Another FIV Sweetheart

Chance (KN)

In the last few months we’ve had the addition of some very special cats to our FIV colony. I introduced Trooper in August, and Hank and Goose last month. As we’ve got to know them, we’ve also had another special boy in the background – and he is starting to blossom.  His name is Chance - a name he shares with one of the first cats I met at the Sanctuary, and who Claire Fossey described as "a furry disaster"

The battered boy - a picture from his Victoria foster

This second Chance came to us last July from Broken Promises rescue on Vancouver Island – we think he’s about 5 years old.  Even more than Hank, he’s a poster boy for an FIV stray – a big blocky cat with the musculature and large jowls of a late-neutered feline. He has the crumpled “cauliflower” ears of a long-time boxer; in his case, fighting may not be so much the cause as ear-mites leading to haematomas that never received any care. He reminds me of our beloved Bossanova – the ears are part of that, but the sad eyes and the hissy fearfulness that gradually gave way to trust complete the picture. When he was trapped there were obvious signs of fighting wounds, and he had care from a loving foster before he was transferred to RAPS.

Still wary, but hopeful  (BC)

He spent the first six weeks in a cage – initially with a drape in place, and some aggressive hissing coming from behind it. Many newer volunteers, in this situation, quietly pull the litter box out for scooping and place food and water for him without disturbing him.  The Kitty Comforters push the boundaries a bit, and several of us would climb into his cage with him, even if only to talk.  We discovered that a back-scratcher was a useful tool to allow him to experience touch at a remove, and found that he adored scritches round his head and ears – what he didn’t enjoy was having his drape moved, but once it was out of the way, he became quicker to settle down to enjoying caresses and melted into the petting hand.

Under the chair  (BC)

In the usual way, once the med staff decided it was time, Chance’s cage was opened, and having lived for a few days pretending the barrier was in place, he ventured out and went to ground under the adjacent chair. This presented a little more challenge – entry to the cabin usually meant discovering a Kitty Comforter lying on the ground, and coaxing Chance to emerge – all the while gently dissuading the other FIV cats who felt that humans lay on the ground for their benefit, and gathered around for attention.  Occasionally Chance would take some human-free time to climb the cat-tree and find a place in the cage-top beds, but he really preferred being at floor-level, and where he could retreat to a hidden place.

Chance thinks Henrie is a great cuddler

It’s wonderful that we have so many friendly cats in this pen – cats that are just longing to have someone with whom they can cuddle. Trooper, Biggie, Simon, Hank, Boomer, Angus – they all want attention, and the first four at least would do really well in their own homes (Goose went to his new family last week!) - but the fact that they all want attention means that Chance is very wary about emerging from hiding. 

Cuddles with Marty - and Trooper wants in...   (VE)

Our regular NewAids volunteers have proved to be most successful – they may not be labelled Kitty Comforters, but they sure have the gift!  Once the dinner plates are out and the cats otherwise occupied, Chance is more willing to risk himself and climb up for a cuddle – and the worried face relaxes to the point where you can see the smile emerging.

Look at that smile!  (KC)

Chance’s life has probably been a series of battles with other tomcats, and at the moment he’s actually happier with humans than he is with the other felines.  But he’s come so far from the fearful boy of the past summer; once he becomes fully comfortable with the largely non-aggressive encounters with a testosterone-free community of cats, we hope his growing confidence will make him an active member of our FIV family.

Hey Hank - can I share the lap?   (BC)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Katy Cobb, Brigid Coult, Vince Edwards,

Henrie Morgan, Karen Nicholson

New Aids Woody

This gentle boy is the second to bear the name – our other Woody lived in the back courtyard as part of the Old Boys club, and passed a year ago.

Woody  (MW)

We think this Woody is around ten years old, and he’s been with us for six of those years. He came to us in 2017 from another rescue – this one in the Comox Valley where there are several organizations doing good work to reduce a feral cat population. Kitty Cat P.A.L.S (Prevent A Litter Society) addresses local needs with TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return), with a Barn-Cat program for ferals, and with adoption where possible for kittens. But like many rescues, when presented with cats carrying FeLV or FIV, they will often turn to RAPS for support.  Cats carrying either virus can be spayed/neutered, but they can’t be released to a feral colony without putting other cats at risk.

Heidi (now adopted)

Woody arrived in company with Heidi, a handsome chonk of a calico girl, and both were moved into the New Aids colony. Heidi was lucky enough that someone saw past the FIV label and was willing to adopt her. Cats with FIV are often quite adoptable, and can live lives as long as non-FIV cats.

Woody (MD)

Woody had also had his chance at a home – at least, he was fostered for a while – but his fosterers found that he was determined to get out, and it was a constant battle to keep him in. We ask adopters to keep cats indoors, or to restrict outings to a catio – and with FIV cats, we really don’t want to risk a fight with a non-FIV cat. So Woody’s fosterers gave him over to us, and at the Sanctuary he was allowed to have all the outdoor time he craved.

Sitting on his favourite doghouse  (KC)

He is most likely to be found at the entrance from the back courtyard, right by the gate, where he acts as sentinel, either on the shelf or, in rainy weather, in the adjacent dog-house. He quite likes humans, and will come for petting and attention – until the other cats realise that you’re there, and come seeking attention as well. At this point, Woody rolls his eyes and retires to where nobody will bug him. He had a love-hate relationship with Boomer for a while until black Randy’s appearance gave them both someone new to hate. There are several cats in this pen that occasionally need a little time-out to calm down!

Woody (KN)

The other thing to be wary of with Woody is that he is a pee-er – most of the regular volunteers know that when you arrive, you hang any belongings up or put them away in a cupboard. A recent photographer in New Aids discovered the hard way that you never put anything down if you don’t want it to be claimed by a good shower of pee. Boomer will just lie on your things; Woody wants to make it quite clear that anything put down is marked as his!

Woody  (KC)

The ideal time to visit with Woody is when there are another couple of people in the pen to attract the attention of Boomer, Domino, Biggie and the rest of the attention hogs.  Then you can sneak away and have some quiet time to pet him and tell him how handsome he is – even if his matted fur has necessitated a not-so-handsome haircut. He’s not into competing for attention – but he likes it when he can get it!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Katy Cobb, Melanie Draper, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

Boomer

Boomer came to us as one of a group of cats from a feeding site

MW

Feeding sites are an important part of TNR – Trap/Neuter/Release – one way of dealing with a feral cat problem.  It takes two important things: the veterinary support that enables quick spay/neuter of ferals, and the dedication of a number of volunteers who not only trap the cats, but then continue to support them.

MW

TNR was an important part of Carol’s philosophy when she founded Richmond Homeless Cats (now RAPS) more than 20 years ago. Because of urban development, it was not always possible to leave cats in the territory they know – hence the development of the Sanctuary – but where it was safe to do so, cat-colonies remained intact, with a volunteer faithfully feeding them and keeping an eye open for problems.

MD

Boomer came from one of those colonies. When he was brought in for his neuter surgery it was discovered that he was FIV+, and it was decided to bring him into care. FIV – Feline AIDS – is transmitted in blood, usually in bite wounds as unneutered males do battle over females.  It is now known that Aids-positive and -negative cats can live together quite safely, as long as there is no serious fighting – and the impulse for that tends to fade with the neutering surgery.  But it’s irresponsible to leave an Aids+ cat living wild, and Boomer has settled quite well into his new colony with us.

Mine, I tell you! All mine!   -  KN

A lot of our former feral males show their past in their bodies; broad jowly faces, muscled-up bodies, scars on ears and nose from fights over dominance. Boomer doesn’t fit that stereotype; he’s fairly slight in build, with a narrow, elegant face, and a plume of a tail. We’ve assumed he was a feral, but in fact he may have been a stray, because he’s adapted to Sanctuary life and to human handling very well. He likes to claim human belongings for himself – a glove, a blanket, a treat-bag – he will lie on them to let you know that they’re his now.

Boomer on the boom box  -  MW

One of our volunteers tells me that he is the New Aids DJ! All our buildings have some sort of sound-system so that there can be music both for volunteers and for cats. Boomer sits on top of the radio and changes the station and/or volume, often mid-song. There are "Boomer guards" on the dials and knobs on the radio to stop him from changing things.. they don't really work because he moves them

KN

You will usually find him hanging around the front of New Aids; quite often with his buddy Woody, though they have not always been good friends!  I understand that he used to get into fights with Woody, but since new cat Randy came out of the cage, the two of them seem to have made up and appear to have a truce - probably something to do with Randy being seen as the greater evil..

MW

We love to see our AIDS cats find new homes where possible, but as a former feral, used to living wild, Boomer would probably not be a good candidate, and he’s probably happier, and certainly safer, living at the Sanctuary.

Blog by Brigid Coult (with input from Karen Nicholson)

Photos by Brigid Coult, Melanie Draper, Karen Nicholson & Michele Wright

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