Two Timid Tuxies

Motley  (BC)

The Sanctuary has its share of handsome tuxedo cats who have made us their home.  Everyone in the front courtyard knows sweet Vesper who has the attention of not one but two adoring girlfriends.  Luke, on the DoubleWide deck, was feral when he came in, but constant handling in the course of treatment for his diabetes have increased his confidence, and he is a great comfort to his shyer friend Bodhi. Boston, in New Aids, is a cat magnet for his buddies Rocket and Drake.

Winter-coated, mats, dreadlocks and all  (BC)

Motley came to us in the spring of last year. As far as I can find out, he is a local cat; someone reported a pregnant female, our trappers went out, and Motley walked into the trap. I don’t know whether he was the “pregnant female”, but he still had his shaggy winter coat, matted and unkempt, which I guess gave rise to his name, which means “varied in appearance”.

Scared, but also interested  (KN)

He settled himself in the back courtyard, establishing himself as a look-but-don’t-touch boy.  At some stage the name Ivan was suggested and officially changed, but somehow he has remained Motley to most of us – wary and scared, but attracted by treats. We think he’s about three years old, but perhaps it’s his size and shaggy fur that makes him appear older; he’s one of those unfortunate cats whose fur can mat, and that in its turn leads to the necessity of netting and grooming him – which in turn causes a setback in socializing him. On the positive side, his fur means that winter holds no fears for him.

Winter weather means nothing with a fur coat  (KN)

Marty is one of the volunteers who is exercising patience and persistence in attracting Motley; he can be found hiding behind a chair as he offers Churu treats, and Motley will venture closer with the chair-back a perceived barrier that protects cat from human. Chicken is always acceptable, and Motley is starting to take it from Marty’s hand. He is wary around some of the other, pushier, cats; there are several who don’t hesitate to rush in and steal the goodies if Motley is not quick to react.

Recently Motley’s been joined in the back courtyard by another little tuxedo.  Dr Flint also came into our hands last spring, but from SARC, the Surrey Animal Rescue Centre. This is the city shelter, and its animal control; they don’t have the no-kill mandate we hold to, but they do their best to find barn placements for ferals. However, they will pass to us some of the cats that they feel have potential but who need more time. This little boy was about 6 months old, and pretty hissy – in fact, they named him Hiss. When he came to us, that was changed to Flint, and then to Dr Flint.

Dr Flint, curious but wary  (BC)

Convention holds that young kittens can be tamed easily, if you do so before they're 12 weeks or so, so Dr Flint was well past his "best by..." date. He went into fosterage with Kate, who worked really hard to socialize him. However, he remained fearful and wary, and a move to the Adoption Centre was not thought to be possible – so he came directly to the Sanctuary instead. Initially he vanished – mostly into the long grass around the edges of Pen 5. Occasionally we would see a little head pop out of the gate and venture across into Pen 1 – and then dash back. Kate could visit him and occasionally make contact, but all other humans were just too scary.

Observing from a distance  (BC)

With the upheaval caused by DoubleWide renovations, we’re seeing more cats in areas that have been unfamiliar to them. It may be that Dr Flint is following some of those visitors, but he’s been found coming and going from the Newcomers area, much closer to human activity. Obviously it’s warmer and drier there, and though he’s not given up his Pen 5 base, it’s no longer so vital to his comfort.

Chicken was the bribery to get him this far  (BC)

Last week I did a feeding shift, and then sat outside the TeaRoom with my chicken baggie, and the usual hopeful chickaholics. Motley was not venturing too close, and about half of his bits got stolen by Walker and Mandarin. But Dr Flint joined us – initially hiding under the table, and then jumping up onto a chair, where he could monitor the action better. He still didn’t want me to touch him, but that session represented a big advance for him.

Hoping to be bribed   (BC)

So – a call out and a challenge to all our back courtyard volunteers:  two timid tuxedos need our attention and patience. They may never make it to “really tame”, but the more they learn that not only do we mean no harm, but we also come bearing treats, the sooner they will relax and understand that they have truly found Sanctuary with us.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson

Video by Marty Corey

Hill House Haven

Handsome Mango  (MW)

It was just the way my Kitty Comforter shift worked out last week – I ended up spending a lot more time in the Hill House than I usually do, and renewed all sorts of friendships with cats who were choosing a cosy corner on a not-very-nice day.

Inside the Hill House  (BC)

The Hill House is the Front Courtyard cabin that lies between the Val Jones pen and the Old Rabbit Area (ORA), both of which I’ve written about before. It gets its name from cat-lover Stanley Hill, whose family made its refurbishing possible as a memorial, and he would have loved the bunch of cats who were making themselves at home in it when I visited.

Solar, sitting by the ORA window   (MW)

As I wrote last week, many cats are territorial – they like to be in a familiar space, and can sometimes be a little hissy when a feline stranger intrudes. The Hill House is actually a space in which intrusions are frequent, and most of the residents shrug them off. The covered courtyard known as the Old Rabbit Area has many very shy residents, and the permanently open window between the two areas makes it possible for the ferals to venture out into a safe space with (mostly) friendly cats. 

Tamale, who lives mostly in the ORA  (LBF)

While I was there, handsome Tamale ventured through the window, and though he clearly didn’t want physical contact, he was ready to let me talk to him, and to see that there were tidbits on offer, when he felt brave enough.  We think Tamale may be the brother of short-haired tuxedo Boston in New Aids; Boston accepts belly rubs now, and thinks humans are a Good Thing, when they approach gently.

Kia's look clearly says "Leave me alone!"  (BC)

Many of the Hill House regular residents, are exactly that - regular: this is where to go to find grey Solar or friendly Kahlua.  Kia will be found in her open cage – this grumpy girl was not happy about coming into our care, and she is one of the cats that has claimed her cage, refusing to move.  The two big Hill House cages are prime real estate because of their size, and it may well be that she has to be evicted to make room for a pair of cats who need to room together (Benjamin and Olivia once had this cage), in which case she will be forced to find another corner in which to indulge her Garbo-cat tendencies. Kia doesn’t encourage either feline or human sociability; minimal petting is tolerated, and then you can see her planning where to deliver the go-away smack.

TicTac with her boyfriend Mozart   (BC)

At the other end of the spectrum I could also find Mozart and TicTac cuddled together in a very small bed.  Handsome Mozart is one of a group we called The Teens; cats who came to us past the easy socializing stage, and who have taken their own sweet time about making human friends. Pretty Pistachio from that group got adopted, but Benny, Leo, and Caleb are still with us. Mozart’s striking looks always draw attention, but he’s actually pretty shy around people, and the Hill House is his favourite hideout.  TicTac came to us from the Adoption Centre last year as one of the cats with cage aggression, who was not showing well to potential adopters.  Once out of her cage and in the company of other cats she calmed down – and all the more so when she met Mozart, who she adores. He tolerates her attention and consents to share his bed, but I think the relationship is a little one-sided.

Sam - as content as he can be, surrounded by other cats  (BC)

I am interested in the fact that Sam also chooses to make the Hill House his base.  Most of us love Sam – but warily;  Sam desperately needs a cat-savvy human who is prepared to have Sam be a one-and-only, and he is incapable of demonstrating that to a visitor without getting distracted by other cats – at which point (much of the time) he gets really reactive.  Sam has never recovered from losing his owner, and he does NOT like this place – but most cat-savvy people already have cats. Still, Sam chooses to claim a corner of the Hill House, and as long as other felines don’t get too close, he enjoys the warmth and the proximity to treats.

Pretty Speckle  (MW)

Lots of beds and shelves mean that this is a popular place for sleeping, snuggles and socializing.  Speckle can almost always be coaxed off the trolley shelves to accept tidbits and treats. She has really blossomed from the wary girl she used to be when she first arrived.

Jenny - wary, but interested  (BC)

The big table on the left hides the litter boxes, but also provides a surface for cats who prefer to hide on the higher shelving, and occasionally venture down to try a little flirting with a human visitor.  Newcomer Jenny has joined the many black cats in the front courtyard;  it’s nice to have her be so identifiable by her white markings, and even nicer to see her starting to accept attention from us.

Toes - taking shelter in the porch area   (BC)

Even on the way out, there are cats who prefer the shelter of the porch to the more open courtyard. Tortie Toes and newcomer Frank had both decided that they would opt for cover;  Toes is often in the Yellow Shed when not sitting on the box-pile, but was happy to have a little attention from her corner in the Hill House porch; newbieFrank is still working out which corner he will claim as home, and I hope he will eventually come inside and join the Hill House Club.

Frank likes to tuck himself away in a box   (BC)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult & Michele Wright

Calendar 2025 - out-takes!

Peaches - but she's more gloriously calico
than you can see here!   (KN)

‘Tis that time of year again, and the phenomenon of the annual RAPS Calendar pops up.  Actually, it pops up back in July, with the beginning of my calls to photographers and the requests for specific considerations – are there pairs or groups? - is there anything seasonal? - are there particular stories to link to our models?

One photographer taken by the other -
with model Jasper at his most endearing    (MK)

This year the calendar features the work of staff members Karen Nicholson and Mike Fossey. All the staff and volunteers at the Sanctuary are known to whisk cell-phones out for quick pics, and many of them are really good, and have been featured in blogs and on the website. But Karen and Mike take their big lenses really seriously, and both have that magic eye for the personality of a cat.

We lost Raisin as we were doing last proofs -
and her portrait was withdrawn   (KN)

The Calendar is launched this week with pre-orders here, but, as I have done before in a blog, here are some of the ones that didn’t get featured for various reasons – though quality was not one of them!

This is so typical of Biggie - but do we really
want to see closed eyes for a full month?  (KN)

What are my criteria for shortlisting? I’m looking for a spectrum of colours and breeds across the year, with not too much dominance in any area. I’m looking to learn something about the cat in question, about their personality.  I’m looking for a picture that I can have on my wall for a full month and still see interesting things in it. 

It's good to see Boston out and about - but he
looks like he's emerging from prison!  (KN)

I try to avoid pictures with cage bars or pen netting where possible – though sometimes it’s artistically valid. And I try to avoid selecting a cat who has featured in the previous year’s calendar.

Such affection in this picture - but Thorne (R) was featured
last year, and we lost Percival (L) recently  (MK)

It’s hard to turn the page of a calendar and be faced with the picture of a cat that we’ve all loved and lost – sometimes we know it’s going to happen (as in Percival’s passing) and sometimes it comes as a shock to us all.

We miss you, sweet Leonardo diCatprio   (KN)

and sometimes I look at a photo of a cat and think “you’ll likely not be with us next year...”

old-lady Bricklyn is looking increasingly fragile  (KN)

With both Sam and Cheeto featured this year as our orange cats, I was sad not to be able to justify this picture of sweet Daffodil. She came from Kamloops, but missed out on bonding with the other orange floofs – she divides her time between the DoubleWide and the Newcomers.

Daffodil is still very wary around us  (MK)

Artistically, I really like the photos in which the cats naturally frame themselves, or in which the colour or texture of the object that hides them is also interesting;  in the end, that was why we selected Gizzard’s picture, rather than Barbie’s – she hid herself a little too much.

Barbie did NOT want to be in the open for her portrait  (MK)

There were a number of photos of the Cranbrook College cats, and of the Pen 8 Kootenays cats;  Li’l Bit from the first group won the cover picture prize, and Zoey being squinty claimed a page, but both had serious competition.

Bernadette, of the College cats, is a tree-climber to find a quiet place  (KN)

Already, I’m starting to think about the next calendar – can we do more seasonal shots? - do we need shots that show more of the Sanctuary? - who are the potential models who’ve not yet had their moment in the sun? - Gwen?  Kramer?  Amaretto? Oscar or Winston?  This is the thirteenth calendar from the Sanctuary, and there is a continuous flow of refugees coming into our care and no lack of potential pictures for next year.

Sweet Skye is shyer than her other sisters  (KN)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Mike Kossey & Karen Nicholson

Now go and find the Calendar to see the photos that made it!
For online purchase, click HERE

Feline Daddies

Biggie is happy to snooze his days away  (KN)

We have our share of Mom-cats who arrived into our care with kittens on board or already born, and who have remained in the Sanctuary because they’re too feral or too shy, while their kittens go on to being socialized and finding their own homes.  It’s harder to ID the Dad-cats when fatherhood for most cats is a moment’s urge and not accompanied by any real bonding with the female in question – in fact, a fertile female cat can be impregnated by more than one tomcat, and her litter of kittens may have multiple sires.  So celebrating Father's Day at the Sanctuary is not as easy as celebrating Mother's Day! Having said that, there are a few instances where we’re pretty sure about both parents – and the certainty comes down to genetics.

Domino still has a tom-cat attitude;
he's probably sired his share of kittens! (BH)

Most of the cats in both New AIDS and the Val Jones are male, and most of them have come to us as unneutered tomcats – that, of course, being the reason they carry the FIV virus, which is conveyed in blood from bites. These boys lived their pre-Sanctuary lives fending for themselves, struggling to establish their territory, their food sources, and their potential mates – and, still ramped up with testosterone as they were, that inevitably involved fighting. It’s likely that many of them have sired litters of kittens before they came to us, but typically, cats are deadbeat dads, and have no concern for their offspring. The first thing that happens when they come into our care is that crucial vet appointment when they’re neutered – which means no more kittens, as well as reducing their urge to fight with each other. 

Simon & Biggie having a private son-and-father moment  (JS)

We’re pretty sure that Biggie, in the New AIDS pen, is the father of Simon and Smalls. The three of them, with female Marble, came to us last year from the Island. We think Marble is the mother of Simon and Smalls;  Biggie is older than the two boys, and likely sired them, but it’s possible that he may be both Marble’s son and her baby-daddy – cat colonies being what they are, there is often a lot of in-breeding. The orange colouring is a strong genetic marker, and Smalls’ black colouring is the most common alternative to a dominant orange gene.

Zeus (MD) and Pax (LBF)
both now adopted.

When in 2019 we brought in a large colony of cats created by someone who was feeding ferals, it was obviously a multi-generational affair – pregnant moms, kittens, teenagers, and a couple of older males who had clearly sired most of the younger ones.  These two males proved to be FIV+, but both were friendly and handleable; probably strays rather than ferals;  Pax and Zeus settled in easily to the Val Jones area, and both ended up being adopted to their forever homes.  

So like their dads! - Nyx & Juno (LBF)

Their genes can clearly be seen in some of the cats still living in Pen 1 – Nyx, Juno, Atlas and Mercury have a real resemblance to their sires, though all four, having grown up feral, have remained wary with people. And it’s quite likely that both Kenji and Allan, in the front courtyard, have the same genetics - though not gathered up at the same time, they came from close by.

Tamale enjoying the heat lamp (AM)

More recently, our trappers were involved in rescuing a colony from Shell Road. Most of these cats were tuxedos or blacks – and not from the same genetic pool as the earlier group, whose more pointed faces are a clear contrast to the broader heads and bodies of the newcomers. One of them proved to be FIV+ and is now living in New AIDS – he was introduced in an earlier blog as Boston. Two other males are in the front courtyard; Tamale is clearly related to Boston – father? brother? son? - and Chicharron (Cheech) has the same stocky build, though he’s tailless and all black. Staff and fosters were able to socialize many of the younger cats trapped at that site, and they were adopted, so we have no clear families to identify.

Percival Snugglebutt - also known as Daddy (JS)

Percival Snugglebutt is the other cat that we know for sure has fathered kittens. He was one of the colony of cats who came from the Kootenays in 2022, and the two little lynxpoint girls, Curious and SweetPea, both arrived pregnant. Rather than coming directly to us, they went into fosterage, where their kittens were born. Both litters had some tail-less kittens, a clear genetic link to Percival.  All the kittens were adopted out, and SweetPea also found a home; Curious is still with us because she’s not as friendly as her sister. 

Majestic (and shy) Basil  (KN)

The rest of the colony has a much more Himalayan look, though in a variety of colours; it’s likely that either shy Basil or friendly Owen (now adopted) was responsible for the younger cats. Percival is sometimes known as Big Daddy, though he has largely detached himself from the rest of the colony, and has moved on to socialize with the floofy Kamloops cats, and especially his buddy Thorne.

Percival with his best friend, Thorne  (JS)

The sentiment that powers the concepts of Mother's Day and Father's Day celebrations falters when it comes to felines.  For the majority of male cats, “love ‘em and leave ‘em!” is the primary urge – not necessarily something we want to celebrate! Whatever their paternal shortcomings, though, we love having them at the Sanctuary.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Melanie Draper, Brielle Hutchinson,
Anne Marchetti, Karen Nicholson. Justin Saint

Boston

Boston - "it's a lovely day, and I'm in a grumpy mood"  (KN)

Last fall our cat-trapping team had their attention seriously divided between a hoarding situation in Surrey and another cat-colony that appeared in Richmond in an industrial area. The hoarding situation was solved with the involvement of the SPCA and other rescue organizations; RAPS took in at least half a dozen cats who were semi-tame, are now well settled into Sanctuary life and might even graduate to eventual adoption.  

The Christmas kittens - always cute!

The group from the industrial area were a very mixed bunch. There were several unneutered males, and inevitably pregnant moms and kittens to deal with. Many of the latter are up for adoption now – the Christmas kittens, named for Santa’s reindeer, and the Weather kittens – Storm, Lightning & Thunder Life in the Adoption Centre is busy! Some of the adults were easy with being handled; others were wary, so it’s hard to tell who might be a stray, with previous experience of humans, and who might be a true feral. 

Cheech has settled; mostly in the Connor House (BC)

Tamale still spends most of his time hiding  (KN)
He just HAS to be Boston's brother!

As is our custom, all new cats are snap-tested when they come to us, and with unneutered males, it was not surprising to find that at least one was FIV+ - FIV is passed on through bite wounds, which are common with cats who may fight over territory or potential mates. Chicharron and Tamale got a clean bill of health and were eventually released into the front courtyard, but Boston found himself living in the New Aids pen. Initially he was caged while he had his neuter surgery, and then of course he had the joy of wearing a “cone of shame”. First clue that this was not a typical feral – med-staff Molly tells me that when it came time to remove his collar, it had stuck and she had to take scissors to it. Removing a plastic collar from a feral cat is not a fun activity, but Boston was pretty calm (not happy, but calm!)

Boston's early "don't come too close" days  (KC)

On release from a cage our New Aids newbies either go up on the top of the cages to be out of reach, or they go to the back of the pen, to the Prince of Wales enclosure (named for the school that donated it, not for HRH!). Boston was a back-of-the-pen boy, and could often be found in company with black Drake and orange Rocket. Rocket (brother to Sprocket in the back pens, and probably cousin to Mercury next door) has progressed from a frightened feral to a pet-me-pet-me boy – though you have to move quietly. Drake does NOT like human company, as you can see by his flattened ears – but he does seem to like Boston’s company, and can often be found near his buddy.

Boston, with Drake in the background  (BC)

In the finer fall weather, Boston could often be found up on the roof of one of the cabins – whether getting away from things, or bird-watching, who knows...  Once it was colder he took possession of a cat-tree in P-of-W, and there he held court, establishing the centre for claiming his human worshippers.

An elegant gentleman in a tux  (BC)

Katy Cobb is the volunteer who works in New Aids on Tuesday evenings, and this boy has become a very special project for her.  She writes:
When I first met Boston in the summer he was a pretty typical feral guy. He would often hiss at me from the roof of the shed, and take off running if I got too close. When the weather got cooler, he traded the roof for an indoor cat post but he was still quite shy and never seemed too happy to see me. 

Seriously? You want to be my friend?  (KC)

I started giving him treats, and eventually cautiously tried petting him. He was initially skeptical and even whacked my hand a couple of times but I sensed he wanted to be friendly and just didn’t know how yet.  After several more weeks of consistent treat offerings, he started to accept cheek rubs. And the floodgates opened. He can’t get enough! He loves being brushed, and even likes belly rubs. He leans his whole body against me while purring and headbutting me for even more attention. 

Shy, but hopeful  (KC)

Lately I’ve been seeing if he’d like to become a truly snuggly lap cat. He’s definitely interested and I’m slowly winning his trust. So far he has committed to putting his front two paws on my lap while leaving his back paws on the floor. Fingers crossed he’ll be a full lap cat soon! 

Yes, I like this...   (KC)

Some cats are affectionate right away, and those cats are lovely. But once in a while there’s a hidden gem with a rough exterior who needs some patience and understanding to come out of their shell. Boston has so much love to give, and I can’t wait to see him fully embrace it.     (KC)

Blog by Brigid Coult and Katy Cobb (thank you, Katy!)

Photos by Katy Cobb, Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson