when those promises are broken, when we don’t spay/neuter, when we hoard, when we act without compassion, it is the animals that suffer. The team at Broken Promises is there to pick up the slack, to try to remedy some of the carelessness and cruelty.  And their commitment goes beyond taking in animals and finding homes for them.  Even when handing them over to another organization for care, they want to follow through and make sure that all is well.  Truly, promises kept...

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson

The Holmes Brothers

 

Mycroft  (BC)

Many of the Neko blog readers will remember that when a cat finds its way to the Sanctuary, we call it “a detective cat” – previous detective cats have included Magnum, Kojak, Cagney, Horatio – and more recently, Rico, Steele, Munch, Cassidy and Rollins – all named for TV detectives (our med staff watch a lot of Law and Order!)  For our most recent detective-cat newcomers, somebody has reverted to the classics, and Conan Doyle’s wonderful stories.

Sherlock joins the ferals who meet on the Waldi's Hut rooftop  (KN)

Everyone knows about Sherlock Holmes, but you need to be a Conan Doyle aficionado to know that Mycroft was the older brother of Sherlock Holmes, and is a government official who has abilities of deduction and knowledge exceeding even those of his brother, though their practical use is limited by his dislike of fieldwork. 

Sherlock backed up to the boundary netting  (KN)

Our feline Sherlock and Mycroft were spotted on the perimeter cams, trapped, and brought into the DoubleWide trailer late last year. We think they're about two years old.  Like Munch and Cassidy, they are obviously brothers;  unlike Munch and Cassidy they did not rush to share a cage when it was offered. The two of them were initially caged separately so the med-staff could make sure each had the right care with vaccines and neuter surgery. Both cages carried the warning “Med staff only” label, and both boys resisted gentle approach, hissing in fear. There is a limit to how long we will leave ferals caged, and the staff decided to open both cages and see if they would get comfort from being together.

Mycroft hiding  (BC)

Mycroft resolutely stayed behind his drape. Sherlock wanted out, didn’t want to take time with his brother, and made first for the cage-tops, and then for the door – probably via the back deck and the ferals’ exit. He has largely joined the colony that hangs around Pen 8; there are a number of good places to hide in that pen, and behind Waldi’s Hut.  Initially we were concerned that like Munch, Sherlock had escape forefront in his mind – he certainly did a lot of prowling, investigating every possible place there might be a gap. But Karen and Ken have been doing a lot of checking since Munch’s breakouts, and Sherlock couldn’t detect his way out.

Sherlock enjoying the outdoor life - but very human-suspicious!  (KN)

In the end, he decided that he really had the best of all worlds – no cage, regular food, places to hide and similarly wary-minded cats to hang out with. We see him fairly regularly, but he doesn’t want to be approached by humans, and will probably remain one of the many felines that lives a feral life inside our boundaries – safe from the eagles and the coyotes and human machinery.

Mycroft also remained suspicious
- the ears say it all!  (BC)

His brother Mycroft, obviously takes after his human model and dislikes fieldwork!  He remained in his open cage for some time, gradually allowing staff and Kitty Comforters to spend more time with him. Like a lot of ferals, he was wary of hands, but if he could be distracted while petting was started, he came to realise that he actually liked it!  It was not long before his bum came up and his head went down, and then he was rolling around and enjoying contact (though you still needed to be careful of the exposed belly.

Pet me, pet me!   (BC)

Gradually he became more confident, and started to explore, enjoying the cage-tops and the cat-trees in the middle of the room. And then suddenly his cage was needed for another cat (Cornelius needed eye-drops) and he had to relocate more permanently. Those central cat-trees and shelves are now where he is most often found, and he just loves having the people he knows stopping and giving him attention. To a newcomer he can appear a little scary; he has a forbidding stare and tends to sport flat airplane ears. But how he looks and how he behaves are two different things.

Mycroft in the mouth of a mouse  (KN)

We don’t know if Mycroft will ever choose to venture outside, or whether he and Sherlock will meet up again. It would be nice to think he could convince his brother that we’re the good guys – but don’t hold your breath!  To go from two really feral boys to one that has accepted the confines of the Sanctuary, and one that actually enjoys human touch is enough of a gift for us all.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson