Big Dave

So lovable....   (KH)

As many of the blog readers will know, my love affair with sweet tabby Elvis came to the best possible end last year when he was adopted to a loving family who adore him. There’s never any shortage of cats to love at the Sanctuary, and I’ve got lots to give – so my hands and my lap have been well occupied.  But it’s lovely to have an armful of chonky tabby again!

Will you play with me?  (KH)

Since joining the team of Kitty Comforters last fall, I’ve been spending one afternoon each week visiting shut-ins in their cages, having time with shy cats, offering bribes of food and grooming and petting (whatever works!) - all guilt-free; usually there is cleaning or feeding or scooping that has to take priority, and I love the afternoon shift when all I have to do is care for the cats emotional well-being. Anne, who heads up the team, keeps us well posted on who needs visits, and also reminds us that there are cats in the Adoption Centre that can use our love, as well.  Most of the Adoption Centre inhabitants are youngsters, but occasionally there’s a cat that for some reason needs isolation before being released to adoption potential or to a life at the Sanctuary.  Anne asked us to visit Big Dave before beginning our regular KC shifts. 

Such a chatty boy!  (KH)

Big Dave came to us from north Vancouver Island. He’s not that old – perhaps 3 or so – but he tested positive for the Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and was going to be euthanized. The vet sent him to us as one of the few rescues where a leukemia cat can live. He’s obviously had a home – he’s very friendly and loves attention – but I suspect that his family allowed him outdoors and that he came in contact with another leukemia-positive cat and acquired the virus.  He could still live in a home (two of our younger leukemia cats, Adria and Creston, are soon going to their own new home), but it would need to be an indoors-only life, and alone or with another leukemia cat, and his former family might not have been able to supply that.   

First big out-of-the-cage stretch  (KH)

The SNAP test that shows the presence of FeLV is a very routine test, and one that is a regular part of preparing a cat for Sanctuary life – or for the potential of life with other cats. Unfortunately, it will sometimes throw what’s called a false positive – especially among young cats whose immune systems are not fully developed. In the normal way, a Sanctuary cat showing the FeLV virus will be caged with an indication that only the med staff will attend to their needs – so they don’t have multiple volunteers popping in and out of the isolation cage. If there is any possibility that the cat in question might be adopted, there is an isolation room in the Adoption Centre, where they stay until a second SNAP test can be done a month later. Until recently the room housed a couple of youngsters who have now passed their second SNAP with flying colours and have just been adopted.

Surveying his territory from above (BC)

Sadly, Big Dave’s second SNAP proved positive, and he was moved to the Leukemia area of the Sanctuary. There he was caged, though with the promise that he could come out if there was someone around to supervise. In fact, I think Dave has had enough people visiting him that he’s actually had quite a bit of out-of-cage time. He’s wary of the other cats, but not really aggressive; black Neptune and little Adria were both pretty hissy, but there was a lot of walking around each other. Dave is a climber – he took very little time to discover the cat-trees and take himself up to the cage-tops, from which he surveyed his new territory. He likes to be by the window and to watch what’s going on outside; when he has the confidence to brave the cat-door, I suspect he will enjoy the space of the outside area.

Enjoying window time  (BC)

He loves lap-time and attention, though is still a little nervous if another cat is also on the couch. He has an adorable little chirp, and will maintain a good conversation; he likes to play both solo and interactively.  What’s his future? - there’s no knowing. The virus affects the immune system, so we are very careful about sanitizing and maintaining a clean environment. Leukemia cats do tend to have shorter lifespans, but in some cats the virus seems to go dormant, and we’ve had our share of the ones who have lived good lives in our care – plus the ones who have been adopted by cat-lovers who understand the limitations needed for FeLV living. Because he is still young and so socialized, Big Dave would probably be a candidate for the latter – but until the right big-hearted person comes along, we will love him and enjoy his irresistible company.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Kim Howe

October 2024:  We lost Big Dave  - he didn't let on he was in pain, but was discovered to have an inoperable cancer and his leukemia body had no reserves to fight it.  We miss our sweet boy...

BFFs Living Apart

Careen  (MW)

 For years, Pen 5 was the home of the bonded cats – pretty Salish and black Rudolph, siblings Adam and May, the menage a trois of Walker, Capilano and Chinook, and best girlfriends Careen and Willow. Only Adam and May remain – five others have passed over the last couple of years, and the two grey girls have gone their different ways.

Willow & Careen on Pen 5 porch    (KN)

Willow and Careen loved each other’s company. They came from different places, but each recognized a kindred spirit in the other.  For a while Willow was caged with an ear infection that affected her balance (vestibular disease) and when she recovered, she could often be found cuddling on the deck of the Pen 5 hut with Careen. She still carries her head slightly tilted - a long-term result of that condition.

The perfect way to spend and afternoon   (LBF)

But Willow has always been more of a wanderer than her buddy; Pen 5 was not her only home, and she could often be found bunking in Waldi’s hut – I suspect she liked that it was warmer.  Careen stayed around Pen 5, and enjoyed interacting with visitors at the weekend; she’s a gentle girl who likes attention and was always popular.

Willow, cosied up in Waldi's hut   (JN)

However, we began to notice that all was not well:  her fur became patchy and harsh, she put on weight, but not in a good way. Finally she was brought into the DoubleWide and caged for medical care.  Tests focused on hormonal changes, but in the end it was established that she was diabetic, and needed to join the cats who are checked regularly, and given twice-daily insulin. Because she was largely an outdoor cat, there was some discussion about transferring her to the SingleWide, to be with the other diabetic cats who live there – but in the end, it was decided that the med staff would see how well she could be managed for medication in surroundings she knew.

Careen enjoying the cage-tops   (BC)

In fact, it turned out to be unwarranted concern – having been caged in the DW, and had her initial treatments there, Careen decided that this was the place that she was most comfortable, and established herself as a regular DW cat. Occasionally the med staff have to coax her down from the cage-top to have her insulin shot, but when the latter is usually accompanied by a dish of tasty food, it didn’t take long for Careen to adapt to the new routine.

Waiting for her meds - and the tasty treats that come with them  (BC)

Sadly, it’s meant that she’s opted to remain an indoor cat, and has lost contact with Willow. And since all the tasty stuff is found there, Careen’s not got much incentive to explore outside her immediate surroundings.  Willow continues to migrate from Pen 5 to Waldi’s Hut, and enjoys interacting with volunteers and visitors in the main courtyard; she’ll often join us at coffee time for a little petting and a few tidbits, but she doesn’t venture into the DW.  As it gets warmer, the outer door is occasionally propped open, so there’s less of a barrier – I can’t help hoping that one of the pair ventures outside her immediate comfort zone and encounters her friend again, renewing a long friendship currently on hiatus.

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Farewell to Hope

Hope was a gentle presence  (MW)

There are a number of cats who have lived with us since they were feral kittens, since the days when the focus of the Sanctuary was rescue alone, and adoptions rarely happened. Many of those cats grew old with the Sanctuary as their home, and in their later years, it was considered better not to uproot them unless they clearly bonded with a specific person.

Hope was definitely one of those cats.

brother GusGus with Hope (BD)

She came to us with her family from Marpole – papa-cat was named Hudson, for the street where he was trapped. Mama was a shy feral called Joanie who was never very comfortable around people. She lived in the back courtyard, but Hudson and the three kittens were front courtyard cats.  The other two kittens were boys – shy Domino, with his striking ‘tache markings, and beautiful GusGus, who was one of my sponsor cats, and dearly loved, till he passed of feline leukemia.  

The younger Hope was a solid cat!  (MW)

Hope, in her teenage years, got into everything – she was described as the fastest cat in the Sanctuary, and you had to watch the gates when she was around. She was one of the cats who loved grass, and looked longingly at the clumps of greenery just outside the entry. All her life she had the softest fur – velvet-smooth and a pleasure to touch. But petting her was all about her timing – if she didn’t want it, you couldn’t get her up on your lap!  Luckily, as she aged, the agenda changed, and Hope went looking for laps and for petting.

with age, she became more frail,  and her eyes a darker topaz  (KN)

She always attracted the visitors, who were drawn by the big eyes and the pink nose and that plushy fur – repeat visitors would ask for her, and nervous newcomers would become cat converts under her attention. You could count on Hope for visiting days – sometimes visiting laps on the benches, sometimes holding court in the Connor.

Carly made a comfy cushion  (CT)

She was one of our more social cats. We have our share of loners, and cats who prefer to be by themselves, but Hope loved her girlfriends, Carly and Celine, and could often be found sharing a bed with them, or waiting hopefully with them for dinner to be dished up.

Dropping a hint to Celine (JR)

They will miss her, as we will

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Barbara Doduk, Melanie Draper,
Karen Nicholson, Jill Rabin, Cheryl Townsend, Michele Wright

Kiefer

Kiefer  (KN)

During a recent snuggle session with some Single-Wide buddies, we were rudely interrupted by a big black cat who decided that he wanted in on cuddling as well. 

With long-haired brother Indiana  (DW)

 Kiefer came to us about six years ago, in company with his brother Indiana.  The two were very close, initially, but on release, it was long-haired Indiana who approached volunteers and visitors for petting and attention, while Kiefer took himself out of reach. In fact, it became apparent that Indy wanted to be with people so much that someone finally stepped up and adopted him.  Kiefer didn’t show any signs of distress, but he also didn’t change his habits, and was generally to be found on one of the upper walkways on the deck – watching, but not participating.

Kiefer the loner  (KH)

In the intervening years he has largely kept himself to himself. He’s not scared or aggressive with humans, he doesn’t dislike other cats...  But he has that black-cat way of disappearing when he doesn’t want to be noticed.

Kiefer tucked away (KN)

Recently that seems to have changed. Kiefer is now down at floor-level (or on the back of the couch) more often than not, and is more confident in approaching people for the petting and attention that he used to dislike. There are some volunteers that he seems to like particularly, and he comes to investigate when they arrive. He still prefers to be on the deck – but he’s investigating the main room more frequently.

Braving a visit to the main room  (KH)

In the last year he’s even braved the crowd looking for attention from weekend visitors, and can often be found pushing his way under a caressing hand. He likes it best when someone will sit with him on the chair by the mesh, and he will weave his way from that seat to the cat-tree. Food is not a major motivator, though he’s happy to take what’s offered as long as it’s not directly from the hand; he’d rather pick it up from floor or shelf. 

Are you offering pets?   (KN)

what he wants is human attention – he’s not close with most of the other cats, and prefers to keep himself to himself. Apparently he has been caught pee-ing in the wrong places – but like some of our other “inappropriate urinators”, he may be stressed by the presence of others, and would do better on his own.

Reaching out from his favourite place on the deck
towards the back courtyard   (KN)

This is another boy who suffers somewhat from Black Cat Syndrome – it’s very easy to miss him, and he will take himself out of sight when he’s not sure about the company.  But for lovers of house-panthers, I think Kiefer would be a winner, now that he’s feeling braver.  Come and meet him!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Kim Howe, Karen Nicholson, Debbie Wolanski

April 21 - How quickly things change...  Cats hide their physical problems so well that by the time they show up, it's too late to do anything.  Finding a few lumps on Kiefer  led to a check that showed him riddled with cancer.  Rest well, sweet boy...