More Adoptables

Guacamole  (KN)

For years the RAPS tradition has been that adoptable cats go to the Adoption Centre, and that most of the Sanctuary cats are non-adoptable. And basically, that’s not changed much. When we take visitors around, they quickly realise that feral cats, scared cats, peeing cats and cats with medical conditions are not the best prospect for a long-term home.

Frank - all dressed up and looking for a home  (KN)

But we now know much more about feline behavioural issues, and about the things that might make a formerly feral cat more or less adoptable – and we are no longer so fixed on “that cat can’t be adopted!”, with better education for adopters.  So currently we have posted some cats in both the Front and Back Courtyards that we think might do well in a home, and visitors can ask to be introduced to some of the candidates.

Lomi is becoming more adventurous  (BC)

What makes a cat adoptable in our eyes?  It should be willing to interact with a human – that does not necessarily mean lap-sitting, or allowing itself to be picked up, but it should be happy with petting, treats and perhaps a little grooming. It should be mostly a litter-box user – though, at the Sanctuary there are many cats who prefer to use the gardens as their bathroom. We look for people who are cat-savvy, who are patient, who don’t expect that the cat will immediately bond with them, and who understand that a cat needs time to settle in a new home. They will often come to visit repeatedly, giving “their” cat time to get used to them.  A cat who is a stray will usually settle much more easily than a former feral, A cat who is adopted as an only cat will be much more likely to use a litterbox and not mark territory in unpleasant ways.

Polar is friendly, but wary of visitors  (BC)

Back in April's blog, Mycroft (Holmes) was still wary, but now he flirts with all the visitors; he's going to his new home this month. In May, I presented two of the Hotel Cats, Westin and Wyndham – one from the front courtyard and one from New Aids; both are enjoying attention from visitors. Bello had his blog in July, and went to his new home in September.  In August I introduced RootBeer, Frank and Lomi, all of whom are still looking for their own homes. The following week I introduced the Sushi Boys, Tobiko and Hamachi – Tobiko is certainly adoptable; Hamachi has annoyed other cats and had cage-time as a consequence (and, sadly, is cage-aggressive), but would probably do fine with his brother.  In September we met sweet Reef, who is getting braver all the time.  Background information can be found by following any of those links.

Speckle welcomes Hill House visitors (LBF)

Two of our Front Courtyard tabbies are on the list – generally you can find them in or around the Hill House. Speckle is particularly willing to come forward for petting at table-height – she’s 5-6 years old, and has been with us for four years, though it’s only in the least year or so that she’s become such a flirt. Kahlua is about the same age, all-tabby, and very friendly. Their buddy Chai who came in at the same time remains resolutely feral in behaviour and will have nothing to do with visitors.

Rosie is wary with strangers  (BC)

In the Back Courtyard there are two small black cats who refuse to emerge while weekend visitors are around, but who come out and make friends when things are quieter.  Both base themselves in the Newcomers area and the shelves around.  If you want to meet Arwen you will probably need to make an appointment outside regular visiting hours;  your chances are better with Polar, who loves petting and attention once most people have gone - he's not yet had his own blog page.  Another shy girl also inhabits the Newcomers; blond Rosie is a little picky about her people and needs a lot of patience, but is very sweet when she becomes trusting.

Kahlua is another Hill House inhabitant  (AG)

The most outgoing of the Back Courtyard adoptables is black Guacamole. He is almost always willing to come for petting and attention, and his only problem is that he refuses to wear his “adoptable” bandana. But you really can’t miss him – he’s our one tripod/tri-paw’d there, and the most likely to come and introduce himself.

Tobiko (SF)

These are all cats who are used to Sanctuary life and would not do well in the cages of the Adoption Centre. They would all prefer space to roam: an enclosed garden or a catio – but like all RAPS cats, they should basically remain indoor cats, and never have to know the terrifying life of a feral again.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, Sarah Faith, 

Akira Graham, Karen Nicholson

Black Cat Trio

Orson  (KN)

In the fall of 2022 I was spending quite a lot of time on the DoubleWide deck with the semi-ferals, and I got to know Fargo and Della – though our acquaintance never progressed past the wary acceptance of treats. I learned that they had come to us from Salmon Arm in 2021, and that they’d been part of a larger clowder, transferred to us through Sammy’s Forgotten Felines in Kamloops. The other three cats that came with them had two handicaps – they were black cats, and they based themselves in the back courtyard behind Waldie’s Hut – an area that is almost impossible to monitor, because there are so many hiding places.

Arwen (KN)

More recently, in the course of Kitty Comforting shifts, I encountered Arwen – a small shy black cat who was caged for dental care and an upper respiratory infection. Arwen is very wary, but the KCs know all about dealing with wary cats – lots of patience required, and the knowledge that when the cat finally emerges from treatment, it may want to forget all about the humans who reached out to it.  

Arwen  (KN)

Arwen spent some time in the Newcomers area – which meant, for her, an upper-level cage. For the agile and bendy among the KCs, this is not a problem – they simply fold themselves up and climb into the cage with her. For those of us who are less agile, it means a lot of arms-length reaching – not comfortable for cat or human.  Arwen has now been moved to the DoubleWide, which means she has a large cage in which there is a chair!  There, we can sit and make contact with her just by voice, or by touch. The touch is not initially welcomed, but a back-scratcher or a brush makes a good start, and Arwen appreciates a bit of back-end petting – her bum comes up happily as long as she can’t see your hand at first. Arwen’s still wearing a cone as her mouth heals from dental surgery, so we’ve got another week or so at least, to coax her into accepting that humans mean her nothing but good.

Orson  (KN)

Having got to know Arwen, I decided I needed to make the acquaintance of the rest of her clowder.  Black cats, of course, are often very hard to identify, and I rely heavily on Karen’s knowledge to get to know where some of them may be situated, and how to distinguish them.  Big Orson was surprisingly easy to find. I had initially met him sitting next to Waldie’s hut and been struck by his similarity to my beloved Midnight, who we lost earlier this summer. Orson is a big boy, though less chonky than Midnight, and he has similar white whiskers – plus one white eyebrow whisker. 

Orson, relaxed in the sunshine  (BC)

He is not ready yet to make any approaches, and is not notably food-motivated, so closer friendship may be a long process. He and his family have been with us for three years now, so he’s probably around 9 years old. Karen tells me that when he was first released, we couldn't find him and we had to set up trail cameras inside the BCY to check on him because we didn't know where he was hiding or when he emerged to eat and socialize. Nowadays he's much braver than he used to be and is prepared to sit quietly while I talk to him, though he does not want to be touched.

Orson  (KN)

He’s probably around 16lbs in weight; all the others from his colony are tiny, so we don't know where he got it from!  

Keno-in-a-box - note the ear-tip identifier!  (BC)

His most common companion is Keno, probably the shyest of the group. She lurks in Orson’s shadow, and can sometimes be found tucked in an adjacent bed.  The giveaway identifier is a light-coloured tip to the right ear – otherwise Keno joins the ranks of “black cat 42B”

Keno  (KN)

Of the whole clowder, Orson likes to be around pen 8 & Waldie’s Hut, Keno likes Waldie’s Hut and Newcomers, Arwen likes Newcomers and the Back Courtyard, tabby Della likes the Back Courtyard and the DW Deck, grey Fargo likes the DW Deck and the little bit of the courtyard next to it – so they all overlap a little bit.  But it’s the three black cats that can most frequently be seen together.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson