Bellestar

Bellestar came to the RAPS sanctuary from the same home that brought us Tom Cat, Coco, and others. I had a chance to meet her (i.e., single her out from all the other black cats living in the front courtyard) this week while she's in a cage finishing up some treatment for urinary crystals.

Brigid suggested I go and visit her, describing her as very friendly. This turned out to be more than true: not only was Bellestar delighted to receive a visit, any time I stepped out of stroking range she'd start flailing a paw in my direction until her claws found purchase and she was able to drag my hand back close enough to snuffle or rub against.

This resulted in a few unintentional scratches to my hands, but it was impossible to be upset with her since she so obviously didn't mean any harm. Once I figured out how to stay either within cuddle range or out of claw range, we had an excellent visit that was a great pleasure to us both.

Update: Coco

I'm pleased to report that Coco is now completely out of hiding and ready to make some new human friends.

When Martha posted about him at the end of July, he was still very much adjusting to his new surroundings (and situation in general) and needed quite a bit of convincing to let her get within petting range. When I came across him this evening, he was relaxing in the front courtyard. I noticed the white tip of his tail and wondered who this cat who looked a bit like Puffin (black & white, fluffy, white bit on the end of his tail) was. Not having seen his tail in his shy portraits from July, I didn't clue in that this was in fact Coco until Leslie told me.

Coco (left) and Puffin

He's also much more confident than he was when he came. You still have to approach him quietly and gently, but if that one request is honoured, he accepts pets quiet readily. Even if you inadvertently come on a bit too strong or, as I did, have just a bit too intimidating a camera, he'll slink off out of reach, but only just. Then he turns, sits, and watches you with interest, quite ready to have another go at making friends if you're willing to take it a bit slower this time.

Clearly a sweetie, just as advertized. So nice to see him out and about.

Coco

Coco is a cat who recently came to RAPS this spring with the same group of 10 cats that brought us Tom Cat, a group left to RAPS out of love from an owner too sick to care for them anymore. The cats were initially placed Val Jones house as a safe haven during the transition period to their new life.

For whatever reason, pretty boy Coco was being picked on by the rest of the cats which was surprising given they all came from the same household.  Coco was quickly moved into the Hill House in the hopes of giving him a fresh start minus his daily browbeating from the Val Jones crowd.  His pen in Hill House was open when we were first introduced, but he was very shy and made his reservations about me quite clear.

Ann describes him as a really sweet cat and even a “head-butter” but at the moment, he would not allow me within 10 feet of him.  Ann assured me that in time I would certainly win him over, he was too social to let fear get in the way for long.

I arrived at the sanctuary the following week and headed straight for Coco determined to get better acquainted. I was met with terrified eyes that seemed to say “oh no, not you again?” Ann encouraged me to try my luck with some treats and sure enough coco overcame his fear for the sake of his stomach and tentatively took the treats from my fingers.  Eventually, the treats were gone and soon I was able to lay my hand on coco without him running away. Slowly but surely, he started to melt under my finger tips and a personal triumph was mine, I had made a new friend.

Photo by Ann

Photo by Ann