Sophie

Sophie first came to RAPS as a stray, trapped along with her pregnant wild daughter and several five-month-old kittens. When she was taken to the vet, Sophie was discovered to have swollen breasts and an enlarged uterus - a sure sign that she had very recently given birth. RAPS staff raced back to the area where Sophie had been trapped to look for the kittens who would be too young to survive long without their mother. It must have been a combination of experience and intuition that quickly led Carol to look under a couch inside an abandoned, burned-out house two doors down from the back yard where Sophie and her daughter had been going for food. There Carol found seven tiny, cold and barely alive babies with umbilical cords still attached.

Back at RAPS, volunteers acted fast with warm towels and warm milk from tiny bottles. Within a couple of hours, the babies had regained enough strength to be able to nurse on Sophie. All survived.

photo originally published in RAPS newsletter

Sophie was later adopted by volunteer Ruth, in whose home she by all accounts lived very contentedly. Very sadly, Ruth has now passed away. Sophie, along with the other cats Ruth had adopted from RAPS, have returned to the shelter. They're living at the sanctuary, but all are highly adoptable.

Sophie is bright-eyed, interested in her surroundings, and responsive without coming across as the needy type. She's instantly recognizable as a completely lovely cat.