Marty

Recent time spent in the Single-Wide has reminded me that there’s one little cat who has somehow missed having a blog to himself.

Marty, in his younger days   (MW)

Marty is one of a group of cats that came to us from a farm in south Richmond in the days when we were still managing colonies of cats around the city, until they were forced out by development or changed ownership. Volunteer Mary He visited and fed them regularly, and when she saw a family of kittens there, she was able to trap them and bring them in.  Some of the adults later made it to the Sanctuary – Belinda, Marilee, Alec (who was adopted and loved by long-time volunteer Stephanie), Maureen, and others. But Mitchell, Mary, Mischa and Marty all came to the SingleWide, and never left; sadly, they were all too nervous to tame up well, and we were very wary about adopting semi-ferals out.  

Wary feral Marty  (MW)

They came to us in 2008; we lost Mitchell in the fall of 2011 and Mary a few years later; Mischa and Marty hovered in the background, reluctant to accept much attention until the past few years. Mischa likes to be around people but not necessarily within reach; Marty has recently become more and more a people-cat.  

Marty  (KN)

With me, he started by sneaking up from the back of the couch while I had lap-time with Belinda and Bossanova.  I became aware of this presence behind me, wanting in on the chicken treats, but not really wanting attention – so chicken bits would make their way over my shoulder where they would magically disappear. Gradually the couch back gave way to the arm, and then to a just-within-reach spot near me.

Chicken, please?   (BC)

Marty has been having eye problems of late; one eye is quite cloudy and we don’t know how much sight he has in it; the other seems to get a recurring infection which responds to drops, and then flares up again. He’s had quite a lot of cage-time for treatment, and has become used to being handled and petted – with the result that he is now one of the most enthusiastic lap-cats in the room.  Both he and Mischa are obviously aging – at around 14 years they qualify as seniors, and as with people, some cats seem to age earlier (whereas others, like Sara Lee, go on like an Energizer Kitty).

Sharing a chair with Dodger & Mr Pink  (BC)

When the weather’s not so cold, the couch on the deck is a good place to have a feline love-in. Boxing Day cuddles this year had to be a how-many-cats-can-you-hold affair in the main room, with Marty front and centre (and active) in my lap with Mr Pink, Bossanova over my shoulder, Dodger, Paylan and Presley all hovering hopefully.  Marty, you’ve come a long way from the scared feral kitten you were!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

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Purry Holiday Greetings

Christmas Cassidy

As we head into the Christmas season, the Sanctuary becomes both quieter and busier.  Even in these Covid-19 times, both staff and volunteers need to take some time out for their home lives, and more gaps start appearing on the shift-board. At the same time, it is heart-warming how many volunteers not only do their regular shifts, but also fill extra spaces as needed;  far from being quiet, Christmas Day is usually buzzing with activity at the Sanctuary.

Christmas Huey

The cats, of course, are oblivious to things like immaculate bedding, or sparkling floors;  as far as they’re concerned, a little cat hair never hurt anybody, and a clean floor is just for being walked on. They only care that their food is delivered on time, and that there are humans around to pet them and offer treats.

Christmas Jason

Last year’s Elf on a Shelf has visited briefly, but has mostly been displaced by Frosty the Snowman and the Christmas tree; with a little bribery, cats have been encouraged to pose, and to share in sending out seasonal greetings to all who love the Sanctuary and its inhabitants.

Christmas Leo

Christmas Sherbet

Christmas Oscar

Christmas Cadbury

Christmas LittleJohn

Christmas Cornelius

Blog by Brigid Coult

All photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen (thank you, Lisa!)

Visiting the Shut-Ins

Plum - caged for bath-time   (MW)

One of the things that so many of our visitors adore is the freedom that the Sanctuary cats have to roam. There are limits, of course – leukemia and FIV cats have separate areas, the Single-Wide cats never go out of their building, and some of the back pens are kept closed to give the cats inside a better sense of their own territory.  But people often come, expecting cages, and are surprised to find that they are the exception rather than the rule.

Rico, when he first came to us; now he roams the back pens freely   (BC)

So why do we have cages at all? Well, any new cat needs an acclimatization period, during which they become aware of other cats around, with whom they don’t yet have to interact.  They may have vaccinations due, or be recovering from spay/neuter surgery. And they need to get to know the people who will be working with them.  Perhaps they’re a cat that someone has identified as “off colour” and they are caged so that the med staff can assess if they’re eating/drinking enough, if they’re using the litter-box – perhaps a visit from the vet or a trip to the hospital is in the cards.  We’ve recently had a group of cats from one pen, with upset stomachs – they’ve been on a special diet, and it’s taken having the whole colony of that pen on dietary restriction to get it under control (they’re all back together now, and very happy about it).  

Poor Taylor has dental problems, and many teeth pulled;
hence the tongue-tip showing   (KN)

Perhaps a cat has been diagnosed with a condition like diabetes or hyperthyroidism, and they need to have cage time to get used to being medicated – and to allow the staff to assess how that medication will be most effectively administered. Or perhaps (and this is very common) they’ve had dental surgery, and are on a no-kibble restriction (which means extra wet-food treats!)

Winston getting cage-time snuggles  (MRJ)

A cat who is caged may only see the med staff when being medicated, or a volunteer when food is being offered or the cage cleaned.  The work of the Kitty Comforters is very important with these cats, encouraging contact with the shy ones, and making sure that the social ones don’t feel abandoned.  Many of the volunteers will spend extra time with the caged cats once a shift is “finished” – because for many of us, it’s not finished until we’ve shared cuddle time with our charges.

Quinn is not happy about being caged  (BC)

My Saturday evening place is with the Double-Wide cats, and last week, having fed everyone and checked on water and kibble, I went back to spend more quality time than just simply putting a plate down.  Two of our shyest cats were tucked away in different corners:  all I got from black Michonne (pen 4) was an unfriendly hiss, but handsome tabby Quinn, though hiding in a corner, gave me his best owlish stare.  Quinn is a buddy of my sponsor cat, grey Sylar, and is usually very keen on the prospect of chicken tidbits; he rarely allows himself to be touched and I was not about to force it on him, but with this visit he was not much in a mood for eating, either.   He will be watched carefully, and force-fed if necessary.

Oscar has to be tempted to eat a little of his special food   (BC)

Our Haida Gwaii teddy-bear-cat, Oscar, liked the cage he first came to so much that he has refused to vacate it. Right now he is confined so we can see just why he’s a bit off-colour, and just what he’s eating.  The med-staff are finding little tasty plates for him, and he will sometimes eat while there is someone there to admire, and talk with him. Sadly, he is not fond of the company of other cats, so a closed cage suits him well. 

Hillie enjoying visiting time  (BC)

Cow-cat Hillie has been caged for a while with a cold;  when a cat gets congested, not only is the breathing impaired but sometimes so is the appetite, because they may not be able to smell the food. Hillie seems to be doing well, but she’s less active than usual. She was very pleased to have a visitor, and emerged from behind her drape to sniff me over and accept attention. 

KeKe is not happy about necessary medical attention  (BC)

A temporary resident in the cage opposite is cranky KeKe. She is one of our diabetic cats, and more importantly, she’s one whose blood sugar fluctuates a lot, so she needs regular glucose checks. She is not happy about this – not because it’s particularly painful (the prick of a glucometer or of an insulin needle is negligible) but because she resents being handled on someone else’s agenda. She makes her feelings known very vocally, and by changing her mind frequently about what she will eat. The med-staff offer her a regular buffet of gourmet cat-food, and she will often make it quite clear that none of it is good enough.  It can become a real battle of wills to get her to eat before she gets her insulin and is released from the cage for the rest of the evening.

Rodan is happy to be caged and fussed; the more visitors, the better!  (BC)

In the cage backing on to hers there are two cats from the same pen – sometimes the presence of another cat that is known can be a comfort to a stressed animal.  In this case, grey Odie couldn’t care less; he has established himself at floor level and does not want to be bothered, letting me know by his hissing that he does not appreciate the visit. Rodan, on the other hand, is delighted by the presence of a friend. This sweet one-eyed boy is the only cat in pen 7 who is really comfortable with humans – a good thing, because he gets recurring colds and ear infections, and is a regular user of med-staff attention. He ignores Odie, and rolls happily at shelf level, begging for petting and treats.

Luke would rather mooch for treats than eat what's on his plate  (BC)

His next-door neighbour perks up and also begs at the mesh for chicken bits. Luke, normally a back deck member of the Tuxedo Club, is our newest diabetic, and is caged to accustom him to treatment and help us get a base-line on his glucose levels. He’s not likely to be a problem to medicate – most of the diabetics are pretty easy-going about the whole process. The biggest problem is convincing them that because they demanded tuna yesterday, it’ll be equally tasty today – it seems like the moment diabetes is diagnosed, they become pickier about what they will eat than Jamie Oliver!

JackieO hasn't let the loss of her tail affect her climbing skills;
she REALLY wants to be back out again  (KN)

The last cage belongs to a sweet girl – but a visit requires a towel. JackieO came to us in 2020 as a cat made incontinent by a tail-pull injury; we had her tail amputated (it was effectively paralysed) which meant that it was easier to keep her clean. The amputation has not slowed her down one bit – she climbs and jumps and plays as much as ever, and her polydactyl paws are always busy. She’s got a messy gut problem right now, and visiting requires the visitor to be well protected; we check and change all her bedding on a regular basis, and hope her medication will sort her out quickly so she can go back out to play – at the moment it’s rather like telling a child that they have to stay in their bedroom.

Nobody likes to think of the cats being caged; at least, in the DoubleWide, they’re big cages, so human visitors can sit fairly comfortably, and let the patients know that they’re not forgotten, and that the big wide world awaits them if they’ll just hurry up and get better!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Marla Rae Jenkins, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

Dillon & Charles

A pair of fresh new faces have arrived in the quiet corner of Val Jones.  And boy, are they friendly!

Dillon

Stray Dillon was released soon after arrival.  He loves lap time, face scritches, and snacks.  He seems too well-acquainted with humans for a normal stray.  I surmise he used to live with a loving senior and somehow ended up outside when his person crossed the bridge without him.  For an attention-hungry cat, he’s surprisingly well-mannered.  He won’t yell, shove others away, or grab your pant leg with claws.  He’s watchful and hopes you’ll give him something.  He has this quiet gratitude, but also looks a bit sad if you gift something to someone else and not him.

Dillon

Dillon sports big, chubby cheeks, short black fur with white flecks, and pale greenish eyes.  He’s in pretty good condition physically, mentally and emotionally, so he must have spent no more than 2-3 seasons outside.  He has a cheerful disposition and shows no signs of missing his previous human.  A typical stray usually has tattered ears, bad teeth, and a wary mentality of humans.  They’ll also fight for food and could care less for attention.  Dillon is none of the above.

Dillon  (KN)

It’s worth noting Dillon is not a fan of the cold.  He chooses the cage tops not to stare down at the funny-looking, furless, 2-legged creatures, but to avoid the chilly drafts from the doorways.

Charles - all fuzz!

Unlike Dillon, Charles enjoys being outside.  While everyone else is staying warm and dry, Charles insists on sitting by the gate in the cold rain and wind.  His massive, fluffy black coat gives him excellent insulation.  Either that or he’s oblivious to the soggy weather.  He’s going to need a lot of brushing to maintain all that fuzz.  If he were to sit out during a snowfall, he would look like a Christmas tree.

longing to get out and be social

Once the weather thaws out, I can see him competing for attention with Gizmo and Jim.  First to the gate gets the human!  It’s enough motivation for him to use the cat door.  He fits right in with the VJ corner gang and is sure to get a human fan club.

Dillon & Charles

Charles is enthusiastic for playtime.  He may be middle-aged 11, but he grabs ahold of every toy presented to him.  He has a collection in his cage.  He’s pulverized catnip pillows and shredded his scratchboard, evidenced by the deep welts and cardboard bits.  While I was playing with Dillon, Charles poked a paw through the cage cover and grabbed the wand in a single shot.  Even Dillon looked stunned.

Charles

When he’s expecting pets, he does the hop greet, just like Cricket.  He might reach up and treat you to a hug, too.  It’s clear he was a darling to the people he lived with who unfortunately had to surrender him.

Dillon & Charles - double-blep

These 2 cats obviously received an abundance of love and care during their early years and most of (if not all) their lives.  It’s not often we receive such amiable felines that don’t need socialization from square one.  The only downside to extra friendly and playful cats is they often get adopted quickly.  If they weren’t FIV+, we probably wouldn’t have had a chance to meet them.  Since they are here, we get to enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labor.  Let’s continue that circle by sharing affection with other cats who didn’t have the fortune of thriving in loving homes. 

STOP PRESS: as we hit "Publish" on this, we discover that Charles has gone into fosterage; apparently he needs some dietary care that is better delivered in a quiet home, since we don't wish to keep him in a cage for too long. He may return to the Val Jones corner at some stage, or perhaps fosterage may lead to something more permanent - who knows? Best of luck, Charles!

Blog by Pauline Chin
Photos by Pauline Chin & Karen Nicholson

Blog 300

Daisy the unique - lover of everyone  (MW)

In the summer of 2014 I took over the Neko Blog from its creator, Claire Fossey, and moved it from being (initially) a series of 2 or 3-times weekly vignettes built around Claire’s photographic close encounters with a variety of RAPS cats, to a weekly feature that used the work of our many talented photographers to explore the situations of some of our cats in more detail. I had hoped that it might be something I could coordinate rather than create single-handedly, but though I have had some wonderful contributions from the late and beloved Marianne Moore, Pauline Chin and several other contributors with whom I co-wrote or ghost-wrote material, I discovered that keeping it a weekly regular event  required regular solo writing.

The yin and yang of Yogi and Wobbly Bob  (VL)

More than seven years later, this is my 300th solo blog, and I had to think about whether I wanted it to be just another cat-profile, or how I might approach it.  Having discovered the Sanctuary in the spring of 2010, I’ve encountered my share of cats with a variety of purrrsonalities.  And its those cats who’ve kept me coming back, week after week, and kept me writing their stories – both for other volunteers, and for the many people who may not be able to visit in person, but have come to know the Sanctuary through the blog, through Facebook and Instagram. So here, for my 300th blog, are some of the cats with whom I have had deep attachments.

Tigger  (MW)

My volunteer shifts in the first few years were mainly in the front – either the main courtyard or in the Leukemia area, which we called Old Aids. Tigger was an early encounter.  A front courtyard icon, he was a loner, as far as cat society went, often found contributing to what I called Pooh Corner. But a little attention was welcomed, and once Tigger had established you as one of His People, he would come trotting over, and reach up, asking to be carried. His favourite carrying position was upright, over the shoulder, and he would dig his claws in to hold himself in place – I have more than a few T-shirts with Tigger claw-holes on the back. 

Kojak - the opposite of his namesake  (MW)

Kojak did not want to be friends for some time. He was a stray cat who found us but took a while to walk into the trap; he proved to be leukemia positive, so had the sense to come to the one place where he would be safe.  He didn’t feel safe for some time; I have memories of cleaning in Old Aids, while one of the med-staff tucked herself into the cage with this hissy, defensive cat, gradually acclimating him to human contact.  Month by month he emerged from his shell, encouraged by tidbits initially, and then by the lure of love and laps. 

Heart-cat Skittles   (BC)

Other RAPS cat-loves have come and gone – Skittles transformed from feral to friendly over the course of a year, and adored his lap-time; Shadrack was a wary cage-top feral when I arrived, and a devoted chickaholic in his last few years. I was one of a number of people who adored handsome Dell – so fierce when he came to us, and such a cuddle-bug in the end; sneezy Yogi, and needy Emery, gentle Gilbert and grumpy Leland, and many more, are all part of what is at the heart of the RAPS Sanctuary for me. 

Our sweet lion, Dell   (MD)

We have been able to be a home for cats who would probably not have survived otherwise: disabled WobblyBob, crippled Terry, genetically challenged Daisy who loved everyone, and many cats with Manx Syndrome.

Sylar - wondering whether to get closer  (KN)

But it’s not just retrospective – every week I try and find out something about a new cat, by observation or by picking the brains of one of the med staff. Because I work in several areas in the Sanctuary, I have the chance to get to know a wide variety of cats, and to establish relationships with them. Little old lady Sara-Lee is a regular companion – on a lap at coffee break, or helping quality control at feeding time. Grey Sylar hears my voice, and though he’s still not ready to be touched, he’s now venturing close enough to accept tidbits from my hand. 

Treats, please?   (KN)

I can’t enter the SingleWide without Bossanova’s pleading eyes asking for attention (and chicken). I am loving getting to know the cats who came to us from Alberta – especially now that Pen 3 is open, and they can explore, and become braver by the day.

William Shakespurr, Jason, Golden - Pen 3 cats  (LBF)

And I feel blessed to work with so many wonderful people who risk all the scratches and scars that come with dealing with scared cats, who scoop poop and clean up messes, who turn up to work on Christmas Day, or who brave rain and snow and heatwave to make life more bearable for these sweet creatures who depend on us.  There are volunteers who are new, and for whom everything is a discovery, and there are volunteers who have served for a long time, and who continue to serve faithfully because they won’t let the cats down. 

Sara Lee loves Sanctuary life  (LP)

There are Kitty Comforters with their endless patience;  photographers waiting to catch the perfect “catness” of a model; students learning new things; people who bring in donations of special foods or furniture or cat-toys – there are so many generous hearts on this team. Volunteering at the RAPS Sanctuary is a privilege, and one I value immensely – and I look forward to sharing more cat profiles in future blogs.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, Melanie Draper, 

Vicky Lo, Karen Nicholson, Lisa Parker, Michele Wright

Thomas

Sometimes I sits and thinks...   (KN)

We’ve had only two feline Toms at the Sanctuary in the last 12 years – which is sort of interesting, given the “tomcat” label given to unneutered males, of whom we have dealt with many (until neutered). And the Tom in Tom and Jerry has to be one of the best-known cartoon cats ever. 

That anxious face sums him up  (BC)

Previous Toms here were TomCat, who came to us as one of a group of ten bequeathed by an ailing owner going into care, and breakout-Tom, who was trapped and brought to us by volunteer Elizabeth, and loved to be on the other side of a gate.  Both were big black boys.  

Thomas, flirting from his cage  (LBF)

Our orange Thomas Cat came to us this past summer – labelled, sadly, as a pee-er, though there’s been no evidence of this behaviour at the sanctuary. He is a really beautiful ginger boy, with a long plume of a tail. His fine fur mats easily, and we need to give him a little grooming assistance from time to time.

Thomas, the helper   (KN)

He was caged in the DoubleWide initially, and had a steady procession of visitors to sit with him in his cage, to all of whom he showed his friendly side, allowing lap-time and much petting. Now that he is out, he’s decided to stay in the same area – he doesn’t appear to be much of an explorer, and is only rarely found outside. His favourite place appears to be on the shelving by the door to the Deck, and he will occasionally poke his head through and visit briefly.

New sheriff in town?  (LBF)

Sadly, Thomas has turned out to be one of those cats that doesn’t much like other cats. Even friendly boys like Huey get the hissing treatment, and as for the alphas like Eli, Thomas stays well out of the way.  I had expected that he would go out and find more alone-ness, but he’s obviously an indoor boy, and not comfortable with the outside world.  What I’m seeing is mainly fear, masked with aggression; he’s not a nasty boy, but he doesn’t much like other cats in his space. He likes human attention, even cooperating in costume sessions - but he is constantly watching that there is no feline competition.

Letting us know that he is ,,,   (LBF)

Though labelled as a pee-er, I suspect that, as with many cats, it’s a stress-reaction. Thomas really needs a calm, loving one-cat home where he no longer feels pressured by the presence of other cats, and can relax into a relationship with his humans. Even though he now knows his way around, I notice that he is not as comfortable with me as he was when in his cage – he’s constantly on the lookout for whichever cat might be the next threat to his peace of mind.  It’s a risk to take on a cat who might stress-pee, but I think with the right person, Thomas might be the simply purrfect companion.

See how pretty I am!  (LBF)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, & Karen Nicholson