RAPS is short for Regional Animal Protection Society, a registered charity and operator of a sanctuary which houses and cares for nearly 500 homeless or abandoned cats in Richmond, BC, Canada. The Neko Files is a celebration of the sanctuary and all those who live and work there.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Pen 3 - Part 3

 

Finneas   (KN)
Over the last couple of weeks we’ve had an introduction to the teenagers in Pen 3, and started to identify the ones who may end up in their own forever-homes, and those who are people-wary and may never make that progression.  

Reinhardt & Lucius   (KN)
Part 1 introduced the Shakespearean crew:  William Shakespurr, Mewlius Caesar, Mercutio (who went straight to adoption) and Cornelius.  Part 2 offered the dark cats for Halloween: Shimmer, Sherbet, Gemini, Jason, Jenkins, Baker, Lucius and Holly. 

Reinhardt   (LBF)
Six more are presented this week – mostly tending on the shy side, but starting to make real progress in their comfort with being around humans.  The most wary of them is dark tabby Reinhardt;  he is cat-social but people-averse;  he is very good at finding hiding places and staying out of the way – and yet, he’s curious, and wants to see what’s going on.  On Sunday afternoon when I visited, there was a lot of scurrying around the pen – and Reinhardt had taken himself up on the roof of the cabin, and was soaking in the fall sun, and keeping an eye on things.

Golden   (KN)
The other two males are Golden (orange with strong tabby markings) and tabby and white Finneas.  Golden was obviously named by the same person who named his buddy Baker  as well as Banff and Creston, who are leukemia cats – there are lots of places that would make good cat-names!  Obviously, it’s a wonderful name for him!  Both Golden and Finneas are wary of contact, but interested in activity.

Baby & Beans  (LBF)
The three females are torbie Scarlett, calico Baby and tortie Beans. All three are on the shy end of the spectrum, allowing some touch, but not really comfortable with it yet.  Baby is active and curious, and endlessly interested in what’s outside the pen.  She is often one of the first to the gate when a visitor arrives, and she listens and watches for exciting movement. 

I know there's a mouse out there!  (BC)
Pen 3 backs on to the exterior of the sanctuary and stupidly brave mice are known to regret their bravery around these cats – one of the occasional penalties of being on a morning shift is to find and remove the victims.

Beans  (KN)
Beans is delightful – torties have a reputation for cattitude (or tortietude), but Beans has it only in the nicest way. She hovers around where the action is, and occasionally ventures close enough for contact; she likes treats but is not as food-motivated as the guys are!

Miz Scarlett, posing   (BC)
Sweet Scarlett (named for the actor or the character?) holds herself slightly aloof.  She doesn’t seem to be part of the crowd, but she can stand up to cats like Jason who get in her space, and send them away with a smart smack!  She’s a beautiful girl – and it feels like she knows it; watch her pose!

Scarlett & Baby   (BC)
It will be interesting to see how the dynamic of this pen changes when the most human-social cats go to the Adoption Centre – will the shyer ones relax when there is more space?  We will look forward to coaxing them into more contact with us.


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





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