Kamloops Catz 1: The Bonded Ones

Some of the Kamloops Crew  (LBF)

In 2021 we heard of a farm colony of cats near Kamloops who were threatened with eviction and/or eradication....   Sammy’s Forgotten Felines contacted us to ask, “If we trap them, can you take them?”, and Operation Kamloops was on!  

Creamsicle (MW)

Many of the smaller rescues around the province simply don’t have the resources to deal with a large number of cats at one time. Sammy’s works most often with fostering, but finding fosters for a whole colony of ferals is a big ask. A few of the cats found temporary or longer-term homes, but the initial group that was driven down from Kamloops numbered about seventeen – and many of them were orange!

Chaga  (KN)

They have appeared occasionally in this blog over the last four years – they are very photogenic, and they tend to travel together like a shoal of goldfish.  But I decided it was more than time to introduce a few of them in more detail. I needed to enlist staff help with identification – like many of the volunteers, I’m guilty of grouping “the orange cats” together, and there are several little tabbies I still struggle with identifying.  Over the next four weeks, I’m going to try to introduce the whole family.

Chaga, Chamomile, Creamsicle  (JS)

Though they tend to move around together, there are clearly two sub-groups of bonded cats.  The first is visually very obvious; pretty grey Chamomile always draws the eye, and she can usually be found either cuddling with or interacting with her buddies Chaga and Creamsicle.

Chamomile  (MW)

Chamomile looks very much like the other long-haired cats in the colony except for her colouring which is not a plain grey, but shows a lovely variety of dark and light patterns with the tabby facial markings. Chaga is a very dark brown rather than black, and slightly more pointed in face than many of the other nearby black cats. Creamsicle lives up to her name with her ice-cream bib setting off her orange fur.

Chamomile & Chaga (LBF)

The three of them – or any combination thereof – are nearly always found together. They like the table bed in the TeaRoom, and are ready to allow a little gentle contact with humans, though it’s important to read their body language, and back off when it’s a don’t-touch-me day.  They also like the courtyard crossroads, and can often be found on the ground there, showing off to visitors, and doing a lot of rub-and-snuggle with each other. They actually seem to be more comfortable with ground contact, and will interact with visitors who can show patience and gentleness.

Cheddar & Kelvin (KN)

If you find a long-haired and a short-haired cat together, the pair is usually Cheddar and Kelvin. Both belong to the “you may look, but not touch” school of thought, and love to find a tight space that they can snuggle in – one of the shelf cubbies; a basket on the counter-top; a chair on the deck of a cabin. Kelvin is braver than his short-haired brother Billy, and will allow a little contact, but he prefers Cheddar to be his comforter.

Kelvin & Cheddar  (LBF)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Karen Nicholson, Justin Saint, Michele Wright

Next week: More orange cats from Kamloops

Kamloops Catz 3: Blondes Have More Fun

Goldie  (KN)

There used to be a fallacy that most orange cats were male. We now know that that percentage is considerably less – usually cited as 80% - and I would venture to say that at the Sanctuary it’s even less than that.  The gene for orange coloration is linked to the X chromosome, and males only need one copy of the gene to be orange, while females need two. Having said that, it’s clear that in some colonies, the genetic odds for orange females are much higher, and that’s certainly the case with the Kamloops colony.  

Rapunzel & Buffy  (BC)

It may not be immediately obvious, through, because some of our orange females are so pale in colour that “orange” is not the word that leaps to mind.

Buffy  (LBF)

Buffy is the darkest of these – the same sort of colour as the late Pumpkin and Walker, who I tend to describe as “champagne”.  Goldie and Rapunzel are paler still.  These three little girls prefer to base themselves out of Pen 5; when the others migrate back to the TeaRoom for winter warmth, the blondes prefer to add their body warmth to the cosy Pen 5 cabin, sharing with Adam, May and Walker, as well as with some of their non-orange family.

Rapunzel  (KN)

Buffy and Goldie are both still very shy; they will allow themselves to be watched, and are sometimes interested in wand toy play, but they would prefer to be left alone. You can sometimes pat Buffy, if you can do so without letting her see the hand; once the petting has started, she will allow herself to enjoy it for a bit, and then scoot away. Goldie is a don’t-touch-me girl. She and Rapunzel look very similar, but one step towards them will tell you which is which - Goldie backs away quickly but her buddy is a little braver. Rapunzel sports a white bib with her blond fur, and she is the only one of the three who will approach humans to solicit attention.  When she’s in the mood, she’s a total flirt – with weekend visitors as well as with volunteers.

Daffodil   (KN)

A fourth light orange cat called Daffodil is technically part of this group; she came from the original colony and was fostered in Kamloops, but it was decided that she might do better with access to her family. In fact, she has never merged back with them; she prefers to remain in the Newcomers area, and sometimes wanders over to the DoubleWide, but she never seemed to recognize the others at all, and has made her own “family” with her Newcomers buddies. That family has been hit by the passing of Pumpkin, who Daffodil loved – we’ll see who she might bond with when her mourning is over.

Daffodil  (KN)

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Next week: Not orange!

Creampuff & Malibu

Siblings Creampuff & Malibu  (JS)

These two gorgeous floofs were part of a trapped group from Surrey in the fall of 2023 – a situation that was partly hoarding, partly a badly-maintained colony.  Many of the cats were semi-socialized – not so much that they could be scooped up, but not so fearful that they refused to enter well-baited traps. And several other rescues were involved in the project, so that nobody was overwhelmed by numbers.

Creampuff when she arrived (AM)

Looking at these two, it’s very likely that they are siblings, though they’re not strongly bonded. Initially Creampuff was caged in the Connor building, as was orange Cornbread;  the two of them could often be seen together on the north side of the courtyard. Malibu was a Hill House cat;  I suspect the two of them were separated because neither had been spayed/neutered, and by the time they re-encountered each other, they’d forgotten family ties.  

Malibu's markings were clearer when he was young  (AM)

At first glance they’re pretty well identical – Malibu’s ears are a little more orange, and he has white markings on his face, where Creampuff’s fur is more even.  Currently it’s easier to distinguish them;  like many of the semi-feral cats, they dislike being groomed, especially given the mats that are common in long-haired cats, and they were among the first customers that Gracelyn tackled in the salon-project.  

Malibu's lion-tail is furring out again  (BC)

Unlike Alfie, who had a complete lion-cut, these two just had a remedial cut, zeroing in on the specific problems.  Their shaved patches are in different places, and the most useful identifier is that Malibu now has a lion-tail, down to the little tuft at the end, while Creampuff still sports her beautiful plume.

Creampuff enjoys lounging on a high shelf  (BC)

Weekend visitors are always struck by these two, and we are often asked about their adoptability. They still fall in the semi-feral category, which ranges through a spectrum from “look, but don’t touch!” to “pet me, pet me!”.  Neither one of the pair comes looking for petting; they will tolerate it for a while, but they’d rather not have much contact. As cats that have lived wild, their bathroom habits are erratic; some cats settle to using litter-boxes easily, but from the mess around the courtyard in the mornings, it is clear that some do not. We could probably have adopted out orange Cornbread, but she is definitely not bathroom-trained!

Malibu  (KN)

So until either cat demonstrates a strong bond to a human, AND is seen to be a consistent litter-box user, they remain on the unadoptable list – they get to enjoy life in the front courtyard with their feline buddies, and we get to admire their beauty.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Anne Marchetti, Karen Nicholson, Justin Saint

Anya

 This week’s blog is brought to you by our Kitty Comforter Coordinator, Anne Marchetti – thank you, Anne!

Anya  (KN)

I've always felt a little excited when a new cat arrives at the Sanctuary bearing the name of a friend or relative I know. Given that a large number of cats coming to the Sanctuary are usually feral or unsocialized, however, rarely does the cat's personality match that of the human. 

Anya spread  (AM)

My given name is very plain (“Anne”) and I had little hope a cat would ever bear my name. I am of Ukrainian descent and growing up my family would often call me “Anushka” (my mother told me it meant “little Anne” but Google tells me otherwise) or “Anya”. So when a feral cat named Anya arrived in late 2022 with her sisters, Bagheera and Gwen, I was thrilled and looked forward to befriending her. The feeling, however, was not mutual and despite my best efforts Anya spurned my advances and wanted nothing to do with me. This relationship continued until she was eventually released into Pen #7 which is a small pen of mainly feral cats, most of whom still need regular medical attention.  Her sisters have blossomed; Bagheera was adopted by former RAPS volunteer Mel (along with Scooter and Owen), and there's now a human baby sister to purr to.  Gwen has not given up grumping at other cats, but is doing really well in her contacts with people, flirting with visitors at the weekend.

Early suspicion: stay out of my space!  (KN)

Initially, Anya was very unhappy in her new location; she aggressively rejected all human contact, shunned feline companionship and sandwiched herself in a tight carpeted cat enclosure. She's effectively tail-less, but we don't think she actually suffers from Manx syndrome; however, not being one to indulge in self-care, her preferred hiding place very quickly became filthy and smelly, as did she. Her anxiety was obvious to all so she was given a short course of anti-anxiety meds and since her cat enclosure was now a health hazard, it was removed and destroyed. She took up residence in another outdoor cat bed where she and her bedding were more easily accessible for cleaning. 

The Anya rump (AM)

I visited her regularly, much to her chagrin, but she tolerated me since I always arrived bearing her favourite creamy tube treats. When working with cats like Anya, it's always “two steps forward, one step back”, and that's if you're lucky. I jokingly told the other Kitty Comforters that Anya must have been a nurse in a previous life because every time she lashed out at me with her razor-sharp claws, she managed to find a vein (and I would bleed and bleed...). Over time and with regular visits from Kitty Comforters who patiently worked with her, she eventually learned to trust humans. 

Any treats for me?  (AM)

She is a completely different cat now, although she still looks like a tubby little black bear with her thick fur and nub of a tail. I look forward to our weekly visits and I think she does too - when she hears my voice in the courtyard, she comes up to the locked gate and waits for me to enter. She prances on the spot and purrs when she's happy and enjoys lots of petting. 

A more confident outlook on the world.  (KN)

I overhear many people say that she's sweet (that certainly would not have been the word to describe her even a year ago!). It warms my heart when I see her having friendly interactions with other volunteers, no more fear and anxiety for her. And now I can say I'm friends with a cat who bears my (nick)name. I adore her, but if I'm honest, I'd love her no matter what she was called.

Blog by Anne Marchetti

Photos by Anne Marchetti and Karen Nicholson

The Hotel Cats

Westin waiting to be noticed  (KN)

In the couple of months before the RAPS rescue team tackled the Newton Hoard, which was the topic of last week’s blog, they were focused on the problems of two other colonies, not far away, but totally unrelated to the Newton cats.

Wyndham is little suspicious  (BC)

Colonies develop because cats are, in their own way, social animals. They may not have a pecking order; there is rarely an established alpha male, though there may well be a matriarch, but they feel safer together, and female cats will sometimes cooperate in kitten-care. A colony may be all-feral, usually the progeny of a few cats, interbreeding, and if they’re lucky, extending through generations (though the survival rate of kittens is usually poor). They may be strays, encountering each other and deciding that being together is better than being alone. Or they may be dumped cats – those whose owners don’t want to surrender them formally, and just leave them where they see other strays.

A suspicious Westin in the wild - not yet ready to be trapped (LBF)

Lisa and Ken found this colony in December near a Surrey bus stop and named them the Commuter Colony.  They were living in unsafe conditions – there was traffic around and several cats had already lost their lives to cars. They were wary – they already knew that life was dangerous, and no matter how often traps were set, the most savvy of the cats avoided them.  It is rarely safe to just set a trap and leave altogether; the trapper needs to wait just out of sight so that they can run in and cover the trapped cat, who will usually calm down somewhat when in darkness. And the team was dealing with the worst of winter weather – rain and snow and ice – not comfortable for either humans or cats.

Learning that being outside can be good!  (HM)

Over a period of weeks, often one cat at a time, Lisa and Ken trapped 14 cats from the colony. Some have required medical attention, none have been happy campers. Fosters stepped in to take those who needed extra care – Lisa has a youngster who is recovering.  Because of the Newton hoarding situation, further trapping needed to be put on hold while RAPS dealt with the immediate crisis, but Lisa and Ken have continued to feed the remaining cats – there are probably about six or so, and they will be brought in as soon as we have space for them.

Handsome Westin (BC)

Naming, in this case, was the trappers’ privilege, and they followed two lines. The first was topological – Mountain, Plateau, Volcano and so on. The other was hotels: Kimpton, Sheraton, Westin, Wyndham... Sheraton is remaining in Lisa’s care and will bloom as one of a large foster-family. Kimpton is still caged, and I will hold off profiling him till he’s out. He is one of what’s known as the popcorn cats – very hissy/spitty!  Hampton has been adopted, as have the other two youngsters, Ramada and Ridge who are now happily living with former RAPS volunteer Claire Fossey. My current obsession is the other two boys, Westin and Wyndham.

Treats?  (KN)

Mmmmm....  (KN)

Westin, a solid tabby boy, was caged in the Hill House, and was not happy about it. We are always careful to give new caged cats places to hide, and we try not to take those hiding places from them.  Sometimes a caged cat will emerge all by themselves, but Westin took full advantage of drapes and dark shelves, and though he would sometimes react to a play wand, he did NOT want to come out.  When his door was finally opened, he did what most Hill House cats do, and moved next door into the Old Rabbit Area.  All our areas have shelves and comfy beds, but in the ORA, all the shelves are draped all the time – very comforting for cats who don’t want to be seen.

Westin happily relaxing  (BC)

At least once a week, I try to go and sit in the ORA for a while – usually with treats, because a little bribery never hurts. And among the hopefuls emerging for handouts was this handsome boy I didn’t initially recognise – never having seen him when he wasn’t hiding in a dark corner. He actually wasn’t that interested in food – what he wanted was a little attention, initially just gentle petting, and then he indulged in some enthusiastic leg-rubs.  Since then, Westin has become braver and braver, exploring the range of the courtyard, and establishing his favourite places and people. He seems to recognize my voice, because he will often come and find me, and will occasionally do a little lap-sitting.

Wyndham preferred to stay out of reach  (KN)

In the New Aids pen, Siamese-mix Wyndham followed a similar path – staying out of sight at the back of his cage while he was in his initial neuter/vaccinate/assimilate period, and then on release, climbing to the cage-tops and the upper runs to avoid contact.  But like Westin, it didn’t actually last long;  we have some wonderful New Aids volunteers, and in no time at all Wyndham was making friends – human ones, at least – he’s still a little wary with the other cats. The Siamese runs clear in him, but he’s obviously got other genes – he’s long-haired in a shaggy sort of way, and has the same chunky body as Westin.

Like Westin, Wyndham loves leg-rubs  (HM)

There’s no question in my mind that these two boys are probably strays rather than ferals. We don’t know why they’re strays – did they escape? were they dumped? - but they obviously recognize that humans mean them no harm (Lisa is a little miffed that Westin thinks she’s a Scary Person because she trapped him!).  Right now they’re listed as non-adoptable, but given time to settle into Sanctuary life, they could well join the roster of adoptable cats. Yes, Wyndham is FIV+, but that’s not a barrier to the possibility of a long life in a loving home.

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Rescue is not a Fast Process

Plantain, Tomatillo and Oxford  (KN)

Anyone who has followed activities at RAPS in the last couple of months is aware of the difficult situation our rescue team encountered at a home where there were too many cats, a totally inadequate living situation, lack of spay/neuter, and toxic chemical hazard.  I won’t go into it in detail – you can find it on the RAPS website HERE and HERE.

Bartlett is not happy with human contact  (KN)

Rescue is not a single event, important as that rescue day was, though.  Between the RAPS Hospital, the Adoption Centre, the Sanctuary and a dedicated team of fosterers, places had to be found for all the cats. Some have needed medical attention; all have needed spays and neuters, and cage space has been at a premium as they recover.  At the Sanctuary, the back of the SingleWide was turned into a Ward for quiet recovery; other cats were placed in single cages as available. As the patients recover from surgery, they have been transferred into Pen 6 to rediscover the feeling of being a colony, and to get to know the humans who are now part of their lives.

Opal  (KN)

Pen 6 has historically been a pen of transition into Sanctuary life; it held the cats who came from a closing shelter on the Sunshine Coast in 2016; it held the Candy Cats from Coquitlam in 2017; it held the McLeod cats who were a local out-of-control feral colony in 2019; and it held the mostly orange colony evicted from their farm home near Kamloops in 2021. It’s a bit small for all our hoarded 2025 refugees, but we hope that the ones who are open to contact with us may tame enough to be transferred to the Adoption Centre, and we will work on making space in other pens.

Bronx is venturing out  (KN)

Most of them are white with orange or blond markings; there are a few tabbies. Now that some of them are starting to settle, the Kitty Comforters are going in and spending time with them, showing them with tidbits and play and calming music that they’re in a good place, and all will be well. These are all unsocialized cats, so it’s a joy when we discover that one cat is responding to advances, and likes contact and play.

Tomatillo relaxed and happy  (KN)

As cats were trapped and sorted during the actual rescue, the rescue team gave them food names – starting with a whole lot of apple and pear varieties, and then moving on to grapes and other more unusual foods.  Our brave little would-be tame cat is called Tomatillo; another began as Muscat (grape) which transformed to Muskat, which has become Muskrat!

Muskrat has just moved to Pen 6  (KN)

Medical records show pictures of terrified cats – nobody looks their best when they’re scared, after all – and staff member Karen, who is also one of our best cat whisperers, has been spending calm time with them and also getting some really good pictures of Newton cats who are beginning to feel more comfortable with life, as they recover from burns and chemical fumes. They may always show marks on their bodies, or through their neurological systems, but now they have good food and clean water, safe places to curl up and room to climb and play, and the potential to learn trust and perhaps eventually go to safe homes of their own.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Karen Nicholson

Cool, if not Classy

Mats necessitated a full body shave for Betsy

 

Betsy at her most beautiful - before she got matted

The Cat Sanctuary lies about as far north as it’s reasonable to consider placing a largely outdoor facility for felines.  Cats like their comfort, and most of them don’t care much for rain and wind and snow – and the rain and wind is something that we do quite well in BC winters, so cats and humans alike look forward with great anticipation to warm spring days.  Unfortunately, part of getting through cold weather, for cats, consists in growing more fur, and for some unfortunate felines, that means matting!

Kenji was not cooperative about having his much-needed haircut!

We see mats suddenly becoming more obvious in the spring, when shedding undercoats may be affected by humidity, and the hairs refuse to shed, clumping together.  This happens particularly in some of the long-haired cats, but short-haired cats can mat as well. The interesting thing is that one long-haired cat may have no problems at all, while another is a furry disaster – in the Front Courtyard Caleb remains fluffy and elegant, while Kenji is a mess (even after his haircut!)

At least Baker's back-shave is pretty smooth

Sometimes matting is a factor in feline shape – many cats will twist themselves into yoga-like postures to groom themselves, but when you’re a little on the tubby side, those contortions are just not possible.  Poor Baker is short-haired, but his stocky body meant that not only did he need a sanitary cut, so that he wasn’t walking around with a dirty bum, but he actually needed most of his back fur trimmed. Fortunately, he was due for dental surgery, and the vets did a very thorough shave job on him while he was fully sedated.

Adam & May just got spot-trims
- they look a little tattered, but the mats are gone.

With the elderly cats who are matting, we tend not to do more than make sure they are comfortable; if a mat is pulling on the skin it is removed, but otherwise, we don’t want to stress them more than strictly necessary. Some of them like being groomed; others prefer that the grooming is gentle and soothing, with a soft brush, rather than using any sort of de-shedding tool.  Volunteers are asked not to try and cut mats out – it’s too easy to damage fragile skin – but to report bad ones to the med staff.

Smithy managed to get his own mat off

The problem with mats is that they do pull on the cat’s skin, and if not spotted and removed, they can be quite painful or uncomfortable in the way they hang.  But simultaneously, we have to deal with the fact that we’re often talking about feral cats who resist human touch, let alone any attempt to groom them. In order to deal with fur problems, the cat may have to be netted and given sedation, and we have to balance that trauma against their grooming needs. When Hissy Smithy gets a big mat, we will sometimes just watch him, and see if he can get rid of it himself – and quite often someone will report finding “Smithy’s beardy bit” lying in the courtyard, without us having to intervene at all.

Bailey LOVES her haircut;
she rolls and wiggles, enjoying freedom of movement.

If the cat is handleable, there is generally someone who will take time with grooming tools to prevent most of the problems. But with so many of our cats being feral, or at the “you may look at me, but not touch” end of the spectrum, a list develops as the warmer weather approaches, and the med staff get to work. This spring, this has been particularly true of the group who came in from the Kootenays three years ago: the three little Himalayans, Betsy, Cleo and Zoe, and their larger companions Basil and Bailey. All of them have needed salon care; none of them are entirely comfortable with being handled by humans.

Cleo had a saddle trim to remove specific mats; the rest of her fur was fine!

It’s not a good idea to give full sedation to a cat without a really good reason – like necessary surgery – and most of the cats who need shaving get their haircuts while a little zoned out on gabapentin. And because this affects different cats to different degrees, some of the haircuts are a little erratic!  Some will receive a full shave, lion-cut style, given at the hospital – with others, just the mats are cut out and the remaining fur covers the gaps.  Some of them are obviously embarrassed by their sudden nakedness; others love feeling free to move without discomfort.  

Alfie always mats badly, and needs a lion-cut

With the tamer cats, we can take the opportunity to do some gentle brushing of the new short coats, reminding them how good it can feel. If they get out of the habit of grooming themselves, or refuse to allow it, the haircuts have to happen all over again next year!

Blog & photos by Brigid Coult