Lost and Found

Miller (KN)

After the celebrations of Christmas, we start anticipating the prospect of a New Year – and inevitably that includes some retrospection as we remember what we’ve been through in the past twelve months, and, particularly at the Cat Sanctuary, who we’ve lost in that time.

HoneyBear  (KN)

In fact, 2022 has been a year in which fewer cats have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but there have been some notable personalities among them. The list has to be led by HoneyBear, our blue-eyed charmer, whose neurological quirks caused both his incontinence and his “Ministry of Funny Walks” gait. Once visitors encountered our boy, we could be sure they would always ask after him again.

Marty, our love-bug  (LBF)

Lovers of the Single-Wide cats were particularly hard-hit in the summer, when we lost seven cats in less than three months. First was Bluebell, the Dowager who was transferred when the Moore House was closed; a week later we lost Siamese Presley. Little Marty put up a brave fight with a tumour, and was a central figure for some loving from both cats and humans; less than a month later we lost Mr Pink, another especially loving boy.  All too often cats hide their illness until it’s too late for any treatment.

Mr Pink (JS)

Cats with feline leukemia are almost always more prone to having something that seems small become fatal; their systems don’t have the resiliency needed to combat an infection. Since August we have said farewell to Nandor, Catalano, Banff, Brian and sweet Jane (who features in the 2023 Calendar which went to press just before her sudden passing).

Jane (LBF)

Rudolph & Salish (KN)

Bonded pair Rudolph and Salish in pen 5 have both gone. Rudolph had an anaesthetic reaction to dental surgery in January; Salish passed in June – she missed him so much.  Most of the Old Boys club in Newcomers has also gone; Albi and Woody passed on the same day, and Moxie less than a month later.

Ruff (KN)

We remember sweet Ruff with fondness – his extreme shyness when he arrived, his amazing floof, the way he bonded with Karen – and I still find myself looking for OJ when I enter Pen 4:  he was another feral boy who finally decided that humans were not so bad after all.  Onyx was one of our dowagers, at least 20 years old. Having been largely an indoor cat for years, she moved out to Pen 5 this summer, and then wouldn’t move back in when the weather turned. Med-staff Catherine took her home to fosterage for her last few weeks of comfort and loving.

Puck (BC)

And two other front-courtyard senior tuxedos have passed in the last month: little Puck was our beloved Marianne Moore's cat, and she has crossed the Bridge to be with Marianne again, and sweet Miller (at top) was beginning to age early in the fall, and became very frail and tottery in his last few weeks.

Oscar (LBF) and Gypsy (DW) - gone to new homes!

So we grieve their passing, even as we give thanks that the lives they lived were made possible by the love and care they received at the Sanctuary.  There are never enough homes for all the cats we take in – especially in a year like this one with a prolonged kitten season.  We are grateful to the people who have taken in Sanctuary cats like Oscar and Gypsy and given them hope for a new life, and also to all the supporters whose help allows us to give lifelong home-space to otherwise unadoptable cats like incontinent Jasmine or moody Jade or JJ, to the cats who come with Feline Leukemia, or the shy ferals who want nothing to do with us. Every life is precious, and RAPS will continue to offer Sanctuary to cats who have no other options.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, 

Karen Nicholson, Justin Saint, Debbie Wolanski

All They Want for Christmas

Have you bought a gift for your cat(s)?

Picasso's a Manitoba boy - 
all he wants is a white Christmas!  (LBF)

In the middle of dealing with a long-as-your-arm Christmas list, there’s probably no cat-lover who’s not taken time to find something for the cat.
It might be something tasty – a can of quality cat-food (which they will probably refuse), a packet of treats, a tube of Churu...

Percival & Sweetpea love their treats!  (LBF)

Gizmo says "All mine!"   (ML)

It might be something to play with – a wand toy, a ball - or, you can seldom go wrong with catnip...

Tyson having fun  (KN)

Munch practices his hunting skills on a ball  (KN)

Cuddles is minimally cuddlier with a little 'nip  (KN)

It’s likely that what will appeal most is your left-overs – the empty box, the shredded Christmas paper...

Nova unwrapped  (BC)

Bossanova says "I feel so overdressed..."  (BC)

But, as the Sanctuary cats will tell you, the greatest gift is not found in a store – it’s in the heart of true friends.

Jenkins & Baker  (LBF)

Kelvin & Cheddar  (LBF)

Cornelius, Lucius, Jason & William Shakespurr  (LBF)

Tugboat and Plum  (KN)

A sweet birthday kiss for Tuggy  (KN)

Meowy Christmas from the cats!

and from Brigid, Lisa, Karen, Moira and all the staff and volunteers at RAPS Cat Sanctuary...

Elvis Is In The Sanctuary

Elvis (KN)

We have a new heartthrob at the RAPS Cat Sanctuary – a big chunky tabby boy who takes “Love Me Tender” very seriously as his motto!

Elvis still a little worried - "who are you,
and what am I doing here...?"   (BC)

Elvis came to us from Bella Bella, in the Central Coast region of BC – he was discovered on the street, possibly having been hit by a car.  Luckily, the local rescue didn’t dismiss him as un-helpable, and he was shipped to Port Hardy for treatment. They in turn decided that he needed more than they could do, and he was relayed down-island by their staff and ours, and came into our care. He needed some TLC, being pretty stressed from his journey, but once he realised he was in a safe place he calmed down a lot. 

Elvis  (KN)

The hospital found he had several wounds from fighting – not surprising because he was an unneutered male. Following surgery (and a fair bit of dental work) he was moved to the Sanctuary. They think he’s between 3 and 4 years old. He has one slightly droopy eye and one slightly droopy ear that leave you with the impression that he's looking sideways and saying, "Seriously...?"

Very comfortable...   (LBF)

Now that Elvis is fully recovered, we can see that he’s a big sturdy boy who has calmly taken the line of least resistance and settled down in his new surroundings.  He was not happy with cage-living at the Adoption Centre, and anything involving a carrier means a battle, and bloodshed. He was wary of us at first, but quickly discovered that humans came with pettings and tasty treats. In good weather, he can be found wandering in the back courtyard, but he has discovered that his new Richmond home is cosy-warm in the winter and he has happily taken to snoozing on the Double-Wide couch – and when that’s too crowded with other cats, he will drape himself anywhere nearby.

No room on the couch, so I'll 
sleep on the steps....   (KN)

Some tomcats find it hard to break the habits of being dominating and aggressive even when neutered, but with testosterone out of the picture, Elvis is getting on well with the other cats, and not creating any problems. Last week I was visiting with the Alberta cats in Pen 3, and getting to know Puddin’ (mentioned last week as Strike’s former housemate);  Puddin’ has decided that he likes these guys, and has largely moved in with them. 

Puddin' making himself at home  (BC)

Elvis came to visit while I was there, and there was a lot of nose-bumping and comfortable socializing until he decided that he wanted to come up on my lap. Before I knew where I was, he had his paws up and round my neck, and I was getting the sort of hug I used to get from our late beloved Emery!  With Emery there was always the edge of desperation about his hugs; Elvis does hugs (and kisses) with total assurance that this is what you want as well! He adores attention, and his rumble of pleasure can be felt.

Such a love-bug!  (BC)

Right now, the Adoption Centre is very much taken over by the younger generation! - late-season kittens are melting everyone’s hearts, and until they’re adopted, the older cats need to live in the Sanctuary where they have room, rather than in the confined cage-space of the Adoption Centre. But some of our newer ones are certainly adoptable, and we hope that cats like Elvis will eventually have a chance at finding a new home of their own. Till then “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With Him”

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

We Are Siamese, If You Please...

Jasmine & Strike  (BC)

We have two newcomers to the DoubleWide trailer.
Strike was the first to arrive – very scared at first, spending all his time hiding behind a drape.  But he quickly discovered that food might arrive at certain times, and became vocal as only a Siamese can.  Strike is bob-tailed – what is sometimes called a “stumpy” manx. This is a reminder to us all that Manx is a breed name, with certain physical characteristics in addition to the lack of tail, but it is also a generic (and not entirely accurate) term for any tailless cat. Sometimes the genes that produce taillessness breed true (several of Percival Snugglebutt’s offspring are tailless, like dad), and sometimes it’s just a random mutation.  We don’t know Strike’s history, but his lack of tail doesn’t seem to bother him in any way.

Strike  (LBF)

What we do know is that he was one of a number of cats who lived in a home. Their caregiver passed and they were kicked out, but were lucky enough to be accepted into a colony that was being fed and monitored.  Strike, with his buddies Butternut and Puddin’ (introductions to come) were brought into our care. They may well be adoptable, but with so many kittens taking space in the adoption centre, they are better off with us for now. 

Jasmine  (KN)

Jasmine arrived a few weeks after Strike from the same Manitoba rescue that sent frostbitten Picasso to us.  Rather more blonde than her fellow-Siamese, she is totally tailless, but not for the same reason as Picasso; Jasmine has the characteristic Manx syndrome that often appears in tailless cats. Plum, Lil and many other beloved Sanctuary cats like PeeWee and SweetPea have also suffered from Manx syndrome, and need regular baths to deal with the aftermath of incontinence.  Jasmine loves people and attention, but it’s a really good idea to have a towel or other padding on your lap – she’s pretty leaky.

Jasmine exploring outside  (LBF)

When I met Strike, and later, Jasmine, I wondered whether they would have any affinity for each other – would we have a pair, like the Siamese cats who appear in the original version of Disney’s Lady and the Tramp? And then I checked the song from that movie, and realised what I’d not known as a kid – it’s pretty racist – probably accurate enough for the early 1900s, when the film is set, and even smile-provoking when it was produced in 1955, but no longer acceptable.  So in the 2019 remake, Si and Am are replaced with a pair called Devon and Rex, singing the blues.

Strike  (KN)

Strike and Jasmine don’t seem to be particularly drawn to each other – they’re both pretty easy-going with other cats, and live their separate lives. Strike is more of a loner than Jasmine, who really loves to be petted.  He prefers to hang out on the back deck of the Double-Wide where he can chose to mingle or find his own space; he’s no longer as scared as when he first came in, and is willing to approach for touch and treats.  Food is very important;  I was late to feed this week, and was met at the door by a very vocal complaint in fluent Siamese.

Jasmine asking for attention  (BC)

Jasmine is more adventurous, and can often be found exploring in the back courtyard; she will leap up on the table to be fussed and told she’s a lovely girl. Like Lil and Plum, you just need to be a bit wary of her rear end.  We are a permanent home for her; sweet as she is, there are not many people who will deliberately take on the adoption of an incontinent cat.  Here at the Sanctuary, Jasmine’s not the only messy one, and doesn’t add significantly to the laundry load.

Welcome to the Sanctuary, sweet ones – it’s good to see you settling in!

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Black Spice

Shadow (KN)

Shadow prefers to be out on the Single-Wide deck – even as the temperatures drop. She’s not the only one, of course – tubby Mya prefers it too, and Nikki Sixx-Toes; shy Jimmy tucks himself away on a shelf. But Jimmy and Mya will come indoors; Shadow relies on her floof and on Nikki’s company under the heat lamp.

Sharing with Nikki (BC)

Shadow arrived with us a couple of years ago from the Williams Lake area.  She was found as a kitten in a feral colony, and was adopted. However, she never really tamed even though she remained an indoor cat; her behaviour was aggressive, and when she came to our care some ten years later, it was clear that fear fed the aggression.  We discovered that she had a lightning paw, and razor-sharp claws.

She’s twelve years old now, but she’s little and cute, and the unwary visitor is easily fooled into reaching out too quickly! She arrived around the time we lost Belinda, who looked very similar, but was radically different in personality.  Shadow's body language is confident; she holds her tail like a flag, and she’s active in movement rather than cowering in any way.  I’ve shed my share of blood, coaxing her into allowing contact.  Like most cats, she prefers her own agenda;  jumping up for lap-time is fine, when it’s her idea, but nobody tells Shadow what to do!  Some days she will leap onto a lap and allow herself to be petted, and other days she will stand her ground and just dare you to touch her.  

OK - I'm on your knee; now where's the chicken?

The only possible way out is bribery. A number of the SingleWide cats are chickaholics – Bossanova and Sarah Paylan lead the way – and Shadow is quick to react when the treat bag is opened, and even gives up on swatting, if food is on offer.  

Face-off with Bossanova for tidbits  (BC)

Like many black cats, she is hard to photograph;  with her it’s not only because of the density of her colouring, but because she is so much in motion – she’s not a restful girl!  Her “quiet time” is mostly with her buddy Nikki Sixx Toes – and frankly I think the attraction is mainly that he sleeps under the lamp over the papasan chair, and he’s a diabetic, so gets given extra food when it’s time for insulin shots. Shadow approves of extra food!

On the move, with tail plumed!  (BC)

We’re never going to turn her into a tame cat – but she’s a different cat from the one who first came to us. I was going to title this blog Black Pepper, but it has implications that she’s always angry with us, and that’s not so – spicy is definitely the right word for this little black cutie. 

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson

Crinkle

 Meet Crinkle.

Crinkle  (KN)

We don’t always know where the names of cats who come into our care come from – but there’s no question with this girl – her left ear is crinkled, and sometimes turns back on itself, displaying a good showing of fuzzy ear-hair. It may be a birth thing, or something like the haematoma ears that Bossanova and Little Orange have – but it’s enough that it makes her easily identifiable, and more than just yet another little tabby!

Crinkle mooches with the best  (BC)

Crinkle came to us from the Kamloops area; she was gathered in by Sammy’s Forgotten Felines, who do a stellar job with minimal resources, rescuing and rehoming feral colonies. I wrote about them briefly last May, when I introduced Len and Lloyd in Pen 4; what I didn’t realize was that Crinkle had arrived from the same colony, though a little later. It's pretty obvious that they're likely related.

Lloyd & Len  (LBF)

But there was a hitch; all cats coming in to us are tested for both FIV and FeLV – and Crinkle tested positive for the latter, and was sent to the Leukemia House to join the other cats there. She settled quite well, buddying up with equally shy Pewter (who came with her from Kamloops).  But when we heard that her kittens had all tested negative at six months old, the med staff suspected that her test might have been a false positive, and Crinkle was taken away from the leukemia area and brought to the Double Wide trailer, where she tested negative, and spent the next three months in quarantine in one of the large cages, before the final SNAP test confirmed her leukemia-negative in spring. 

Crinkle snuggling with sidekick Pewter  (LBF)

So where to put her? She could have gone to Len and Lloyd in Pen 4, but she’s not as feral as they are, and was used to humans around her, having had daily visits from the med staff and then from volunteers.  Catherine put her in a transfer cage out on the back deck, which gave her the chance to smell the inhabitants there, and to be investigated in return – and once released, she settled down very well with all the other tabbies.  Occasionally she would investigate outside, but as the weather has become colder, indoors is the place to be, negotiating for space on the mattress under the heat lamp.

Crinkle & Sooke, begging for chicken  (BC)

Crinkle has also joined the “gimme chicken” group.  The dominant males – Denzel, Hamlet, Luke and Bodhi, have already decided that they’re up for treats, and Pancake hurries through to join in begging. But the littles are not going to be overlooked. Fargo is getting ever braver about coming forward to ask; little Sooke dashes down to be in position on the floor, and Crinkle is getting closer and closer on the shelf by the stairs. She’s not ready to be petted yet, and her version of “taking food” is to smack it out of your hand, but she’s less afraid, and her appetite will bring her to us in the end!

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Finding Sanctuary

Percival & Owen  (LBF)

We are getting to know the Pen 8 newcomers, and vice versa – they are getting to know us in turn, and learning that life is not really as scary as they had thought when they arrived.

Cleo & SweetPea  (LBF)

This little clowder of 12 cats came to us all the way from the Kootenays.  They had lived semi-feral, and when their caretaker died, the local shelter knew that they would be too much to manage, and reached out to us. Some of them are touchable, but most still shy away from contact.

Owen & Bailey (LBF)

When they first came to us, they were caged in ones and twos to allow them to decompress after a stressful journey, and to give us time to make medical and behavioural assessments. We were told they were ragdolls, but they don’t have the characteristic inverted V on the face; there’s more Himalayan or Balinese in their appearance. 

Percival Snugglebutt   (KN)

Three males are at the heart of this little colony.  Handsome blond Percival Snugglebutt is also known as Big Daddy, and is responsible for some of the kittens that have gone to the Adoption Centre. He is tailless – not Manx breed, but one of those cats that just have the genetic mutation for no tail - in fact, some of his offspring are also tailless.

Owen  (BC)

Owen has settled well, and is starting to allow contact. He hangs out with Percival quite happily, but can mostly be found among all his darker girlfriends. He is easily distinguished by the little blaze on his face. He is playful and food-motivated.

Basil   (BC)

Basil is paler in colour and his blaze is more prominent. He’s a little warier than Owen and not as easily coaxed by food offerings.

Bailey   (BC)

Learning who’s who among the girls is almost as hard as distinguishing among the courtyard black cats.  Most of them have the characteristic dark face and dark stockings of a Himalayan. They tend to stay together by preference; a visitor entering the pen is often greeted by the scurrying of little sealpoint shapes.

Skye  (LBF)

Betsy, Cleo, Zoey and Skye have the classic sealpoint markings  – with Skye possibly being the oldest of them.

Bailey  (KN)

Bailey is both larger and paler – bluepoint rather than sealpoint.  She seems to prefer to hang out at the back with Basil. Myrtle is also bluepoint, but is currently under care for dental problems. The other cat missing from the photos is Kali, a very shy calico who is rarely seen.

Sweetpea & Curious  (LBF)

The smallest (and probably the youngest) two are both lynx-point – gold-eyed Curious and the longer-haired blue-eyed SweetPea.  Both arrived pregnant and had their babies in fosterage. At least some of the kittens were sired by Percival (we can tell from the missing tails), but there may be more than one father involved in creating a litter. These two have had home-care and are more comfortable with being handled than the others.

Owen, Zoey, Betsy (and Curious hiding at the back)  (KN)

The Kootenay rescuers did valiant work in keeping this colony together, and getting them to us, where they can be safe. It’s rare that “breed” cats like this come into our care, but having lived feral for so long, it is likely that the Sanctuary will be their home for the rest of their lives.

Blog by Brigid Coult

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