Chirpy

Pet me now, please....  (MW)

This sweet girl is another of the cats who has come to us because of “inappropriate urination” - she pees in the wrong places.
     Cat owners seem to be divided by those who would do ANYTHING for their cats, and those who can’t be bothered to track down whether it’s a stress thing or a physical thing, and just open the door and let the cat go.  In the former category are people like Ollie’s owners who put up with his peeing for some years, trying every possible fix, before they finally brought him to us.. A surrender like this is not just a drop-off;  with the history of a cat like Ollie or Chirpy, it’s unlikely they will ever be adopted out, and a surrender to the Sanctuary involves a cat’s-lifetime sponsorship.

Looking for love...  (KN)

Chirpy actually came to us from Alberta.  Her owner had heard about us from the Meow Foundation, who sent Algy to us. Like us, they are a no-kill organisation, but Algy had aggression problems that they couldn’t deal with, and he’s better with us where he can hide and wander when the mood gets him. The woman had taken Chirpy in, but she’s another of the “I vant to be along” Garbo cats, and did not get along with the original cat in the household. The owner grabbed at the hope of RAPS as a way of saving Chirpy, brought her out to see for herself, inspected the Sanctuary, paid to sponsor her, and flew back the same day leaving the Chirpster in our care.

This was not a quick or easy decision; Chirpy was well-loved and a surrender is a big financial decision. But knowing that a cat will be loved and cared for at RAPS is a big factor for many owners faced with a hard choice.  And Chirpy is indeed well-loved by us - and her former owner, who misses her greatly, stays in touch.  It feels like failure, for her - but failure would be dumping the cat at a shelter where she would be put down, or risking her life as a cat forced to live outdoors.  This was a decision made with much love, for the best welfare of a beloved pet.

Helping to garden....   (KN)

Chirpy has made the Connor building her home.  Living with one cat was evidently not to her taste; living with a lot of them has to be stressful - and this 9-year old girl is on a mild anti-anxiety medication to help her cope.  But she’s learning from the best – sweet old Tigger who also lived in the Connor, and regularly demonstrated how to ignore all the other cats around him. Chirpy likes a little human contact; she has her special people she loves, and she will happily visit with others for a short while. But let another cat come within view, or request human attention, and she’s outta there!

Chirpy guarding the Connor entrance (AP)

There are lots of corners for her to hide out – her favourite thing is to take over an empty cage for her exclusive use and hiss at any other cat who comes near. She’ll sometimes be found outside, wandering around and exploring or “helping”. It’s unfortunate that most of the really cat-savvy people who might take a cat like Chirpy already have a cat – or two, or three...   She needs a home as an only cat, with someone who can read her body-language – give her love when she needs it and back off when she wants space.  The Sanctuary is the next best thing, where she gets some of the things she needs, and we can just mop up after her “accidents”.

The anxious stare...(KN)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Karen Nicholson, Anne Parker, Michele Wright

 

Midnight & Steele

Steele, Smithy and Quinn - KN

In the last year we’ve had more black cats added to our back courtyard population, and I frequently find myself asking one of the staff, “Who is that cat?”  Some of the black ghosts turn out to be McLeod cats, like Atlas and Nyx, who used to live in Pen 6, and have now mostly relocated to the back of Pen 1. Others turn out to be cats who were caged in an area I have not been working in, and I’ve never got to know them – with them I will have to start from scratch.

Moxie, Smithy, Quinn, Albi,
and Midnight lurking at the back  (KN)

I have been spending time working on Sylar, the wary grey boy near Waldi’s hut, who looooves chicken, but is himself rather chicken among other cats.  He has finally come round to accepting food from my hand without letting Pumpkin and Walker (who are also chickaholics) scare him off. Surrounded by eager meows. I am aware of a couple of other cats in the vicinity – cats who don’t want to join the crowd, but are curious.

Midnight (MW)

Neither is curious enough to be easily approachable, though.  The trimmer of the two turns out to be Midnight. He is one of a group of four who came to us as ferals a couple of years ago. They were set up in the Hill House, and then released to the front courtyard. Of the four of them, grey Solar is the friendliest; tuxedo Mabel and tabby Libby prefer to remain at a distance, though it depends on their current feline company.  Black Midnight wanted nothing to do with us, and was one of a small group of cats who staged a jailbreak, not out of the Sanctuary, but into the area underneath the Single-Wide trailer.  Luckily, they were spotted from the other side, and a staff member in protective gear crawled underneath to set traps and retrieve them.

Midnight (KN)

Because Midnight had obviously not appreciated the front courtyard, we decided that he might as well remain in the back, and he joined the group of wary ferals who hang out around Waldi’s Hut and on the shelves backing against the Single-Wide deck.  Here he is in company with cats like Sylar, Smithy, Midnight, Quinn and others who like to be close enough for food, but with lots of places to hide.  We’ve not yet found his weakness.  Sylar and Quinn are equally wary, but love food, and it’s just been a matter of time (a lot of it!) before they come to us. Midnight is not generally food-motivated – certainly not enough to brave coming close enough to accept offerings.  It may take a while!

Steele  (BC)

The other black phantom is longer-furred, and often has a more raggedy appearance. He was one of the “detective” cats who found us, and was named Steele (for Remington Steele) since he burgled his way into the Sanctuary. He then discovered that climbing in was one thing, but it was much harder to get out.  However, with a source of food, safety and shelter, he has decided that he is better off – as long as he can avoid the humans.  

A more typical view of Steele  (KN)

Steele does not live up to the dashing appearance of Pierce Brosnan’s character – he’s pretty shaggy and unkempt, and obviously is not ready to allow us to groom him. Like Smithy, his thick fur mats, and he may end up joining Smithy in the LionCut club next summer.  We think he is deaf – it is possible to get quite close to him before he startles and scurries away.  

Steele is suspicious  (LBF)

These two are cats for whom the Sanctuary is all-important. Neither will ever be tame, even if we can some day touch them, and life in a cage would drive them crazy. At the Sanctuary they have the company of other cats, the semblance of freedom, and provision of food and safety. We always try to tame the ferals, but we know it’s not always possible, and we are glad that they can have good lives in our care.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

Who Are They?

 

Salem, playing with Honeydew & Leo  (PC)

Volunteer Pauline Chin is present during Saturday visiting hours, and offers this blog.

Word of the Cat Sanctuary’s public reopening has slowly spread and is gaining momentum.  Some visitors have come from as far (so far) as Kamloops just to see the cats.  At least 80% of visitors are first-timers.  Their eyes are aglow and wide as they take in the incredible sights.  With that, comes the inevitable questions, “who’s this?” and “what’s that kitty’s name?”.

Here are the 6 most notorious mystery cats that have graced visitors with their presence in the front courtyard:

Meet the calico sisters.

Kiwi at ease   (MW)

Easiest to identify is Kiwi.  She’s black with orange and white markings.  She’s still warming up to people now that weekends are full of humans, but that’s far from her previous don’t-touch-me-dash.  Of the three, Kiwi is the clearest loner.  Don’t be offended if you only get in a couple of pets before she flees.

Honeydew  (MW)

Next is Honeydew.  Upon first glance, she looks the same as Melon.  They both sport the over-cut bangs and white bodies.  The main differences are Honeydew has a near-continuous trail of splotches on her back and a white chin.  Her personality now is much friendlier and she will interact with strangers.  She still likes Salem, but doesn’t rely on him like in the past.  Honeydew happily hangs out with other cats.

Melon   (MW)

Melon has the most white fur of the sisters.  Her back has a few splotches of orange and black, as if she walked beneath a table dripping wet paint.  She wears a permanent black goatee.  Melon enjoys the company of other cats over humans.  Get her interested with a toy or treats. 

Kiwi prefers the swing canopy to the swing seat (PC)

It’s worth noting that all three will scale the fence and sit atop either the umbrella or swing set.  If you think seeing them up there is shocking, wait until they leap down out of nowhere as if it were raining cats.

Together - but not too much! Melon & Honeydew  (PC)

On to team black!

Salem with Melon  (MW)

Big boy Salem has maintained his harem of girl cats and has also attracted a few others to relax with.  (He’s from Lethbridge, just like the sisters and a handful of others.)  He’s gained some weight and a bronze tan over the 2 years he’s been here.  If he were human, he’d probably sport a gold chain and sunglasses.  His eyes are in the yellow-green spectrum.  Still confident and friendly as ever, he welcomes everyone to join his cuddle club.

Reefer   (MW)

Reefer’s features are more rounded than Salem’s.  His eyes are more yellow-gold.  He too, has a bronze tan from the sun.  Sometimes, he rolls around and ends up wearing all the dust.  

Boxed Reefer (PC)

Reefer prefers staying dry and avoids the misters we use on hot days.  He loves catnip toys.  While he doesn’t have a cat harem, he’s delighted by all the extra admiration from visitors.  He often flops over for affection and is easy to befriend.

Gidget - "Pet me, please!" - KN

Last, but not least is Gidget.  She is a quiet, small black cat who came in with Wickem - though they didn't remain together.  Visitors have remarked about her curly question mark tail.  Her unique feature is her cleft-like mouth; her lips seem to always be slightly agape. 

Gidget - "Do I have to get up?"  (PC)

 I make an effort to wake her up before opening, so she has a chance to interact with visitors. She’s a leg-rubber and can take people by surprise.  She’s sought out more attention this summer than the whole 3.5 years she’s been here.  Gidget became a fast favourite.

Reefer playing  (KN)

If you’re a newcomer, these 6 cats are nice to get to know.  Playing Cat Bingo is another way to familiarize yourself with popular cats.  So, why not learn new names and impress your family or friends?  The cats appreciate being called correct names, too.

Blog by Pauline Chin.

Photos by Pauline Chin, Karen Nicholson & Michele Wright

Munch and Cassidy

Munch & Cassidy (EC)

In early July this year, someone reported a tuxedo cat wandering around the outside of the Sanctuary. This sort of report happens from time to time – sometimes the cat in question is a local farm cat who’s moved off-territory, sometimes it may be a cat that’s been dumped here. The latter was a reason that the Sanctuary was Richmond’s best-kept secret for years – we tried to encourage people to surrender their cats formally at the City Shelter. Cats just dropped off are in a risky position – on unfamiliar territory, possibly with few outdoor skills, and with coyotes living nearby. The staff are used to springing into action and putting out cat traps in a variety of different places. 

Munch  (MW)

Sure enough, within a few days, we had a handsome little tuxedo huddled in the trap. Vet check determined that he was young, healthy and very wary. He and his cage went into a larger cage in the Double-Wide to let him adjust. He was a Do Not Enter cat for a while – tended by the med-staff only until they felt he was more relaxed. 

Munch  (KN)

But the reports of a little cat kept coming – so the traps went out again, and before long, we had Cassidy in our care – almost a twin to Munch. He went into the cage next door, and before long the two of them could be seen visiting through the mesh. 

Visiting through the bars  (KN)

Cassidy was the more approachable of the two, and quickly accepted petting and attention; Munch was warier and needed a very gentle approach. When their cage door were opened, Cassidy quickly moved in with his brother, and the two could often be found together. They belong to the select company of cats that found their way here (we assume) and have been named for fictional detectives John Munch and Brian Cassidy in the Law and Order spin-off series Special Victims Unit. 

Bookends  (KN)

The two are almost identical - there is a little variance in the face-blaze, and Cassidy has a distinctive spot on one of his hind legs.  They may look like identical twins, but they’re very different in personality.  Cassidy is the more daring of the two cats, and it didn’t take long before he had explored the Double-Wide and made himself at home – while Munch preferred to remain on his own turf. Cassidy walks around with a happy-cat erect tail; Munch's tail stays low. Though the two were never seen together on the trail-cams, pre-trapping, when the pictures are viewed retrospectively, it's very obvious which cat crossed in front of the lens.

Cassidy  (KN)

When a cage is opened up, we don’t always know how the cat will react. Sometimes they head for the cage-tops, and end up hanging out with DC and his buddies; sometimes they will shift to the Deck and either hide under the drapes or make friends with the Red-Light cats. Sometimes the cage is open, but the cat remains right there. Big blond Oscar has refused to move from his cage, while his travel-mate Charlotte is spending all her time in the gardens. New boy Thomas (blog to come) is also reluctant to move far, though we hope he’ll pluck up courage soon. 

Cassidy exploring  (KN)

Cassidy and Munch's differing personalities are clear here.  Munch seems to be quiet, introverted, happy to stay at home - with an occasional venture onto the Deck with the other tuxedos. Cassidy is the extrovert, the explorer, and it wasn’t long before he’d made his way into the back courtyard and was investigating things like boxes and flower-beds and other cats. I don’t know whether he’s learned to negotiate the laundry-room door, or discovered the Deck exit, but he’s happy to be out and about – just as long as he can make his way back to spend the evening with his brother Munch.

Cassidy squashing Munch  (KN)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Elianna Chin, Karen Nicholson. Michele Wright

Gardens and Gattos

Mercury (LBF)

Many of our cats have come to the Sanctuary as untamed ferals, and the experience of being caged is very uncomfortable for them – necessary, initially, because we need to take time to assess them and have the Kitty Comforters work with them – but often not something that can be sustained.

Fabian  (KN)

These are the cats who, in other circumstances, would be deemed unadoptable, and euthanized;  they don’t want anything to do with us, and in the buildings, they try to stay high up and out of the way, or hidden behind a drape. In the gardens they can find hiding places in the greenery.

Chirpy supervising planting  (KN)

Lindor helping with choices   (KN)

The Sanctuary is truly a sanctuary for them, because there are so many places they can hide, especially if they are back-courtyard cats. We have several volunteers who are gardeners, and much work has gone into filling flower beds, so that they can also be safe cat-beds. 

Leonardo diCatprio  (KN)

Preparing the garden to do some new planting always brings a few feline helpers, and planting needs to be done quickly to avoid too many deposits in the fresh soil. 

Hillie  (KN)

Some plants, like lilies, are not good for cats to be around, and they have been carefully eradicated; roses rather than lilies have gone into the beds, as well as splashes of colour with red runner beans (tasty for humans) and nasturtiums.  Summer interns have seen to the regular watering of both front and back gardens, and emptied water-bowls keep things moist.

Rico  (LBF)

Charlotte staying out of reach  (KN)

There is netting all around the Sanctuary to keep the cats in and the coyotes out – but the mesh is hidden for the most part by shrubbery, which offers shy cats all kinds of place to hide. Japanese knotweed springs up very quickly around the edges, and needs constant cutting back – but the cats in the north pens like it for shade and sleeping places.

Kramer   (LBF)

Some of the pens are grassed, and it’s often allowed to grow to give comfy corners for snoozing; maintaining it is hard, though, since the little feline “gifts” in the grass make a standard mower impractical, and the weed-whacker is pretty noisy.

Racks  (MRJ)

Potted Holland  (KN)

In the pens that are largely paved, greenery is provided with potted plants, and climbing plants. And if the pots are large enough, they provide another comfy place for resting.

Chaga  (MW)

Pen 6 has both real and artificial grass – but many of the inhabitants like to be up on the waist-level walkway where they can have shade and hiding places in overhanging plants, or sitting on the window-ledge of their play-hut.

Sandy goes climbing (KN)

Trees have their place too – both to provide leafy hiding places, and to allow for some height. We were all concerned when feral Sandy needed a back leg amputation to rid her of a cancer; it’s good to see that it hasn’t slowed her down much, and she’s even trying a little tree-climbing.

Ollie  (LBF)

Even Ollie will abandon his bed on the clean laundry to go out and enjoy a little sunshine and smell the flowers - and Alfred will take time out from bugging other cats to enjoy the garden world.

Alfred  (LBF)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Marla Rae Jenkins, 

Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright