Heavenly Newcomers

Mama Moon (KN)

Back in November, we welcomed a mother cat and her four kittens to the Sanctuary.  Normally that would be No Big Deal – our Adoption Centre is kept busy with incoming feline families.  But these five were a little different.  They came to us from Manitoba, where they were found abandoned after their people had moved away – and fall in Manitoba is cold!  

Galaxy prefers hiding  (KN)

Luckily, they were taken in by a small local rescue group with the irresistible name of What’s One More Community  in Winnipeg.  This is a very small organization, doing an enormous job with limited resources – and any financial help is gratefully received. They took this little feline family into foster, and got them checked over by the vet – to receive the sad news that all of them tested positive for FeLV – feline leukemia.

Cosmo - always curious  (BC)

RAPS to the rescue – we are a unicorn among shelters in that we have facilities specifically for leukemia kitties, and we were delighted to welcome Mama Moon and her four teenagers to live with us. They bypassed the Adoption Centre and came straight to the Leukemia area, where they settled in pretty quickly.

Moon likes to know what's going on  (BC)

Mama Moon is a sweet girl with striking looks. The blue eyes and colouring indicate that there’s probably some ragdoll in her, though it doesn’t show up in her offspring. Daddy-cat, whoever he was, was probably black and longhaired, and that’s evident in all four. There’s been a little name-juggling, but they’re now settled as Cosmo and Eclipse (M) and Calisto and Galaxy (F). 

Callisto is a flirt!  (KN)

All four are friendly, but Cosmo and Calisto are obviously extroverts, and Eclipse and Galaxy are much shyer. A visit to the Leukemia room will produce an immediate reaction of interest from Cosmo and Calisto, who will come to investigate and play, and enjoy being petted.  Cosmo is mostly black with a white locket on his chest; he’s active and energetic, he loves attention and is occasionally a shoulder-climber. His sister Calisto has beautiful bronze eyes, and a striking set of whiskers; she’s a true tuxie, with not only the white bib but four white paws. Her facial white is just a thin white stripe.

Eclipse & Galaxy in hiding  (KN)

The more introverted pair often need to be hunted for; they’ve discovered the hiding places, though they will emerge when they feel safe.  Eclipse, as his name suggests, is all black, and because he hides in dark corners, the pupils of his eyes tend to be dilated, so his eyes look as black as the rest of him. He is one who I have most often found in the “outside” of the Leukemia pen, though whether that is escaping or exploring is not clear.  His sister Galaxy is another tuxedo, but her facial white is a striking blaze down her nose, rather than Calisto’s discreet line.  The two of them can often be found hiding away together.

Cosmo goes exploring  (KN)

The five other cats already in the Leukemia pen are all semi-ferals (and not adoptable), but are very tolerant of the new family. Most of them live outside; Siamese Neko is the most usual visitor to the inner room, and Neptune and Athena come in when they think food is on offer.  Like FIV cats, FeLV cats are adoptable to special people – but there are constraints. All RAPS cats are adopted out on condition that they remain indoor cats but this is especially important with leukemia cats. The virus that they carry is transmitted in fluid – mostly though cat saliva. Cats who lick each other, who share food and water, can pass the virus on. It is not transmissible to humans, and it dies quickly when it dries – but in wet form it is a danger to other cats.  

Callisto has the best whiskers!  (BC)

The other thing about feline leukemia is that it affects the cat’s immune system, so that they have less resistance to other infections. We are careful about keeping everything very clean, and because many of us work with other cats who may have things like cat-colds or eye infections, we wash carefully before visiting them, and sanitize when we leave. There is no denying that FeLV cats tend to have shorter lives – but we also know that the virus may go dormant, and we’ve had leukemia cats like Ooly, who lived to be 18 years old.  Anyone who’s lost a cat knows that the grief is a measure of the love – and most of us would rather have the love, despite the inevitable grief.  So, to the right person, under the right conditions, adoption of the Moon family would be possible, though the youngsters would need to go at least in pairs.

Sharing the family tree - Callisto, Moon & Eclipse  (BC)

Till that happy time, they are having a good life in our Leukemia area; they are so engaging that they have a lot of attention from staff and volunteers, and are enjoying being somewhere much warmer than a cold Manitoba winter! 

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson

Home At Last

LittleCat has such a sweet face  (KN)

Cats are surrendered to us for a variety of reasons – most commonly because of bad bathroom habits, but reported aggression, or aging owners, or any number of other factors may bring them in to us.  Nearly three years ago, a pair of females came into our care, aged around 12 years. They had been adopted from a Seattle shelter at the age of 6 months; they may have been littermates. We were told there were allergy issues and dog-stresses and a new baby, but whatever the formal cause, they lost their home and found a temporary hideaway in the SingleWide building at the Sanctuary.

LittleCat with her best buddy, Menjosie  (BC)

It was rapidly evident that they really were bonded. The SingleWide is home to several cats who have come to us as pairs - Winston and Oscar, Marie (now gone) and Noelle, Whiskers and Jinx - but all seemed to be as happy on their own as with their partner, and are frequently found separately.  Not so with these two!  Menjosie was the more social of the pair – a tubby little tabby with a hint of torbie colouring – her partner LittleCat preferred to hold back and hide behind the drapes or under the bedding. But the two of them were always together, and refused to leave the cage that they had made their home.

Happiest making a cave to hide from sight  (KN)

In the last half of 2023 we lost eight of the SingleWide cats for a variety of reasons, and Menjosie was one of the eight, succumbing to a tumour in November. LittleCat struggled with her sudden isolation.  She didn’t have to live solo – lots of other cats wandered in and out of her cage, but she didn’t want them, and in true Garbo-style, told them firmly that she wanted to be alone. Staff and Kitty Comforters made a point of visiting with her, but her tolerance level was limited, and though she was vocal about wanting attention, she was also dramatic (and accurate!) in letting us know when she’d had enough, which was usually after no more than three or four pets.

We learned to take her warning collar seriously  (KN)

Weekend visitors would come and interact with her, and occasionally she would show her nice side – but more often than not, she would disdain human attention with all except a few selected people.  The trouble with a personality like LittleCat’s is that she needed a very cat-savvy home – and most of the cat-savvy homes already have cats in them. And she needed a home with NO other cats – in fact no other animals at all.

Christmas in new surroundings  (KN)

But LittleCat had her Christmas miracle.  Staff member Karen (the eye behind so many of our wonderful photos in the blog and the Calendar) is not from an animal-free home – her family has two cats and a pretty lively dog. But the opportunity to move into her own apartment meant decisions about leaving the animals in their own home, and the possibility of offering LittleCat a space and a human that would be all hers.  What a Christmas gift!

Exploring in the new home  (KN)

LittleCat is chatty in her approval of the new surroundings.  Karen says
LC has only been with me for three weeks but it feels like she has lived with me her whole life. The transition from bustling Singlewide life to being an only child in a quiet apartment was nearly seamless. She is quite a polite little princess, though if I try to only give her a few head pats and walk away, she is quick to give me a (gentle) swat to let me know that she did not dismiss me. I'm still learning about her food preferences, since the sanctuary diet is so varied, it was difficult to discern what she actually liked. Given her somewhat troglodytic lifestyle at the sanctuary, I did not anticipate how playful she would be once she came home. She loves chasing and pouncing on wand toys, but she also plays independently and carries her toys all over the apartment. It's wonderful to see her finally relaxing enough to enjoy life again.

Play with me some more!  (KN)

We tell most of our weekend visitors that the majority of our cats are non-adoptable, and people certainly can’t point and say “I want that one!” - the adopting staff need to know a lot more about the surroundings a cat is going to, and the handling they will get in that home.  But there have been many successful adoptions of Sanctuary cats by Sanctuary staff and volunteers – they know the quirks of the cats in question, and love them even when they’re difficult (I’m thinking of dedicated volunteer Daphne who took on the care of Smokey, who was one of the feistiest cats we’ve had, and gave her a loving home with so much patience...). 
Karen is a true cat-whisperer and in her care, this pretty old lady will have the best possible home, with no feline competition, and lots of love for the rest of her days.

Nose boops from the hand she loves   (MK)

Blog by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson
Photos by Brigid Coult, Mike Kossey & Karen Nicholson

Care for the Caregivers

January 2024:  KitKat (MW)
KitKat loved her people (especially Justin) for shoulder time
and lap-time - other cats, not so much....

As we enter a new year, we often take time to review the year past, to celebrate the big occasions and remember the hard ones – and in particular, to think about the friends we have loved and lost in the past twelve months.  

March 2024:  Hope  (KN)
The grand old lady of the Front Courtyard, Hope loved both people and other cats;
her friends Carly and Celine really miss her

At the Sanctuary, we do this not only at the turn of the year, but also in the summer, on what we call the Day of Chance, when a potluck occasion offers the chance to gather in person and remember the cats who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge; I will sometimes write about them at that time, but I have made it a tradition to do a blog tribute to the cats we have loved in a turn-of-year posting like this one.

March 2024:  Huey  (LBF)
Gentle and wise, Huey was greatly beloved, especially by Daphne,
who called him her Quality Control Inspector in the Double-Wide

The term that is strongly in my mind right now, though, is Compassion Fatigue, and I want to take the opportunity to think particularly of our Sanctuary med staff over the past years. As any caregiver knows, it can be exhausting tending to the sick or the ailing, and their days are full of tasks that focus on the cats’ health – wellness checks, monitoring and treating diabetics, administering medications, dealing with ringworm and fleas and ear infections, fluids for kidney cats, complete tending of new incomers who are not ready for volunteer care, and many other tasks.

May 2024: Dodger (MW)
Named for the dodging of cars that brought her to us,
this sweet lady was the benevolent queen in the SingleWide.

Many human patients are grateful to their caregivers – not so, with the majority of cats, and it’s hard to have to express your love by immobilizing your patient in order to deal with an eye infection, or to deal with the dirty bum of an incontinent cat who hates the necessary bath.

May 2024: Cagney  (MW)
One of our oldest "detective" cats, (the link is to Claire's blog of 12 years ago).
Cagney struggled with arthritis in the last years - but always loved attention and tidbits!

It’s the med staff, too, with our RAPS vets at the hospital, who sometimes have to make the necessary call that a cat is suffering too much, and needs to be released from its pain – or who find a cat who has “crashed” and have to do the final run to the hospital.

June 2024: Midnight  (KN)
I spent a lot of time coaxing this feral boy into accepting petting and grooming; 
chicken and consistency were key, until his health took a bad turn.  Miss you, Midnight!

And it’s the med staff who are at the Hospital with the cats to the end, reassuring them as they pass that they are still in loving hands, and undoubtedly grieving as they drive back to the Sanctuary afterwards.

July 2024: Leonardo di Catprio  (KN - the last photo)
This boy was a Back Courtyard icon, and his passing took many of us
by surprise, though he had become more frail...

I don’t think anyone goes into animal rescue care for the money – it’s a calling more than a career.  And burnout is not uncommon – if only a dozen or so cats leave to find new homes by adoption, they are well outweighed by the number of cats who pass in a year.  We have an aging population, we have cats with health issues as the reason for coming to us, and we have many ferals who have begun their lives malnourished and at risk, and who carry the side-effects into their later years.  Someone has to arrive early every morning to give the necessary early meds – and someone is there late into the evening to deal with the last doses.

August 2024: Raisin (KN)
This sweet old lady had come to us via a Vancouver parking lot;
she was fearful and hissy, but learned that humans often brought good food.

Cats who have been greatly loved are watched carefully when we know their time is coming, and it’s the med-staff who are ready when a furry body is found cold in its bed.  How can this be anything other than emotionally exhausting?  We volunteers grieve when a beloved cat passes, but we don’t have to carry the burden of responsibility for all of them – and we can step away and take a break when needed.

October 2024: Tumbleweed  (LBF)
Another Back Courtyard icon - Tumbleweed had cerebellar hypoplasia,
with little control over his movement, but lots of determination, and many people who loved him.

So, along with remembering the cats we’ve loved and lost this year, let’s also remember the med staff who have given them care and love – often unwanted and unappreciated by their furry patients, but always necessary.  I am grateful that we can give the gift of a gentle passing when needed – it is both the most loving and one of the hardest things we can do for a beloved pet. And when we mourn a beloved feline friend, let’s remember that the med staff also mourn, and have to deal with the “nothing that could be done” frustration that comes at the end for caregivers.  

November 2024: Quinn (KN)
This shy sweet boy was wary to the end - unless you had a treat in your hand;
if there was food he would summon up his courage and allow contact.

In this New Year, I hope that they can take all that makes them the caregivers they are, and make self-care a priority, giving themselves as much generosity and love as they give to our furry friends, and turning compassion fatigue into compassion satisfaction.

November: Calvin (MW)
He was the longest, skinniest boy, with the biggest appetite, 
and LOOOOVED his chicken. Michele's favourite cat - so many pictures!

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

loving memories also of
January: Jethro, Maximilian & Plum  /  February: Perry  / March: Tashi, Desmond, Monty1, Brodie  /  April: Gigi, Portia, & Kiefer  / May: Layla & Chester / June: Salina, Lulu  / July: Hailey, Sambuca & Percival  /  August: Paylan, John Henry, Malcolm, Marie /  September: Ginger  /  October:  Bill, Clementine, Big Dave, Jillian  /  November: Tiki & Cinnamon  /  December: Meepos, Monty 2, Magnus & Len

Adopted Cats: All I Want For Christmas Is Mew

Some of our Sanctuary cats DO get adopted!

Goose (FIV+) is king in his new home  (KN)

We have a steady flow of kittens and occasionally older cats who pass through the doors of rhe RAPS Adoption Centre – in from a rescue situation or from the loving hands of a fosterer – and out into the warm world of a new home.  The Adoption Centre is the first building a visitor will encounter as they approach the Sanctuary – and there are a whole lot more cats in the Sanctuary itself who may never find a home.

Front Courtyard Alvin has a new home   (KN)

There are many reasons this may be so. The most usual is that a cat is feral – ranging from the ones that are so scared that they will not allow humans to approach them, to the cats who will only accept careful attention: treats and a little petting. These are all cats who, without a no-kill policy, would probably be put down. In this situation, I hate the term “euthanasia” – this is killing for human convenience’s sake, and no amount of gentleness in the procedure makes it anything but unnecessary. 

One-eyed Willi's first adoption failed,
but he is very happy in his new home   (BC)

Many of the volunteers have at some time had a cat who began as a feral, and over time, adjusted to human company – but equally, we’ve had many cats at the Sanctuary who have never tamed, and continue to show fear to the end. For those cats, there will always be a place with us where they can hide, there will be shelter and food, and medical attention when needed.

Riker loved nothing better than lap-time  (BC)

We had multiple cats in merged cages this time last year - the three Dumpling cats, and long-haired Riker and Kramer;  Riker's adoption was facilitated with a visit to a local pet-store, where he was available to the public;  the Dumplings were all taken together, and we were delighted.  Kramer decided that he really wasn't bonded to Riker, and that though he quite like humans, he was not going to bond with them either; he is still with us, mostly playing the role of the Cat Who Walks By Himself.

Little tripod Jelly settled quickly into our hearts
and then into the hearts of her adopters.  (BC)

The other group of cats who will likely never live anywhere but at the Sanctuary are the bathroom baddies – the cats who have usually been surrendered for litterbox problems, and who express themselves in pee and poop. Two other reasons for surrendering do not necessarily preclude potential adoption: cats brought in “for aggression” can often learn with us that they do not need to react so quickly when there are humans around who read their body language and move gently around them. 

Hank, from New Aids, loved nothing more than lap-time
and human attention - he got his wish  (KN)

Of the cats who are here for health reasons, some are better where they can get medical attention, but others are actually adoptable as long as the adopter is aware of the flags to watch for.  Many of our FIV+ cats are adoptable, and of those who are not, with most of them it’s for reasons other than the FIV+ diagnosis – generally that they’ve joined the club and become pee-ers. Some of our younger FeLV cats have also been adopted as well, though many FeLV cats do have shorter lifespans, and you adopt, knowing that you many not have many years.

Audi was shy but sweet;  she spent a long time in a cage
for medical care, but it gave her time to become fully socialized  (BC)

When I first came to volunteer at the Sanctuary, very few of the cats were adopted out – but we have learned so much in the last years about behavioural issues, and about conditions like FIV and FeLV. Now we can name a number of cats who are potentially adoptable, and in the last year alone, at least a dozen have left to find a new home. 

Picasso's adoption ended with travel when his new person
moved back east. He's very happy!  (KN)

Some of them have gone to volunteers, to a person that they have come to know and love, and felt comfortable with even before they left. Some have found a connection out of the blue – I will never forget watching Strike meet his human, jump into her lap and just settle, back in 2023 – or watching Elvis meet his human soul-mate.

Gordo looked like trouble, but was a true pussy-cat,
and was adopted by one of our volunteers   (AG)

Sweet Misto began fearful and then became a cuddle machine
who would dance around wanting non-stop pets.
She would often forget to put her tongue back in... (KH)

Gordo and Misto are now living happily together  (AA)

Next week, I’ll be remembering the cats we’ve lost over the course of the last year – but I felt this Christmas week was the time to think about the cats who have come as gifts into their people’s lives over the course of the year, and who have in turn found the gift of a loving home.  In a time of gifting and goodwill, let’s remember some of our 2024 adopted cats

McCormick came to me for fostering while we adjusted 
his meds and his diet for allergies;
the move is permanent, and he gets on well with my older cat, Scout.

 

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Alicia Almeida, Brigid Coult, Akira Graham,
Kim Howe, Karen Nicholson

Lucius

Lucius is on the prowl  (KN)

The Pen 3 cats who came to us from Alberta more than three years ago have remained a cohesive family unit.  Many of them have become adventurers who roam the length of the Back Courtyard, but they prefer to be together, and they always return to mutual snuggles in their own cabin at night. 

Summer snooze with his shy buddy Reinhardt  (KN)

Since they arrived their personalities have become clearly defined. There are several quiet ones, like Reinhardt, who prefers not to encounter us too much, and there are the social butterflies like Cornelius. Up at the top end of that happily social spectrum is Lucius.

Handsome boy  (MW)

Lucius is a tubby-tabby – dark tabby with classic markings – who is more than happy to play rough (though not nastily) with other cats.  He’s a people-positive boy who has made himself a favourite with staff and volunteers, and is always ready to make nice for visitors – happy to jump up on a lap for a cuddle and actively seeking out petting for as long as the petter will indulge him. Despite his size, he’s not strongly treat-motivated – touch is the best treat for him.

Enjoying the winter with his buddy Cornelius  (LBF)

Many of the Pen 3 cats would probably be adoptable – but they are really dependent upon each other, and even Lucius, self-confident as he is, would do better in adoption with another of his family to bring comfort. Most of them are also used to being able to roam freely within the bounds of the Sanctuary, and might need access to an enclosed garden, or to a catio for "safe freedom".

The outdoor kennels are good summer resting places  (KN)

Lucius’s self-confidence took a hit recently. He is used to being the big guy, and the easy winner in a playful rough-and-tumble. Unfortunately, he encountered Root Beer.  Root Beer carries a very sensitive personal bubble around him and is not a fan of other cats. We moved him from the Front to the Back Courtyard so that he could have more space to roam, and he spent some time in a DoubleWide cage getting his meds adjusted so that he could feel calmer.  Lucius obviously said the wrong thing, and Root Beer decided that only one of them could be Boss Cat.  Luckily there were people around, water was deployed and Lucius finally escaped, a warier but wiser cat.  He’s sticking closer to home in Pen 3, these days, and has learned a lesson about not messing with the older guys.

Posing   (BC)

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

The Second Bear

Bear lounging happily  (KN)

We’ve had two cats with the name Bear at the Sanctuary (as well as our beloved and greatly missed Honey-Bear) and they couldn’t be less alike!

Bear  (BC)

The first Bear was surrendered when we ran the City Shelter; he was found to be FeLV+ (feline leukemia) and lived in the small leukemia area at the back of the SingleWide for awhile before being transferred with his room-mate Smoochie to the main leukemia area.  Bear was a good name for a solid black long-haired boy; he was a dominant figure in the colony until he passed – way too soon, as do so many of the leukemia cats.

Leukemia Bear, now gone...  (MW)

Our current Bear couldn’t be much more different. He’s a slim short-haired tabby boy - easily confused with Sophie at first glance (until you note her warning collar!) - and he has a distinctive little kink at the end of his tail.  The vets think he’s about eight years old, and he’s been with us since 2022. He came to us from CARES Cat Shelter in Langley, and I was surprised to learn that he had been there for three years before his move to Richmond.  CARES has a similar no-kill policy to RAPS, though they work hard to have as many cats as possible adopted.

Bear exploring (KN)

So why was this sweet boy not finding a home? - well, sadly, he has no bathroom discipline!  He poops and pees wherever and whenever he feels like it!  We discovered a few places that are favourites and put down some pre-emptive towels, but when he’s gotta go....  He’s not incontinent, like some of our manxes – sometimes he’s joining the other guys in marking territory, or leaving a scent for a new cat (which is why new-cat cages are always towel-draped!), but mostly he just pees because he wants to!

Ready to jump  (BC)

The health issue he does have is nothing to do with his bathroom habits – he has stomatitis, which is a painful inflammation of the gums, and has had several encounters with the RAPS vets, and a number of teeth out. It doesn't seem to affect his appetite, and he munches small kibble with enthusiasm.

Bear's favourite place is a lap  (KN)

It’s not changed his attitude towards humans, though – he just loves people.  He is an enthusiastic lap-sitter, and with his favourite folks he will crawl up to rest against a shoulder, or climb up onto the shoulder. He and JJ are the two cats for whom a little extra shoulder-padding is a good idea – they will happily remain in place while their transporting slave carries on with their volunteer tasks.

Out for the count - do not disturb  (KN)

Almost as good as snuggling with humans is snuggling without them. Bear likes to claim the couch outside the tea-room, and sprawls happily to enjoy a snooze.  If it’s a little chilly, he will worm his way under the covers – it happens often enough that there’s now a warning sign about checking for a lump of Bear before sitting down.

Shoulder-lover   (KN)

Bear is definitely one of those cats that will never leave the Sanctuary, never know a place he can call his own home, or owners who will claim him.  And it doesn’t bother him in the slightest. He has lots of love from staff and volunteers, lots of places to snooze, other cats to interact with....  He’s not really cat-social, but he has lots of confidence.

Couch-lover   (KN)

And he has SO many places where he can pee – and people who will mop up after him! 

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson & Michele Wright