Tabby beauty

Cadbury  (KN)

We all have our favourite types, when it comes to cats – as well as our favourite individual cats.  Some people favour the ginger ones, or the black ones; some look for the cuddly ones or the spicy ones.  I have a weakness for the long-haired tabbies, especially the sad-faced ones. I loved Dickens, who I got to know early in my time in the Sanctuary, and I still miss my beloved Skittles, who began as a feral and became a loving lap-cat.

Skittles & Cadbury - brother-love  (KN)

Skittles came from a group we called the Candy Cats, and the others are all still around – tabby SweetTart in with the barn-cats, Purdy, Hershey and Butterscotch hiding out in Pen 8, and the beautiful Cadbury, based in Pen 2.

Our beautiful boy  (MW)

Cadbury is one of those cats that the camera just loves – you almost can’t get a bad photo of him.  He and Skittles were particularly close in their early days in Pen 6, but Skittles gravitated towards people, and Cadbury remained very shy. 

Keep your distance, please   (MW)

He is something of a loner – he shares the cabin with a pretty cat-social bunch, but he can usually be found on his own shelf, keeping himself to himself.  He’s not hissy-shy; he just pulls away from contact until he’s certain that he’s safe.  Sometimes he can be very affectionate, but he rarely solicits petting.

Showing off his highlights  (LBF)

He's one of those fortunate long-haired tabbies that seems to be able to keep his fur in good condition. With some of the others the med-staff have to go in and shave mats off - or, in a worst-case situation, give them a complete lion-cut.  No such indignity for Cadbury - he keeps himself well-groomed, and his wonderful neck-ruff is like a halo.  In company with pretty Autumn in the front courtyard, Cadbury's ruff becomes more blond, and it looks like he's been to the salon for highlights.

Is this my best side?...   (LBF)

Unlike a lot of the other back courtyard cats, he’s not particularly food-motivated, and when treats are on offer and the others crowd around, he stays out of the way. When I clean the Pen 2 cabin on Friday mornings, I bring a baggie of dental kibble, or some of my own cat’s “healthy” food as treats, and the other cats get very excited;  Cadbury holds back, though he’s happy to crunch in, as long as nobody else is crowding him. 

Wand-play  (KN)

He comes across as a solemn, serious boy – but he can be playful with the right incentive: a grass stalk or a feather wand will have him batting at it like a kitten.  But it needs to be solo play; when someone else wants in on it, Cadbury backs off and lets the more assertive cat win. Looking at his photos, I realized how few of them had other cats in them; he’s an expert at finding comfy places to settle where he won’t be disturbed by the rest of them.

finding his quiet place  (LBF)

The back courtyard is home to about 200 cats – probably more, when the weather is fine and the inside cats all come out to explore. Cadbury still manages to be The Cat Who Walks By Himself. Like most introverts, he needs a lot of alone time to support him through the times of togetherness. We’re glad that he has that choice.

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Winter Kitties

 

Cornelius & Gemini enjoying snow and sunshine (LBF)

Ten days of snow in the Lower Mainland is pretty unusual; most of us need to head to the mountains to get the white stuff. So when it happens, everyone is taken by surprise - cats included!

Leo seems to love being outside  (KN)

Most humans and cats tend to fall into one of two categories; we turn our backs on what's going on outside and cosy up for the duration, or we get outside and enjoy winter sports.

The Pen 6 cats would rather stay in a warm floofy pile  (LBF)

This happened during the holiday, when we had volunteers missing, and covering the extra shifts was complicated by the need to dig out paths to access the various buildings.

Sunshine on (piles of) snow.  (BC)

The majority of cats seem to prefer their comfort, and stayed safely in their buildings. There was, after all, no point in putting plates of food in their usual places outside; frozen catfood is not appealing to anyone. 

Chai is much more an indoor kitty than she used to be;
she stays carefully in the shoveled areas (KN)

In the front courtyard there was some serious hibernation, with only occasional visits outside to investigate the conditions. 

Autumn loves the snow, and her thick coat keeps her cosy  (MW)

But there are always a few intrepid explorers.

Kenji is another floof with no fear of the cold   (LBF)

Something under the snow attracts Figaro's attention  (KN)

The pen 3 cats are from Alberta.  They probably have no actual experience of an Alberta winter, having come from a hoarding situation, but they have been eager to get out and investigate.

Cornelius leads the way (LBF)

but encourages the others to join him!  (KN)

The pen 6 cats are from Kamloops and have undoubtedly survived winter cold. Their thick fur is good protection, and though they'd rather cuddle up and stay warm, some of them are willing to brave the cold to get a bit of fresh air.

Cheeto  (LBF)

For some reason, the tree is especially attractive in this weather, and there have been several little black climbers surveying the Sanctuary from above.

Jackie O is the chilly queen of all she surveys  (KN)

Not everyone is happy, though.

Jasper's paws are cold!  (KN)

In the evening, they all return to their cabins, and leave it to the volunteers to tramp through the snow to deliver dinner.

Sanctuary at night (JS)

It's beautiful - but it never lasts long.  And nobody - cats or humans - enjoys the rain that inevitably washes it all away. 

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, 

Karen Nicholson, Justin Saint, Michele Wright

Winter Kitties

Darius is making a snow-angel-kitty  -  KN

The Wet Coast has for this week become The White Coast, and as usual, coastal BC reels under what is normal weather for much of the rest of the country!

Snow piled high in the front courtyard - BC

Having a cat sanctuary in BC is normally no big deal – many of the cats spend their time outside, and dedicated volunteers come from as far away as 50k to scoop or sweep or snuggle their feline friends. But when the snow hits, most of the cats vanish inside, the roads become skating rinks, and staff and volunteers struggle to get in to do their shifts.

Thanks goodness for shovelled walks - DW

It’s all very pretty-looking – till you have to slog along in it. Working in the trailers is cosy enough, but feeding the back pen cats on a snowy evening takes real determination. Thank goodness for Ken, who shovelled paths everywhere – and then had to go back and shovel them again.

Cagney and Petunia are staying out of the white stuff! - BC

 Most of the cats take the sensible path and snuggle up with some buddies;  leave it to the humans to get through all that white stuff.  Other cats seem to like the contrast.  I was greeted at the gate by Kiwi, who has come to us from Alberta – obviously snow holds no fear for her!

Kiwi enjoys the snow - BC

Figaro wasn’t quite sure if he liked it, but he was ready to chase a snowball or two.

Throw another one, please!  -  BC

Some of our kitties have Norwegian Forest Cat genes – lots of fur, big paws, and no fear of snow.  Little Autumn, in the front courtyard, was having a wonderful time; her big floofy coat was coated with snow crystals, but she didn’t care!

Autumn likes her snow bathing  - BC

Leonardo diCatprio was just enjoying lying there all by himself in the snow. Leo often enjoys his own company, but I didn’t know he was a snow lover.

Sometimes I sits and thinks....    BC

Pretty Sprocket, too, has a coat that will hold off the snow.

Sprocket - BC

Once Skittles saw I was out for a walk-about, he followed me.  This boy definitely has some “weegie” in him, and snow holds no fears.  He was, however, a bit annoyed by the fact that I wouldn’t cuddle him!

Skittles  -  BC

Ploughing through snow almost at his own height, he was getting pretty well coated!

Wylee is not a snow cat and looks on all this white stuff with a certain disapproval.  He likes to be out, but he has no desire to get any wetter and colder than he has to!

Wylee wants it to go away - BC

Just like people - some like the change in the weather and are active in snow-play; others cuddle up in their beds until it's gone again.  And this is the Lower Mainland - it won't last long, and we'll soon be back to the usual wet stuff!

Cadbury and Yma have cold paws!  -  LBF

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Lisa Brill-Friesen, Karen Nicholson, Debbie Wolanski

The 2017 Calendar's Coming!

As we’ve done for the last five years, a selection of the Sanctuary cats will be featured in a calendar,  – this year, it will appear on 22 October at our fall pub-night fundraiser  and, for the first time, will be accompanied by a dog edition from the City Shelter.

And as always, it was hard to make a selection of pictures, and inevitably, to say no to this or that one. I always try to choose a variety of cats – so I’m looking for a black cat, a calico, a tabby, a grey, a pair, a group... and so on. We made the decision to allow some new photos of cats who had been featured in previous years, but not of any cat who appeared in the 2016 calendar.

Here are some of the pictures that just missed being selected – not because they were less worthy in any way, but because they just didn’t fit with the sequence that emerged.

Albi - the first of a series of orange boys on the shortlist!

Boomer - in New Aids

MiuMiu was going to be our January 2018 cat
- but she may just possibly be adopted!

The light on our lovely Rudolph makes this a wonderful photo
 - but he's already in another picture!

Ian Tom sent us a couple of lovely photos.
This is Autumn, who was featured in the 2016 calendar

We discussed making this the cover - but decided that
being stared at with horror by a feral was not a welcoming image!

Buddy has the most beautiful eyes!
He's another one on the verge of adoption...

Henrik was on the cover of the 2015 calendar.
This is his brother Daniel, another of the orange guys on our list

The calendar will be available at the Sanctuary, the Shelter, the Thrift Store, and at several other venues around the city - for more information check the RAPS webpage  

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Ian Tom and Michele Wright

Happy Endings / New Beginnings

Volunteer Carol Porteous writes:

Reading a recent NEKO file on Autumn (October 13 update) and seeing her beautiful picture in the 2015 calendar (November) I felt inclined to write about “Treat” now renamed Ben.  Ben is one of the six kittens that were rescued along with Autumn.  There was his brother Trick, Pancake and Waffle, Leif and Ariel.  The last four came in first with their mama, and were joined shortly by Trick and Treat

Four of the six kittens that came in with Autumn

I was looking to find a companion for my gentle boy Furrbee.  I wanted to make sure I chose the right forever friend.  
When I arrived at the 5 Road Shelter there were many cats all in need of a good loving home.  I spent time petting and getting acquainted with all the cats but one caught my eye in particular.  He was being very social head butting all the other cats (weather or not some of them appreciated it!)   He was very handsome with an extra long tail and gorgeous markings.   He was a little shy but still enjoyed being petted.

Ben aka "Treat"

A day later I returned to the shelter where I asked some questions about “Treat”.  It was recommended he go to a home where there was at least another cat for a companion.  I felt confident that he would accept Furbee and Furb would like him also.  I decided “Treat” would have his forever home.
I was amazed at how quickly Furbee and Ben accepted each other.

Furrbee & Ben

 

They quickly became the dynamic duo bonding together like peanut butter and jam.   It was wonderful to see them sleeping in a giant fur ball on the bed and playing together.

It was at the Shelter while adopting Ben that I learned about the “Sanctuary”.  I had never heard about this place but I was urged to go visit.  So one fine Sunday I dropped in to see what it was all about. 
Cats! Cats! Cats!  Everywhere.  All shapes and sizes.  Brown ones, black ones, white ones…was I in heaven?   I could come here and volunteer?  
YES!  I am now very privileged and proud to volunteer at the Sanctuary with such an amazing group of people.   These caring and special people come together to save so many cats - some with medical issues or so-called “hard to adopt” or other problems - and the RAPS mandate is that every life is worth saving.  I knew I had come to the right place.   I am especially touched that there is a special place at the Sanctuary for cats with feline leukemia and feline AIDS - a place where these cats can live out their lives in safety and comfort.  I believe this to be the “Heart” of the Sanctuary and I am proud that I volunteer with these cats. 

Ben has his forever home

 

So it was my dear Ben who brought me to this "Club Med for cats".  Every time I look into Autumn’s eyes at the Sanctuary I see Bennie’s eyes.  The same beautiful shape and color.   She knows that her son is safe and happy.
A happy ending for Benny and a happy new beginning for me!

 

Blog by Carol Porteous.

Photos by Carol Porteous & Debbie Wolanski

Autumn - update

Two years ago, the RAPS Cat Sanctuary was temporary home to a litter of kittens.  “Kitten season” is a well-known phenomenon at RAPS, and as much as possible, when kittens are trapped, they are taken in by a fosterer who will spend time socializing them so that they are more adoptable when they finally go to the No 5 Rd shelter.
Autumn and her kittens came to us instead, and both staff and volunteers sprang into action, spending time with Trick and Treat, Pancake and Waffle, Leif and Ariel, and getting them used to being handled. Their mother, Autumn, was placed in an adjacent cage, and took a very dim view of the whole procedure. The kittens quickly reconciled to their surroundings, and to the humans who made a fuss over them, but Autumn’s usual reaction was to put her ears down and look menacing.

Autumn "before" (CF)

All six kittens went to 5 Rd, and were adopted out, but Autumn remained with us. Released into the front courtyard, she quickly established herself as one of the shyer ferals, hanging out in the back corner of the Val Jones area. The favourite look was the typical horrified-feral-stare, and she was an expert at finding places to hide.

Still a favourite hideaway!

As she matured, she differentiated herself from most of the front courtyard tabbies by growing a magnificent mane with blond highlights.

Autumn the lion

She also proved to be something of an athlete, copying little Merilee in her liking for climbing up on top of the umbrellas in the front courtyard. On one memorable occasion, she managed to access a way onto the roof (that escape route now firmly closed!) and was not happy to be trapped and brought back again. However, following that, she seemed to be more reconciled to her life at the Sanctuary; though not exactly  a friendly cat, she would allow the odd finger-tip to nose contact, and she didn’t immediately take off when someone was taking pictures of her – perhaps she knew how beautiful she is.

And then quite suddenly we noticed that Autumn had joined the crowd of gate-greeters, and was doing her share of leg-rubbing and bunting with humans, and flirting with other cats. It is SO rewarding when a formerly feral cat decides that people aren’t so bad after all, and comes looking for attention.

Blog: Brigid Coult

Pictures: Michele Wright and Claire Fossey