rrrrrrrRoot Beer!

Root Beer (KH)

At the Sanctuary we have our share of cats who prefer not to interact with other felines – mostly the ones I call the Garbo cats (“I vant to be alone....)  This boy takes the preference to an extreme.

watching for approaching cats  (BC)

Lots of people are still not aware of the feral cat problem in many places. In Richmond, we were blessed by Carol Reichert’s original vision and the enormous amount of hard work that went on across the turn of the century to get the feral population under control. Every now and then there is a flare-up when careless owners let their cats stray, or uncaring people dump unwanted pets. When we are made aware of a colony, our trapping team goes to work, the cats come into our care, and if it is possible to tame them, they will find homes – otherwise, they join the Sanctuary cats. One of our great blessings is that because Richmond is an island, we don’t get feral colonies migrating from other places.

Cooling it in the gazebo  (CN)

Elsewhere the story is different. Surrey and Langley have a lot of feral cats, and a lot of semi-developed or agricultural land where colonies can grow. One female cat could have as many as 20,000 descendants in five years – if she has kittens every time she comes into heat – if all her kittens survive and go on to reproduce. That’s possible but not probable. Many kittens don’t survive to adulthood, and many adults die from starvation, disease, abuse, accidents or as victims of predators. For the local rescues it’s like damming a river; they get a colony TNR’d and under control – and another one pops up.

On guard by the gate;  warning visitors to abandon hope....  (KH)

The Fraser Valley cat rescuers are doing amazing work, but what they need (in addition to what every rescue wants: financial support and more educational awareness) is an ability to expand a barn-cat program; to have somewhere safe to relocate TNR’d cats to live out their feral lives in relative safety. In a barn-cat program, the cats still live in some peril from predators, but they have food and shelter, and someone to oversee their needs.

I dare you to come closer...  (BC)

Root Beer was a Surrey cat, found wearing a harness, so we know that he has had a home somewhere. He went to Surrey Animal Rescue Centre (SARC), and they advertised his presence, thinking that his owners would claim him. No contact.... and no joy from this handsome cat, who was NOT happy about being confined, and behaved very aggressively, so that nobody would adopt him. SARC did their best with him, but they are Surrey Animal Control, and not a no-kill organization like ours, nor do they have a barn-cat program. Luckily for Root Beer, they recognized that he had limited options, and they contacted RAPS to see if we would take him in. He arrived with us in April.

The bench by the big litterbox is a favourite perch  (BC)

He reminded me immediately of Big Dave, who also had limited options, as a FeLV+ cat, and who now lives in our Leukemia pen. Root Beer is a lighter tabby – almost golden when the light is right – with beautiful spotted/striped markings.  He was placed in one of the largest cages we have, in the Hill House and given time to decompress.

If there are no other cats around, he loves solo play  (KH)

We don’t like cages, but they’re necessary. Cats who need medical care or monitoring are not always cooperative about treatment or medication, and especially if they’re one of many little black cats, have to be confined in order to be sure that the right cat gets the right dose. Cats who are new to the Sanctuary have to be caged for us to be sure they have all the right vaccines, and to give them time to get used to the surroundings. Often a cat will be aggressive and reactive in a cage - like Eddie, who hissed and swatted – and then saunter out when the door is opened, and settle down easily.

This is MY corner - stay away!  (BC)

Not our Root Beer.  He let us know from the beginning that he did not like this hotel, he did not want to be disturbed, the menu was not up to snuff, the company was beneath him....  And when the door was opened, he went out into the courtyard and told us all over again.  Like Sam, his biggest problem is with other cats (“Stop looking at me!...”) and even a casual walk-past from our friendlier cats is an occasion for growling and swearing and lunging – though rarely a real attack. When Root Beer is feeling persecuted, even humans are persona non grata. He has adopted a bed on the Hill House porch as his own, and will allow a little communication if he’s in a receptive mood, and if no other cats come close; he has a VERY large bubble that defines his personal space. I am told that he has allowed touch and conversation and treats with the right people – I am not one of them!

A rare moment of relaxation and comfort  (KN)

Poor boy – he’s still coming to terms with life at the Sanctuary. But having watched other reactive cats, like Cuddles, gradually mellowing, we know that we can give him all the time he needs to adjust to a new home with us.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Kim Howe, Karen Nicholson, Caitlin Norman