Leukemia Losses

We lost Kojak this week.

Kojak - by Carol

This sweet boy has been a resident of the Old Aids area, where many of our leukemia cats live, since early 2013.  In that time he progressed from a scared, angry cat to one who would occasionally hop up into a lap – especially if chicken was on offer. We got to know his anxious little cries as he anticipated food being given out. He was loved by many volunteers – Carol, whose photo this is, Alice, Candy, Allison…  He was one of my own sponsor cats.

by Brigid

Feline leukemia affects the immune system, and cats carrying it have less resistance to infections – hence our emphasis on washing/sanitizing before handling them. It’s not to protect us – leukemia can’t be  transmitted to or through humans – it’s to protect them from something carried in from handling another cat.

by Michele

Kojak’s been unwell in the last few weeks, showing cold symptoms; he was caged for extra care, and a lot of loving from his human friends and the Kitty Comforters. But, as is typical with leukemia cats, his system just said “enough!” and shut down on him.  We know it can happen any time – we give them all the love we can, because we never know how long we can keep them.

As I lay in bed that night, having a little weep, I found myself naming the leukemia cats of Old Aids that I have loved and lost, and imagining them welcoming Kojak among them:  Aurora, Spot, Bella, Jeremy, Jasper, Panther, Bingo, Bobby, Frieda, Blue, Jessie, Butterbean, Bubba, Brady, Sabrina, Jackson, Max, Todd, Raven and probably many others.... I’ve included some of their previously unpublished photos here, and links where profiles have been featured.

Bella - by Phaedra

 Frieda - by Claire

Jackson - looking for handouts

Jessie - by Michele 

Blue & Sabrina - by Michele

 Aurora - by Michele

Bubba & Brady - by Debbie

We have them to love for all too short a time – but heaven wouldn’t be heaven without cats, and I’m sure these will all be waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Phaedra Hardman, Carol Porteous,

Debbie Wolanski & Michele Wright

Footnote: As you will see from the initial Kojak blog, he was one of the cats that found us; he was trapped in our own parking lot, and as was traditional for cats like this, named for a fictional detective.

On the day Kojak died, another cat was found and trapped in the parking lot. He has been named Watson (for Sherlock Holmes' sidekick). I'd like to think that Kojak's spirit had something to do with a homeless cat finding a new home with us.



Blanche - another orange female cat

Like Brady, who arrived last year around the same time, Blanche is another of that very unusual species of cat - an all-orange female. 

Blanche was surrendered by her owners whose patience was stressed to the limit by her howling to be let out, starting at 4:30 in the morning and continuing throughout the day.  The only time she didn’t deafen them with her cries was when she was allowed outside.  There was obviously nothing physically wrong with Blanche because she was happy and active (and silent!) when she was outside but her owners weren’t in a position to allow her out as much as she wanted.  Their local SPCA indicated that, if Blanche were surrendered to them, she would be considered “unadoptable” and probably …..  well, you know what.   Her family loved Blanche and weren’t willing to allow any such sad ending for this sweet little cat.   Fortunately, they discovered RAPS and Blanche now has a forever home at the cat sanctuary, where she can be outside just as much as she desires.   But that’s not how things started out for Blanche.

photo by Michele Wright

When Blanche first arrived, she was put into one of the large walk-in cages assigned to new cats until they get used to their new environment and the strange faces (human and furry) around them.  Although there was barely a “peep” heard from her during the daytime, one of the early morning Animal Care Staff was witness to the 4:30 howling that Blanche’s owners had put up with for so long.  Once her cage door was opened and Blanche could have come out,  all the other curious cats wanted to get in and get up close and personal with the newcomer.   Their presence was definitely not welcomed by Blanche,  who hissed to chase them away and then retreated to the back of the cage if any intruder got past her.  Not a happy start!  But, determined Blanche eventually began to venture out from her cage - into the main areas, into the laundry room, on to the porch (hissing at any cats who got in her way)  and then finally one happy day - outside  into the back courtyard!    That’s where I found her the other day, out in the sunshine, enjoying the garden and exploring in one of the back pens.

She seemed very content out there and happy to have some petting from me but still not quite willing to share any of her space,  not even the great outdoors, with those other cats. 

Does she still howl at 4:30 a.m.?  I’m not sure, but if she wants to get outside now, she can do so at any time of the day or night.  And as for all those other cats around? Well, there’s lots of room out there for everyone,  as the rest of them have found out, and she will too.   Another happy ending for a cat with “issues”, and one more unusual orange female cat for us to admire and love!     

 

Blog and photos by Marianne Moore

Brady

Due to some complicated quirkiness of cat genetics, all-orange female cats are quite unusual. Only about four out of every hundred orange cats are female.   There are a number of orange-and-white females at  RAPS’ Cat Sanctuary but all-orange ones were seldom seen.  Until recently anyway, that is.   For some reason, we suddenly seem to have acquired a few of them.  Brady is the most recent  orange female to arrive – more on the others in upcoming blogs.

Ten-year-old Brady joined us last December, around the same time as big orange-and-white Bubba.  Both of them have feline leukemia and were transferred to us from other cat shelters that  were unable to keep cats with this condition.   Although she’d never met Bubba before coming to the Sanctuary, Brady, like most people and several other cats in the leukemia area, has apparently fallen under his spell.  It seems that Bubba takes after Mario, another big handsome orange and white cat who was also a magnet to other cats.

At first, when still in a cage, Brady was very scared and would hiss and back away from any human encounters.  She gradually mellowed a bit but remained quite shy until she was allowed out of the cage.  Since then, although she still has skittish and reclusive days, she’s turning into a friendly and happy little cat.  I haven’t actually witnessed her cuddled up with Bubba, but she’s often part of the cuddle-puddle in the big “Papa-san” chair. 

When I found her there the other day, surrounded by Lisa Marie and several black cats, she was quite insistent that I pet her, even pushing her little head under my hand when I tried to pet Lisa Marie!  She then proceeded to do a little head-stand and somersault into the middle of the chair so that I could give her a tummy rub!  She must have realized that this was being a bit too forward  and maybe a little embarrassing so she scooted under the chair.  I was able to coax her out into the open with a stringed toy but the petting and tummy rubbing session was over for the day!

Even though she’s not totally comfortable with our attentions just yet, she’s a very different cat from the scared and hissy one who first arrived.   And, being an all-orange girl, she’ll always stay just a little bit more special than the rest!      

Blog by Marianne Moore

Photos by Marianne Moore & Michele Wright