The RAPS Calendar is Coming

The selections have been made; the captions have been written; the calendar charts are laid out; it’s just back from the printers now, and due to launch in the next few days.

Ollie was featured in the 2019 Calendar, so he has to miss a year.

I’m not going to spoil the surprise, but I’m going to give you a few of the photos that didn’t make it, for one reason or another. They are all by our volunteer Michele Wright, who freelances as Furry Friends Photography

This picture of sweet Pops was one of the ones considered for the cover.  We decided in the end that much as we loved it, the cover photo needed a "pop" more of colour,

Mischa missed his opportunity for the best of reasons - he got adopted!

I always ask Michele for "couple" and "group" pictures.  I love this one of Calista and Jamie - they love each other so much - but I wanted to see more of Calista's face.

The same is true of this one of Shaggy and Chanel, in the Moore House.  Shaggy lost his best buddy Spicer, and it's good to see him making friends with shy Chanel.

We had a lot of orange cats to choose from this year. Sprocket was definitely a contender, but someone else won!  I try to make sure that the calendar has a cross-section of colours and shapes, so that everyone can find a favourite cat somewhere!

There were several possible torby candidates too. Roe is a front-courtyard favourite, and always a greeter at the gates.

Chase appeared in a perfect autumnal photo. Unfortunately, he was also featured in another photo, so someone else got the autumn leaves in the end.

Skittles just missed as well - but these days this former feral spends more time climbing into people's laps than sitting and looking photogenic!

HoneyBear's incredible blue eyes were featured in 2018, so he was eligible for the 2020 calendar. But another blue-eyed boy sneaked in ahead of him...

I'm wary of including some of our fragile older cats, like little Debbie.

There will be three RAPS calendars: the Sanctuary Cats one, one of some of the Shelter dogs, and one for the RAPS hospital.  All of will be available from all our RAPS sites - The Sanctuary, the Shelter, the Hospital, and both Thrift Stores, as well as by purchase though our website. In addition they will be on sale at four of the fall craft fairs scheduled in Richmond.

Tubby Tiger was another adoption success!

Start making your Christmas lists now, and write "RAPS Calendar" by as many names as you can!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Michele Wright