A Touch of Tortitude

With more than 400 cats around the Sanctuary, there’s an immense variety of types and colours. Tabbies of various kinds predominate, but there are many other coats to be seen. The majority of our orange cats are male, but we do have half a dozen orange females. The orange coat is a genetic trait that occurs through the male X chromosome, and a female cat with orange fur has to have been sired by a male orange, through the mother may be of any colour. This is also true for tortoiseshells and calicos, both of which are almost exclusively female. In both cases the gene for the orange colouring is modified by the gene for black or for white fur.

Alyssa - Lulu - Vienna - PengPeng - Sophie

We probably have more than a dozen torties, a few of whom are shown above.  Anyone who has ever been owned by a tortie will tell you that they have tons of personality – we call it “tortietude”. They tend to be assertive about their rights, possessive of their territory, feisty and somewhat unpredictable.

Treacle - BC

Nobody at the Sanctuary sums that up better than Treacle. A little stiff-legged girl (probably a little arthritic), Treacle has claimed the Hill House as her space, and once she’s found her bed, she does NOT want to be bothered by other cats!  She loves humans – she’s one of the cats you can pick up and snuggle, and she adores it – but when there are front courtyard spats, it’s usually because Treacle is laying down the law. 

Treacle - MW

She’s what’s known as a chocolate tortie, with a lot of black in her fur colouring. Treacle carries her “my space” bubble around with her, and woe betide the cat that ventures into it.

In a totally different vein is Nelly, a dilute tortie, found in the DoubleWide. She was the long-term girlfriend of our dearly loved Mario, and has never really recovered from his death – one gets the feeling she’s still looking for him. Nelly’s territory is the top of the cages, from which she stares down with the slightly horrified expression of the typical feral.

Nelly - MW

But progress is being made – though she still won’t allow herself to be touched, she will now accept treats, and occasionally comes down to join the crowd outside the med-cage.

Nelly - BC

As you leave the DoubleWide, you will encounter a tortie who exemplifies tortietude.

 

Emily - MW

Emily takes territory to an extreme. For months she hung out on a cat-tree just outside the tea-room. Then she was slated for some dental work and caged while she recovered. Once the cage was open and Emily was free to go, she decided that this was her new territory, and refused to leave. It took months before she decided that there were too many cats encroaching on her territory, and she needed to claim something more her own. Now she’s moved to the shelf just outside the DoubleWide, where she demands attention as we come and go.

Emily - PH

Now that the weather is warming a bit, Emily can once more be found outside the tea-room – especially if there’s chicken on offer – but she’s back on her shelf for the evening, and waiting to have her own special dinner delivered.

Daisy - MW

We can’t leave the torties without mentioning Daisy. She also has personality to an extreme degree – like, 180 degrees away from Treacle. Daisy has never met someone who isn’t her friend. She probably has a chromosomal disorder something like Down Syndrome (cats only have 38 chromasomes, so true Down Syndrome, which is a disorder of the 21st chromosomal pair, is not possible). We regularly have Sunday visitors who arrive asking, “Where’s Daisy?” and both cat and human enjoy snuggles; Daisy is one of the few Sanctuary cats who is relaxed when cradled like a baby.  As a feral cat, Daisy’s chances would have been poor. We feel that she’s a poster girl for the Sanctuary.

Daisy - MW

 

Blog by Brigid Coult

Pictures by Brigid Coult, Phaedra Hardman, Michele Wright

Leukemia Losses

We lost Kojak this week.

Kojak - by Carol

This sweet boy has been a resident of the Old Aids area, where many of our leukemia cats live, since early 2013.  In that time he progressed from a scared, angry cat to one who would occasionally hop up into a lap – especially if chicken was on offer. We got to know his anxious little cries as he anticipated food being given out. He was loved by many volunteers – Carol, whose photo this is, Alice, Candy, Allison…  He was one of my own sponsor cats.

by Brigid

Feline leukemia affects the immune system, and cats carrying it have less resistance to infections – hence our emphasis on washing/sanitizing before handling them. It’s not to protect us – leukemia can’t be  transmitted to or through humans – it’s to protect them from something carried in from handling another cat.

by Michele

Kojak’s been unwell in the last few weeks, showing cold symptoms; he was caged for extra care, and a lot of loving from his human friends and the Kitty Comforters. But, as is typical with leukemia cats, his system just said “enough!” and shut down on him.  We know it can happen any time – we give them all the love we can, because we never know how long we can keep them.

As I lay in bed that night, having a little weep, I found myself naming the leukemia cats of Old Aids that I have loved and lost, and imagining them welcoming Kojak among them:  Aurora, Spot, Bella, Jeremy, Jasper, Panther, Bingo, Bobby, Frieda, Blue, Jessie, Butterbean, Bubba, Brady, Sabrina, Jackson, Max, Todd, Raven and probably many others.... I’ve included some of their previously unpublished photos here, and links where profiles have been featured.

Bella - by Phaedra

 Frieda - by Claire

Jackson - looking for handouts

Jessie - by Michele 

Blue & Sabrina - by Michele

 Aurora - by Michele

Bubba & Brady - by Debbie

We have them to love for all too short a time – but heaven wouldn’t be heaven without cats, and I’m sure these will all be waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Phaedra Hardman, Carol Porteous,

Debbie Wolanski & Michele Wright

Footnote: As you will see from the initial Kojak blog, he was one of the cats that found us; he was trapped in our own parking lot, and as was traditional for cats like this, named for a fictional detective.

On the day Kojak died, another cat was found and trapped in the parking lot. He has been named Watson (for Sherlock Holmes' sidekick). I'd like to think that Kojak's spirit had something to do with a homeless cat finding a new home with us.



Be My Kitty Valentine

Every new cat in the Sanctuary is spayed or neutered (speutered) before being released into the general population. There will be no kittens born here!
That being said, there is much to be argued in the theory that love, in cats as in humans, has very little to do with the reproductive organs.  I wrote a couple of weeks ago about some of the “just good friends” who can often be found nose-to-nose. This week’s cats, however, go beyond “just good friends”; these are cats who are deeply bonded, and who are frequently found in each other’s company – twining tails, mutually grooming, and cuddled together in a box or a basket.

Adam & May - BC

These two beauties in Pen 5 came to us from the 5 Road Shelter when it was over-running with kittens a few years ago. They would be wonderful companions in a quiet home – but they would need to go together.

Sara Lee & Kiddie - DW

Both Sara Lee and Kiddie came here with siblings, but they are much more interested in each other. They are often found just inside the door of the double-wide.

Sarah Paylan & Presley - DW

This is a new romance in the single-wide. The newly-named Sarah Paylan has taken up with shy Presley; we hope she can get him to be more outgoing.

Jax & Eleanor - MW

These two devoted lady-cats live in the single-wide

Marilee & Little Orange  DW

Feral little Marilee is still reluctant to be touched by human hands – but when cuddling with her protector, Little Orange, she’s much more relaxed

Spike & Princess - DW

These two sweeties can frequently be found nestled together on the shelf just outside the med-cage.

Sid & Pancake - BC

Feline "bromance" is alive and well.  When Sid was recently caged for healing from dental treatment, Pancake was so unhappy to be apart from his buddy that we finally caged them together.

Cloverleaf & Daniel - BC

On the feral side of the front courtyard these two handsome boys are often a pair; Daniel (named for Daniel Sedin) is friendly; Cloverleaf is still fairly wary of people.

Dell & Gregory - BC

The formerly ferocious Dell is now the complete lap-cat in his own safe sanctuary pen. He is rarely seen without his sidekick Gregory, and when a lap is offered, they both want to be on it simultaneously.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Pictures by Brigid Coult, Debbie Wolanski and Michele Wright

Family Day at the Sanctuary

Though most of the Sanctuary cats have come in as singles – whether feral-trapped or as surrenders, we have our share of feline family relationships. Some of them have recently been featured – the “Cow Cats” – Mya, Kirstie and Teagan – are now out of a cage and hanging about in the upper reaches of the single-wide trailer. They’re unlikely ever to be very tame cats, though both Teagan and Kirstie will accept a little attention, but they still enjoy each other’s company. However many of our siblings largely ignore each other, and it’s rare that you find them together, so most of the upcoming pictures are of singles rather than pairs.  Claire introduced shy Tricia nearly five years ago and updated us on her progress back in 2013. Tricia is currently caged for a mouth infection, and actively solicits petting when visited – big progress from the shy girl she used to be.

Tricia - CF

Now we need to get working on her little sister Tara. Tara has been almost exclusively a back-pens cat – a little ghost who hovers around pen 1, but doesn’t want much to do with people. She was recently confined to treat what looks like an inner ear problem, and though still wary of being touched, is watching everything that’s going on. Having a cat caged, and accessible to the staff and the kitty comforters, is often a really good way of coaxing them into the next stage of being tamed.

Tara - BC

The last of our Val Jones family, Paulo and Latte hang out together in the front courtyard – but their togetherness is probably less about affection and more about a common goal of food and attention from humans!

Paulo & Latte - PH

Brother and sister Miller and Fiona also live in the front courtyard. Though they mostly live independent lives, we can occasionally catch them together.  Fiona’s usually a very friendly girl, though she doesn’t think much of Sunday visitors – she has a talent for hiding herself away until 4:10pm, when she emerges with an air of “did I miss something?”. Miller has progressed from being pretty feral to being everyone’s pal, and loves attention. The third of the trio is their sister Schatze (whose middle name should have been Houdini). Schatze lived in the parking lot until recently – she had a gift for escaping (though we never knew quite how). The nearby presence of coyotes encouraged us to bring her to pen 4 which is totally meshed in, and she’s stayed there – she was pretty miffed at first, but has now progressed to living in the hut with some of the other cats.

Fiona & Miller - DW

Schatze - MW

Families can be adoptive as well as blood relatives – and that’s true of the Dryer Gang: the first cats you encounter on entering the single-wide. They are centred on Simone and Bantam, who we used to think were brother and sister, but according to the vet, Simone is older than Bantam, and may well be his mom – even though he’s twice her size.  The other cats are unrelated – they all just love each other!

The Dryer Gang - MW

The single-wide is also the home of some of our maternal relationships:  tortie Sophie and her tabby son Hiro; Diamond and momma’s boy Garfield.

Hiro & Sophie - MW

Diamond & Garfield - DW

And a third maternal relationship which we thought was wheezy Marissa and her orange son Paylan,  has now been revealed to be mother/daughter (rechristened Sarah Paylan) – we should know by now that though orange cats are usually males, we have our share of the female variety.

Marissa & Sarah Paylan - DW

Happy Family Day!

Blog by Brigid Coult
Photos by Brigid Coult, Claire Fossey, Phaedra Hardman, Debbie Wolanski and Michele Wright

Just good friends

Just as with people, there are extroverts and introverts in the cat world; cats who love company and those who hate it. I introduced some of the “I vant to be alone” cats in the Garbo Cats blog, and more of the devoted couples in the Valentines blog.  Today’s blog introduces some of the front courtyard cats that can often be found together.  They’re not bonded pairs, like Diamond and Garfield, or Adam and May. But they are cats who can often be found sharing a bench or a bed; cats who obviously feel easy in each other’s company.

Little Orange - MW

Little Orange (I don’t know if there was ever a Big Orange) is a friendly boy with a crumpled ear, and the softest coat of fur. On Sundays he anxiously waits for Allison to arrive, and has just started venturing onto her lap. He’s a calm cat, and obviously attracts more skittish friends; he’s a particular favourite of wee Marilee, who is more open to being touched by human hands when she’s cuddling with him. 

Sylvester - anticipating treats! - ML

Sylvester used to be a very shy boy and is gradually coming to realise that nobody will harm him; he has started to join the crowd at the gates, and is a big fan of Temptations (but not of chicken or tuna). He’s not progressed to laps yet, but leg-rubbing is a favourite. This Sylvester is not to be confused with a much larger cat of the same name who used to live in the Moore House (Gericatrics)

Sylvester & Little Orange hanging out together - MW

Spencer - MW

Spencer is another cat who’s still quite shy, though he’s lived with us for some time. He has a hard time when food is being handed out; he doesn’t like to take tidbits from fingers, and when you put a treat down in front of him, someone more determined (usually Jake) often pushes in to get it.

Lancelot sitting on Puffin's favourite perch - BC

His buddy Lancelot is a relative newcomer, and is also shy; he suffers somewhat from Black Cat syndrome in spite of his magnificent coat – he’s sometimes confused with Cooper in the Connor, and since she is a Nasty Cat, I think people are wary of Lancelot.  He tends to hang out in the area just outside the single-wide, which is often missed by visitors, and he’s often found sharing the papasan chair with Spencer.


Lancelot & Spencer - BC

Gilbert - MW

Gilbert is a quiet sweet boy who is one of my own favourites – and of several other volunteers as well. It’s hard to believe that 5-6 years ago he was hiding on a shelf and refusing to come down; now he happily hops up on the laps of the people he loves.

Dirky - MW

Dirky is not as quiet and sweet as Gilbert – in fact, he can be downright pushy with cats like Leland, though he’s not the scrapper he used to be. He suffers from skin cancers on his ear, which occasionally need to be nipped off, so unfortunately he’s no longer as handsome as he was. We still love him, though.  With his human friends, he’s always glad to be offered a lap and a little attention; if that’s not available, a cuddle with Gilbert is quite acceptable!

Gilbert & Dirky - BC

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Moira Langley, Michele Wright

Zimmer: Battered But Loving

Stephanie spearheads the team seeking to trap stray cats reported to RAPS. Very often these cats will be part of a colony that has found a fairly safe place to live with an access to rodents or other food.  The cow-cats featured recently come to us from a local organic recycling plant – plenty of food sources, but also many predators of which they constantly need to be wary.
Another site where cats have been found is a nearby paper recycling depot where one of the employees, Jeff Zimmerman, was most helpful and supportive of Stephanie’s efforts. She says, “We had a great system going at Urban; Jeff would set the traps, then I would meet him at Ironwood, give him an empty trap & take the one he had rescued. The first day we went, we got one adult and several kittens, and re-set the traps. Jeff called me a little later to report more kittens; I spotted another adult so set the trap, waited, and got her. The two females were TNR (trapped, neutered and released) as they are looked after there, might have had more kittens, and have warm places to hide.”

SR

The last cat they found at this site was a battered looking male. He took a while to find but Jeff was persistent. Once trapped and vetted, he proved to be FIV-positive, and was transferred to the New Aids enclosure – Stephanie decided to call him Zimmer, after his trapper. In his new home he hid in the corner of his cage, and, once released, took himself out of reach of human touch – occasionally I would go in and see this face peering quizzically down at me, but he didn’t want my attention. Jill called him Sad Cat.

PH

Enter our cat-whisperers – Phaedra has the ability to make the most scared cats feel safe with her, and has recently been reporting that “Zimmer is super snuggly”.  I asked her to update me on Zimmer’s progress. She says, “When Zimmer was first trapped he was deemed ferocious but he was really just very scared and untrusting. One member of our wonderful med team spent quite a bit of time with him and said she thought he was originally someone's pet who had been dumped then gone wild. Quite often this type of situation makes it harder for the cat to trust again and it ends up taking longer than a born in the wild feral. I believe a lot of people have worked to gain his trust. Just look at his sad face, who could resist?

PH

“He needs to be approached slowly while verbalizing quietly to reassure him. Tuna helps but isn't essential. Once he warms up to you belly rubs are on the menu. He's a lovely old guy; whoever dumped him initially was a fool to do so. Their loss is our gain and hopefully his. He seems pretty content now as opposed to the hissing frightened fury he was in the cage and the skittish guy who would go as high as possible when he was first released.”

MW

I mentioned that Phaedra has the cat-whispering talent, but she says that from the beginning med-staff Catherine worked her magic on him and was getting the belly rubs in before most people would even go near his cage. I remember watching her work with a very angry Kojak when he first came in to Old Aids – just sitting quietly in his cage with him until he realised he was safe. Phaedra says “I fully blame her for making some of the meanest seeming kitties into love bugs”.  Zimmer’s rapidly heading in the love-bug direction; the sad face may be a relic of a sad past, but he’s now a cat with lots of love to get and to give at the Sanctuary.

Blog by Brigid Coult & Phaedra Hardman
Pictures by Phaedra Hardman, Stephanie Ross & Michele Wright

King George: Royalty Lives Among Us

Here’s another one of those cats with a name that makes one wonder how the heck that came about.  After all, King George VI died in 1952 and the future King George is only two years old so that can’t be it.  Well, for starters, King George (the cat) was a stray who was trapped in Surrey, near King George Highway about two years ago, so that partly explains his royal title.   But, there’s more to it than that.  Katrina and Wes, the volunteers who trapped and then named this handsome big orange guy, say that “he was the alpha male cat in the neighbourhood, always starting fights with all of the other neighbourhood cats. You can see the edges of his ears - they are all tattered from the many fights he got into. So ‘King George’ was just perfect for him!”

MM

At the same time and location that they trapped King George, Katrina and Wes also trapped a few of his “subjects” – Zebra, Holland and Wesley.  Katrina had been observing the “little kitty gang” of abandoned strays in the neighbourhood for a while before being able to trap them.  Although King George was the bully who started the fights, he was obviously much tamer than the other three.  Katrina was sure he was once someone’s pet who got left behind.

PH

Unfortunately, once trapped, all four of them tested positive for feline AIDS (FIV) so they went to live in the area of the Cat Sanctuary that is reserved for FIV-positive cats.   Quite unexpectedly, Wesley passed away not long after his arrival but King George, Zebra and Holland are thriving.  Zebra and Holland are both still quite shy but beginning to get braver, especially Zebra. 

MW

Somewhat like the royalty he’s named after, King George doesn’t mingle too much with the other cats in his area, not even the members of his old group of friends.   He’s quite comfortable around his human admirers, although his tolerance for us may vary, according to majestic whim.    Sometimes, he’ll climb onto my lap as soon as I sit down and then, on my next visit, he’ll give me an aloof look, turn his back and regally walk away.   Treats, of course, do improve his decision to accept the attentions of the common folk!  

MW

He’s one of those cats who like to have your complete attention – if I turn around to talk to another person or cat while petting him, he’ll give my hand a little smack as if to say “I didn’t give you permission to ignore me!”.  I suppose that we simply have to accept that he’s a superior being!  Of course, many cats have superiority complexes but King George has the title to prove it!  Get to know him and you can claim to have a royal friend.  

MW

 

Blog by Marianne Moore

Photos by Phaedra Hardman, Marianne Moore & Michele Wright