News of the Newts

Anjou - white with pale markings, like so many of the Newts  (KN)

Visitors to the Sanctuary – and in particular, to the back courtyard – have learned that the only pens open to cats and humans alike are the left-hand ones: Pens 1, 2 and 3. Most of those visitors are very understanding of the need to give the cats some safe space without strangers to frighten them. They accept that most of the feral cats in Pen 4 will remain totally hidden during visiting hours (oh, we miss Ranger!), and that the cats who live in Pen 8 (from a Victoria hoarding situation) are still very wary. They enjoy coaxing the semi-ferals with medical issues to the gate of Pen 7 for treats. Pen 6 is currently empty, but will soon be reassigned.  The pen that fascinates many of them is Pen 5, currently housing “the Newts”.

Muskrat (began as Muscat) likes to climb!  (KN)

These sweet cats came to us early last year, rescued from a bad hoarding situation in Newton (hence the nickname). I blogged about them last spring, when they were living in Pen 6. Our original hope was that they would become more used to us and to safe living, that some of them would prove to be adoptable, and that they could be assimilated into the general population. What we have discovered is that their upbringing has left them more fragile than we would like, and that in all likelihood, that they are immune-compromised to various degrees.

Handsome Chicago is the darkest, and the only tabby  (KN)

Sadly, their bathroom habits are pretty messy – not having learned about litter-box use in their kittenhood, they just poop anywhere. They have lots of litterboxes to choose from, but their pen needs regular patrolling (one of the less exciting part of volunteering at a cat sanctuary!). And judging from occasional offerings, there are a few of them who have gut issues – handsome tabby Chicago is currently caged and on a limited diet. 

Yarlington & Mutsu - also known as Thing 1 and Thing 2  (KN)

Last fall they began a round of upper respiratory infections (URIs), and of course, like any good family, they shared them around – no sooner did we get one cat caged, treated and returned, than another would have to be treated – and then the first cat would get another variant of whatever was going on.

Merlot's torby colouring makes her easy to recognize  (KN)

In any sanctuary, URIs are going to be inevitable, but by winter we had all the Newts in cages – some in twos and threes – monitoring their health and tracking what medication was working for them. In the meantime, their Pen 6 was scrubbed out and sanitized, hoping to get rid of all the germs from snotty noses.  Pen 6 had never been considered as a long-term home for them, but it was apparent that most of these cats were unlikely ever to be adoptable, between their bathroom habits and their health issues. Pen 5, next door, had been an open pen for years. It was initially known as Packers Pen, for the feral cats who came to us when Steveston Packers closed, then as the Five Road pen, for the influx of felines from an overflowing 5 Rd City Shelter (back when RAPS ran it), then just as Pen 5, taken over by a group of the Kamloops cats, with a number of ferals occupying the back reaches.

Sungold - from the very dark to the very pale  (KN)

Cleaning that out was a big job, but it gave us a good area to place this group of recovering invalids, and it gave them space to keep their distance if they chose, or to have room to play and interact with staff and volunteers. They have done well with this resettling;  there are still some issues, but as we get to know them better, med staff are more able to identify and isolate as needed. Many of them still show the scars of their origins: the bleach burns, the neurological issues that affect their back-end movement, and the fragility that has taken some of them away from us. But they love it when someone comes and plays with a wand toy, and there are several who are fast on their feet, and quick to catch the feather target with athletic leaps.

Kyoho is one of the most affectionate cats  (JS)

Currently we are treating them as if they are all immune-compromised, sanitizing before we go in to them as we do with the FIV cats. We may eventually allow limited numbers of visitors in under careful supervision, but for now they look on longingly as the younger cats outside have their fill of wand play as well. We try to watch out for visitors who want to reach through to them, or to poke a wand toy through the mesh, but the requests for care frequently lead to good discussions about the reasons for the rules, and increased interest among those watching.

Tobiko shows the Newts how to play;  when they
get the wand, he's the one outside the pen, looking in (JS)

With the removal of Chicago to a cage, the shoal of white and orange cats becomes harder and harder to identify as individuals. They definitely have their favourites – Sean, who cleans their pen on a Friday, generates a lot of interest; Selena will often come in and wand-play during visitor hours, much to their delight; Justin will do the same both in and out of their pen for their entertainment; most of the Kitty Comforters make regular visits. But they are unlikely to be able to join the general population, for their health’s sake, and we will do our best to enrich their lives as much as we can.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Karen Nicholson and Justin Saint

Chloe-the-Cat

Queen Chloe on her throne  (KH)

The Single-Wide has a history of being the residence of many of our dilute tortoiseshell and calico cats. Dilute colouring occurs when a cat receives copies of the dilute gene from both parents. The gene changes how pigment distributes along individual hairs making strong colours appear faded. Black cats produce grey offspring, orange ones produce cream. Mostly we just accept these colourings, but the dilute gene is most striking in the mixed-coloured cats – tortoiseshells who are black with a lot of red; calicos who are while with red and black. With the dilute gene from both parents, they can be a wonderful variety of blue-grey, peach, and buff colours.

considering her options, following her return to us  (BC)

I wrote about them first in 2016, and then specifically about the Single-Wide dilutes in 2022. The older ones have all passed – though we are delighted that LittleCat is now living her best life with staff member Karen.
Chloe-the-Cat is a worthy successor to LittleCat, Flash, Noelle and Marie. Without the dilute gene, she would probably be very orange-y with dark markings, but she does have some white patches, which mark her as calico rather than tortie. She certainly has “tortietude”!

Chloe has a real presence!   (AM)

Chloe came to RAPS in 2024 after her owner died, and her family surrendered her. She was not happy with us, and was fostered out with a lady who has given loving care to several of our needy cats over the years.  Sadly, it was not a good match – the fosterer is a fragile senior, and Chloe, though senior herself, is anything but fragile!  She was aggressive, and sent the fosterer for medical care on a couple of occasions – cat-bites can need IV antibiotics sometimes.

(BC)

She was finally returned to us about 6 months ago, and was caged in the Single-Wide with a warning on her cage that she was a very cranky lady, and needed to be approached with caution. We discovered that the crankiness was mostly in connection with visits by the med-staff; like all self-respecting cats, Chloe dislikes being made to do anything, and being medicated is high on her don’t-do list. Visits from KittyComforters with treats and gentle attention were graciously accepted.

You may kiss my paw...  (SM)

She became one of the senior ladies (we reckon she’s c.16-17) who required her own cage to be kept available for her. Like LittleCat before her, she moved into the window-cage, where she holds court for admiring humans, and lets visiting cats know they are not welcome. Most of them have learned; Whiskers and Jinx persist in pushing her boundaries, and her bathroom is no longer private.  On a good day she will descend from her cat tree for some lap-time, and a little gentle grooming; she has her favourite people, but she is a champion at ignoring folks she doesn’t want to see.

(KH)

She is Chloe-the-Cat because we have a Chloe already on staff;  in fact, one of a group of cats who came to us recently as a bequest and are living next door in the SW office area, is also a Chloe, and has been renamed as Clover to avoid confusion.
If you’re visiting and have not already made her acquaintance, please come and do so. Like many of the reactive cats, when things slow down to her pace, when she can decide on whether it’s a petting moment or not, it’s possible to have a very pleasant encounter with her.

(KH)

Photos by Brigid Coult, Kim Howe, Anne Marchetti, Shaelynn Melnyk 

Blanket Therapy

Karrie in action - with fans gathered round  (BC)

Mornings at the Sanctuary are busy with people scooping and sweeping, scrubbing and making laundry changes – and always taking time for the little stops to visit with cats.  Evenings are similar, when the canned food comes our and anxious faces await plates – and once again, volunteers arrive early or stay late to visit with feline friends.   

Boots & Reefer

But in the afternoons (unless there’s a work party labouring on a project), all is quiet, and the Kitty Comforters are present.

Max has found the fresh catnip

The KCs were the brainchild of the late Marianne Moore, and after her passing their leadership was taken over by Anne Marchetti. Their focus is primarily the caged cats who may need more one-on-one interaction with humans than they will get in the normal way. Anne will alert us to where attention is particularly needed. Currently, that includes a number of cats who have not yet settled enough with us to have their own blogs – so you will have to wait to hear about Orange Julius who began very cage-aggressive and is learning that we’re not so scary, about a group of cats who came to us via a bequest from Missouri, about Tumble who is recovering from surgery and may possibly go to the Adoption Centre.

Both blankets occupied

But many of the feral or wary cats are out and about, and sometimes the best way to approach them is to let them approach you.  Especially in the summer months, that’s the mode for KCs Karrie and Catherine, who begin their shift by spreading blankets in the sun of the front courtyard, and waiting to see who comes.  Food may be involved, but more often it’s touch and grooming and gentle voices and a little catnip.

Boots has become a lap-cat with Karrie

The blankets are magnetic for the cats – there are some of them that will come immediately to be part of the sit-in, and other that gradually let themselves be coaxed into it. We suspect Boots was a stray, and he’s been considered for adoption, but he’s wary with a number of people. Summer afternoons on the blankets are his favourite thing, and he loves it so much that he will cuddle with Karrie instead of maintaining a cautious distance.

Max the cat-burglar

We worry about Max, who really needs a tolerant home with no other cats, but who doesn't show up well when we have visitors; normally he stays clear of the others, but he knows that Karrie’s bag usually has catnip in it, and he will venture closer for her gentle attention and for the ‘nip!

Spooky's snooze is watched over by Boots

Sweet Spooky is one of our older cats now – wary of people, as her name implies, but cautiously trusting with a few. She is one of the cats that Karrie will go and find in wherever she has hidden herself – just a few treats and a little petting reminds her that life’s not so bad. Just occasionally she will venture out with the others and make her own space on the blanket.

Our former Mexican street lady has presence!

Like Max, Kia is not a great fan of other cats, and mostly she prefers humans to leave her alone as well. She’s doing much better this year and venturing out more consistently – with her, the draw is less the ‘nip and the food, and more just the quiet time in the sun, and the softness of the blanket. She doesn’t want much in the way of attention, but she’s beginning to enjoy being present as long as the others don’t bug her.

Bingo: all the 'nip in this bag is for me!

Bingo is one of the Texan cats that came to us last year; they have assimilated themselves well into the front courtyard crowd, and love to be part of the blanket party. He loves the fresh catnip, and wiggles his way into contact with it. His brother Wilbur is more of a sit-around-in-the-sun type.

Wilbur, Leo and (of course!) Boots

Xena is a relative newcomer, and not very comfortable with humans – so it makes us very happy when she joins the blanket sun-bathing crowd.

Xena, looking disapproving

While Catherine and Karrie are visiting caged cats in the DoubleWide and the shyer cats in the back courtyard, the blankets remain in the front courtyard until the end of the KC shift, with cats coming and going as they please.  As the feeding team begins arriving for the last shift, the blankets are folded up to be taken home for washing, and preparation for the next afternoon of feline basking. 

Blog by Brigid Coult

All photos (and inspiration) by Karrie Radford

Wasabi

Wasabi (KN)

RAPS visitors are often astonished to learn that there are many regions in BC with a serious feral cat problem – a problem that always begins with the carelessness of humans. The older folks among us may remember an upbringing where there were barn cats, or indoor-outdoor cats as a matter of course, and often there were the inevitable kittens. Nobody tracked the growth of cat-colonies, and spay-neuter was often considered an “extra”. Now, of course, we know just how vital spay-neuter is in controlling the growth of such colonies, but all too many regions and municipalities don’t take any responsibility for that, and it’s left to the efforts of local, mostly volunteer-led rescues, operating on minimal budgets.

Wary boy  (BC)

RAPS is a resource to many of those rescues. We can’t take great numbers of their cats, because each one costs us money too, but we can sometimes offer an option that means that a cat will live, rather than die.  One of the rescues we have sometimes worked with is Foster Kritters Feral Cat Rescue, in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. They don’t have a website, but I am linking their Facebook page here.   As their name implies, they focus on finding at least temporary solutions for the ferals that come into their care. The primary predators on the Island are cougars and Vancouver Island wolves – unlike the mainland, where feral cats are a tasty treat for coyotes - and there are colonies of ferals near many populated areas. Cats living alone and unprotected have very short life-spans; cats living in a colony that has been spayed/neutered and that is supervised to some degree by human care may live more than 10 years.

Occasionally playful  (BC)

Wasabi came to us in 2024 from Foster Kritters. He was a feral boy either trapped during a TNR operation, or rescued from within an existing colony – they noticed that his leg was injured, and a local vet did a necessary amputation. The question then was what to do with this tripod/tri-paw’d cat. If released to his colony, he was at greater risk because of his disability. But he was sufficiently feral that keeping him as an indoor cat was not an option – he was very fearful of humans.  Option three was to send him to RAPS, and he arrived in June 2024, with an estimated age of around 8 years.

Caleb with Wasabi  (BC)

Initially, his fear meant that we rarely encountered him outside post-supper social time with the dusk drawing on. But he obviously enjoys the company of other cats, rubbing and rolling with them. He has a particular “thing” for handsome Caleb. Caleb came to us with his buddy Mozart back in spring of 2019, and was one of a group we ended up calling “the teens” – too old to tame easily, and in fact they all resisted it, and have become Front Courtyard fixtures. They are comfortable enough around us, but wary of too much closeness with humans. Wasabi adores Caleb, and follows him around the courtyard, moving in for a little bunting whenever possible. Caleb is tolerant, but I don’t think it’s a balanced relationship - it reminds me of Ringo and Zivko, five years ago in the Back Courtyard – one easy-going, and one very needy...

A little affectionate grooming - though it's
Wasabi who really needs grooming assistance!  (BC)

However, Wasabi has also discovered something that moves him out of Caleb’s orbit. Caleb is not very food-motivated, but Wasabi adores chicken, and when tidbits are on offer, he’s quick to join the crowd. Initially he was very cautious, with the result that his mouthfuls got stolen by other more determined cats; now he’s more ready to put himself front and centre, and to grab whatever’s offered. He’s not ready yet to accept it from the hand (though he will sometimes smack it out of that hand!), but he’s getting braver, and as long as he’s not in contention with Cuddles or Sparrow, he usually gets what he aims for.

Handsome Guacamole  (BC)

Of our four Sanctuary cats who have just three legs apiece, only Guacamole, in the back courtyard, is generally known to people. He is very popular on visiting day, and happy to demonstrate how fast he can run, or how well he can get onto a table without his missing back leg slowing him down much. He was adopted out last year, and recently returned;  while his adopters loved him, and did all the right things, he was not happy away from the Sanctuary, and since returning, has just slotted back into place.

Chutney & Marmalade  (BC)

The other three tri-pawds, all in the Front Courtyard, are much shyer. Tubby little Marmalade may occasionally be encountered on her bed in the Yellow Shed, but once disturbed, she is quick to vanish to a hiding place. Chutney is the youngest of the four, like Marmalade, arriving with us in 2022, and she prefers to be safely hidden behind a drape in the Old Rabbit Area during the day, though she emerges quickly at supper-time, especially when her favourite volunteer, Carol, is serving the food. 

Jumping onto a stool is manageable...   (KN)

Like Guacamole and Marmalade, Wasabi’s is a back leg amputation. Guacamole is strong and hasn’t let his disability slow him down; Marmalade is a good bit slower, probably because she’s a bit chonky! We know that Guacamole’s leg was amputated because of an infection caused by an injury, and that all his leg was removed – presumably to reduce the spread of infection. Wasabi’s amputation is lower down, and it’s obvious when you see him walk, that he is still trying to use the limb above the amputation site, which throws him off balance.  This was also true for two of our HIV boys – Trooper, who was adopted a couple of years ago, and Kicks, who is in fosterage – both are front-leg amputations, at the elbow rather than at the shoulder. Leaving a nub makes perfect sense for a human, who will need the limb to anchor a prosthesis. I don’t think anyone has made a prosthesis for a cat, though, and it would be interesting to know if there is any general veterinary protocol around how much of a limb should be amputated for maximum quality of life.

Big eyes, begging for chicken!  (BC)

We also need to keep an eye on Wasabi, who doesn’t seem to be able to groom himself very well, and like most ferals, doesn’t take kindly to contact with grooming tools. He was one of many cats this past spring who benefited from Gracelyn’s skills with the clippers – but it needed help from some gentle sedation. In Wasabi’s case, even though he’s short-haired, the fur on his back mats into clumps, and he ended up with a saddle-shaped shaved area that is now growing back. We’ll have to see if his sudden passion for chicken tidbits will help us coax him into accepting some grooming maintenance, or if he amasses enough clumps that he needs another shave next spring.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson

Chrissy & Donny

Chrissy  (KN)

In the last few months, we have welcomed several pairs of cats to the Sanctuary – usually sibling pairs, who have been kept together and presented as bonded pairs – only to strike out with independence when they are finally released at the Sanctuary. I will look forward to introducing Linus and Lucy, Abra and Catdabra – but this week’s pair are Chrissy and Donny. Chrissy is an orange tabby, and Donny all black, and both have wonderful golden eyes.

Donny  (KN)

They came to us in February with two other pairs of youngsters from Broken Promises rescue on the Island. Broken Promises relies heavily on fostering to deal with the cats who come to them, and when the fosters just aren’t there, or are overloaded, they will reach out to us, or to other rescues, for help. We already have a number of Broken Promises cats in residence, and have helped others find homes.  The newcomers were established in the Adoption Centre, the staff and the Kitty Comforters got to work, and all three pairs found homes.

Tired after an afternoon of play!  (KN)

Chrissy and Donny went to a family who renamed them as Honey and Luna – but they were still very shy, and unlike most kittens, they didn’t warm up. The truism is that kittens under 8 weeks will usually tame very easily, and up to 12-15 weeks, can usually be brought around with patience and gentle consistent handling. These two were older than that – probably about 8-9 months – and had lived feral, so we knew that the taming would take longer. With a cat born feral, patience has to be long-term; my own heart-cat Kissa was a young mom when she came to me; probably not much older than these two. It took at least a year before she would come to me of her own will, and for most of her life, when anyone entered the house, she hid.

Staying in the background  (KN)

In June, the adopters came back to us, saying that it wasn’t working – that the pair were still withdrawn, and preferred to hide; they felt that it wasn’t a good match. We took Chrissy and Donny back, of course – once a RAPS cat, always a RAPS cat – and it was decided that they would come to the Sanctuary rather than be returned to the Adoption Centre and would keep their original names (we've had a lot of Lunas come through our doors, and didn't want any more!). Caged together in the DoubleWide, they had room to move, a drape to hide behind, and a regular flow of med-staff, volunteers and KittyComforters visiting them. Usually the cage time enables us to do spay/neuter, vaccines and booster doses – in this case, we knew the records for all that, and the only purpose of caging was to allow them to decompress and become more relaxed. Visiting them confirmed that each took comfort in the other’s company, but that they preferred to hide;  as the weeks progressed we could see their curiosity increasing, and their willingness to interact with us through treats and play.

Keep both eyes on the target!  (KN)

Eventually, graduation day – the door of the cage was opened, and they were left to make their own decisions. Released cats have several options. Some emerge and immediately make for the great outdoors, to be spotted at the bottom of the gardens or hiding behind Waldie’s Hut. Others stay in the cage, laying claim to their territory, though that doesn’t last long when cages are in short supply and the space has to be cleaned for a newcomer. Many of them move immediately to the DW Deck, where there is a population of feral, semi-feral and tame cats living together. Here the newcomers can see that interactions between cats and these scary humans are really not that scary, and many of them will move to a more comfortable flow between indoors and outdoors.

Onlooker  (KN)

Chrissy headed for the gardens – but not in fear. She really wanted to see the big wide world and explore. In no time at all, she was interacting with both cats and humans, approaching for petting and play. Initially, it was easy to confuse her with the Four Oranges – but Mandarin (Manny) is bigger than she is, Tangerine mostly hangs around the south courtyard and is not ready for touch, and both Tangelo and Valencia prefer the safety of the DW Deck area. In addition, they are all classic pattern tabbies, and Chrissy is a mackerel tabby, though most of her mackerel lines are broken. She loves visitors at weekends because it always means more playtime; wand play is her favourite activity, and she and Rockford vie for attention. I don’t think she’s ready for the scoop-and-cuddle stuff, but she is a passionate ankle-weaver, and we need to watch where our feet go.

On the prowl  (KN)

Donny took the other route; she preferred to stay in the safety of the Deck and usually tucked herself into a shelf or a cubby not far from the cat-door. I don’t know if Chrissy returned in the evenings to visit her sister, but the Kitty Comforters (especially Anne) made a point of looking for Donny and reminding her that we were OK. She began to respond to voices and come out for fussing, jumping up on her hind legs for high pets (the manoeuvre preferred by the late beloved Cricket, in the front courtyard). In the last few weeks she’s emerged from shelter and started exploring; initially just down the path from the cat-door, and then running back;  then the full loop from there, through the TeaRoom and up the stairs (a route increasingly being investigated by Madonna, as well); and finally all the way out into the gardens. She prefers to stay mostly to the side, among the plants, and has not yet joined the weekend Wand-play Olympics, but petting is welcomed and she is clearly more comfortable than she was a month ago.

Face to face  (KN)

We're so pleased to see this pair blossom with the care and gentle attention of the RAPS team.  We’ve had other Sanctuary cats adopted and eventually returned – most recently, beautiful Bello and friendly Guacamole. Taking on a former feral needs enormous patience, and anyone who has done it (and many of our staff and volunteers have that experience) knows that ultimately it’s the cat’s decision! RAPS does require that adopted cats remain indoor cats, for safety’s sake – and that can be a hard transition for cats who are used to a semi-outdoor life in the safety of the Sanctuary.  Friendly as Chrissy and Donny are now, being in a human home could possibly revert them to their scared mind-set – so they will probably remain where they are, safe with us, unless they make it clear that they have found their own person. 

Blog by Brigid Coult

All photos by Karen Nicholson

Thor-Theo

Thor, aka Theo

Last summer part-time med staff Gracelyn was also part-timing at a veterinary office in South Surrey. A cat was brought in for euthanasia – not because he was sick, but because his owners were going into care, and nobody else would take him. Gracelyn holds to the RAPS belief that convenience is not a reason for euthanasia, and she brought him to us. His name was Thor, and he was not a happy camper!

Slightly suspicious....  (BC)

He’s a small boy, light tabby with a white muzzle and there’s something about him that reminds me of a Bengal cat, though his markings are tabby stripes rather than the typical Bengal rosettes. He is tailless, though I understand it’s an amputation from a tail injury when he was young, rather than a natural mutation.

Do I have to go back in the cage?  (WN)

Thor is one of those cats who seems to have a perpetually worried face, and for him, there was a lot to worry about. We hoped that he might be adopted out – he was about 7 years old, and was initially housed in the Adoption Centre. However, it became apparent that in fact, all was not well with him – he has a sensitive stomach, and either one end or the other was giving him problems. Various medications and changed diets were offered, but Thor’s biggest difficulty was that he was stressed by his environment. Nobody likes living in a cage, and the Adoption Centre’s cages are smaller than the ones at the Sanctuary, and not intended for living in for very long.

Loving being in a home  (WN)

Fortune was on his side; Wenda, one of our Sanctuary visitors, offered to foster him, and Thor went home with her. She renamed him as Theo, and the quiet environment she offered him, and her gentle patience, brought him out of his shell.  Sadly, his intestinal problems continued, and required repeated visits back to the Adoption Centre or the Hospital, and though Theo had changed with her care, he knew what it meant when his carrier came out. He proved to be a hard cat to manage and transport, and it was finally decided that in order to facilitate his frequent need for medical care, he needed to remain at RAPS, though in the Sanctuary rather than the Adoption Centre.

Relaxed enough to play  (WN)

He was admitted to the SingleWide trailer, where the cage in which he was placed was ten times the size of his Adoption Centre digs. Here he had room to move around, places to hide, places to climb, and a chair for visitors – and the Kitty Comforters swung into action. Wenda continues to visit him regularly, but we all learned the subtleties of dealing with Theo/Thor (he officially remains Thor in the Sanctuary). The main thing is that he needed time; he would come and sit by the door, but often when a visitor went in, he would move away and hide behind the drape, or turn an eloquent back! If we had the patience to sit quietly with him, to talk gently and not push for contact, he would usually come around and allow a little touch. He likes to play, and wand toys have been a big part of initiating contact and activity.

Guarding from the shelf  (KH)

The digestive problems continued, though with closer monitoring by the med-staff, they have come under better control. Initially he only ate prescription food and hydrolized protein, but without keeping him in a cage, it’s not possible to maintain him on a limited diet. So, gradually that was phased out, and the staff keep a careful eye on him for throw-up or poop problems and a consequent adjustment of medication. Now the cage door is open and he is getting to know his surroundings – he doesn’t really care for the company of other cats, but he enjoys exploring, especially now the SW deck has been refurbished, and he loves having the space to move when there’s a wand toy available and someone to play with him.

Even if I only half-fits....   (WN)

Wenda’s visits remain a special treat for him and with her he is comfortable enough to allow lap-time and touch in a way that takes much longer to achieve for more infrequent visitors. There’s sufficient space in the SW that he can remain aloof from the other cats if he wants, though he is often an interested onlooker when Ophelia, Oscar or Teddy Swims are enjoying playtime on the floor. Perhaps some day he will join them!

Watching the other cats in action!  (KH)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Kim Howe and Wenda Nairn