Toby (II)

Toby was picked up as a stray by C.A.R.E.S. Cat Shelter in Langley. When he tested positive for FIV, something the C.A.R.E.S. shelter doesn't have the facilities to accommodate, they asked RAPS to take him in at the sanctuary.

Toby arrived at the sanctuary this weekend and instantly proved the kind of cat people look forward to knowing better. Within moments of meeting him for the first time, he was already giving me loving looks, purrs, rubs and head butts. When I came by the cage again a little later, fellow volunteer Ayako had just met him and already had him perched quite contentedly on her lap.

Even without reading the sign on Toby's cage door that says as much, it's clear that this boy loves people.

Update: Deety

There's not much new to report about Deety since I posted about him back in November of 2009. Oddly, that very fact is what inspired me to write about him again. Some cats make themselves memorable by the way they've developed and changed over time, while others can be just as memorable for the extent to which they remain exactly the same.

Deety still lives comfortably in his little one-shelf kingdom, where he alternately snoozes, stares at passers-by with his big round eyes, and is occasionally makes love to his fleecy gingerbread-man toy.

He's also as undecided as ever whether he wants to be stroked by his human minders or simply bite us. Since came to us declawed, though, it's hard to get too mad at him for compensating by using a surprisingly strong grip with those clawless paws to pull an unwary hand or arm within range of his fully functional fangs.

I asked once whether he ever comes down from that counter of his and was told that he does occasionally jump down, but very soon wants back up again. This would be simple enough except that he won't allow anyone to lift him up and either can't or just won't jump back up by himself. The solution has been to push a low set of carpeted steps that some of the cats like to sit on in front of the cupboard below his perch and wait for him to ascend.

As much as character as ever. And long may he continue!

Dirky

I've always been a sucker for a lap cat and really, who isn't? So I was very happy to meet a sweet old cat named Dirky on my arrival to the sanctuary last week.

Dirky was sunning himself in the front courtyard when I first spotted him. He made eyes at me and seemed interested in making acquaintances. Patient but not pushy, Dirky waited until I settled myself on a chair before jumping in my lap and promptly curling up for some cuddle time. A confident yet gentle cat, he enjoyed a firm neck and shoulder massage at my hand. If I wanted to ever get up from that chair he made it clear that I would have to be the one to break us up.

You can recognize Dirky by his very distinctive look. He's all white with a splotch of grey behind his right ear and a grey tail. As you see with many white cats, his eyes have a red rim around them which makes it look as if he'd been up half the night crying.

Dirky doesn't have much to cry about though. He seems to have adjusted to life at the sanctuary well. He was brought to the shelter as a kitten by Gaye - one of the staff at the sanctuary and his namesake - along with his mother and two siblings 12 years ago. Knowing no other life, he seems quite relaxed and content at the sanctuary cruising around to see what good eats are available and who's lap he might hijack next.

Peanut

Peanut is a pretty little feral girl who's been living at the cat sanctuary in 2007. She still generally scoots away when approached too closely, but does seem willing to at least consider sniffing a finger under the right circumstances.

When Peanut was trapped, the people who'd told RAPS where to find her said that she had a kitten. RAPS staff went back and found a grey female, which they were able to trap as well. They couldn't be certain, though, if this was Peanut's offspring or if it was another feral cat that happened to be in the same area. As soon as the two cats were put together, though, there was instant recognition and such relief at reunion that it was clear that Peanut and Timmy (as the grey came to be called) were indeed mother and daughter.

Fraser

Fraser was found as a young cat on the banks of the Fraser River, and was named accordingly.

photo by Michele

He developed leukemia and so lives in the Old AIDS building at the cat sanctuary.

Brigid once described Fraser to me as a friendly cat who liked a bit of fussing (particularly when treats were involved) but wasn't interested in getting quite close enough to be part of the Panther, Jeremy and Jasper lap pile. Now she says he's no longer just a "a-paws-up-but-no-further guy" and has joined the cuddle brigade.

J.Lo

J.Lo is a tame but cranky girl in the Old AIDS building.

She may have lost her tail, but that has in no way dampened her personality.

J.Lo's one of those cats who is friendly to people, but not to other cats. I didn't get to see her in action with the other cats, but she gave me an excellent demonstration of loving people. Purrs, rubs, headbutts and long loving looks, she was happy to employ them all.

Bobby

If asked to list of most popular cat names, I'm not sure the name Bobby would have occurred to me. And yet, at the cat sanctuary there are four Bobbies (that I know about so far): tabby&white Bobby in the front courtyard, sneezy tuxedo Bobby in the doublewide, shy black&white Bobby in the doublewide, and orange bobtail Bobby in the Old AIDS.

This Bobby is my most recent acquaintance. Not sure yet whether we're likely to hit it off. He's a semi-feral who's been at the sanctuary for a long time but remained shy. Leslie says he will let people pet him if approached slowly and that he may even be inspired to put his bum in the air to show his approval of the petting.

Unfortunately for me, I'd already taken some photos of him with my big scary camera and its big scary flash before I learned that petting might have been a possibility. By this time, he'd decided that he didn't think much of my camera and really wasn't too sure about me. He did let me get close enough to present a fingertip for sniffing, but I'll have to go back another time, sans camera, to try and earn a proper audience.