Adopted!

 For many years, the Cat Sanctuary has been a home for cats that could find no other home.  

Not adopted: Beautiful Ollie just pees wherever he wants.... (KN)

Sometimes this was because they were feral, or very easily spooked; sometimes because they had been surrendered to us for bad bathroom habits; sometimes because they had health issues – but, for the most part, they came to us when they had waited too long in the City Shelter, or a shelter somewhere else, and space had become an issue.

Not adopted: Portia is both semi-feral and leukemia-positive (MW)

Things have changed. The single biggest issue has been that in this pandemic year, people confined largely to their homes have been looking for animal company, and not only the RAPS shelter, but other rescues have been finding it much easier to find adopters. So without the constant inflow of “unadoptable” cats, our numbers have been reducing.

Not adopted: Kin is a feral who prefers to stay well out of reach   (MW)

Sanctuary philosophy has been changing too. From having had a pretty hard-line “these cats are unadoptable” approach, we have increasingly been moving cats into homes.  Initially, this has been largely to staff and volunteers – the people who already know the cats in question, and are aware of potential issues and what may be done.  Because we had early bad experiences with adopting out shy semi-ferals (see Jenny's story), there was a reluctance to do so – but when the semi-ferals in question already know and trust their adopter, and that adopter is alert to the problems, we have seen some marked successes.

Larkin & Peony are now Scooter & Twinks
- and very happy!  (BJ)

Sanctuary cats are not for novice cat-owners, and the usual RAPS adoption requirements about no outdoor access are more important than ever for cats who have been used to a lot of Sanctuary freedom.  I hope that in the course of the next few months we may hear occasional reports from adopters about cats who have moved to a new home and settled in.  For now, here are a few of our happily-rehomed feline alumni:

Horatio (KN)

Horatio, former feral, finally decided that humans were OK, and that one of our med-staff was the best of the best!  She had given palliative home-care time to angry Frankie who couldn’t handle other cats; when Frankie’s heart-condition at last got the better of her, Horatio became her next home-cat, and he is ecstatic! 

Earl Grey (LBF) and Puma (KN)

We have worried about our seniors, as the Moore House has been gradually emptied in preparation for removal. Some of them have settled happily into life in the Single-Wide, but we were delighted when Earl Grey found a home, and even more delighted when his adopter returned to take Puma to join his buddy. The two old guys are happily settled together without other cats to bug them.

Leona claims the couch  (ACA)

Little Leona shared pen 6 with our McLeod clan of cats – but never really belonged with them. Almost always a loner, she waited by the gate for attention – both wanting it and dreading it. We finally moved her into the Double-Wide so that all the staff and volunteers working there would have a chance to help her get used to being petted. One of our volunteers fell in love with her, and now reports that Leona has settled very happily in her own home.

Darius & Mischa  (JB)

We are missing Darius these days, but are so pleased that another of our med-staff has taken him home. Former Sanctuary cat Mischa was already with her, and we hear that he has taken Darius under his wing and shown him around his new digs; the two of them have settled very happily together. Both are cats that spent a lot of time outside at the Sanctuary, and the ‘catio’ is a favourite place for the boys.

Her Majesty Queen Smokey is very comfortable
in her new digs (DJ)

Anyone working in the Moore House in the last couple of years has had to tiptoe around Smokey – a very angry grey girl who didn’t like either cats or people.  One of our volunteers was sure there was more than just “I hate everyone” going on, and has consistently made time for Smokey, establishing her boundaries, and spending extra time with her. Following the loss of her beloved Otis, she has offered Smokey a home, and is turning her into a lap-cat. We are so excited to hear the progress that is being made. Lots of patience and love...

There are a few other Sanctuary cats who have made their way to our Adoption Centre – for more information on who's available there, please check https://www.rapsbc.com/raps-adoption-centre/

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Ana Carolina Albuquerque, Jess Breitkreitz, Lisa Brill-Friesen, 

Bev Johnston, Daphne Jorgenson, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

Anywhere But On The Shelf

The Sanctuary is decked for the Christmas season, even though it’s only the staff and volunteers that appreciate it – we miss our visitors!  But one visitor has been making his presence felt.

Tinker says "Who is this guy, anyway?"

Whoever came up with the concept of Elf on the Shelf has a lot to answer for – including the Christmas neuroses of many children!  But not cats...  Cats have more sense than to get freaked out because someone is watching them. They like to be watched – because as all good pet parents know, they are the central point in the home. So having an Elf around at the Sanctuary was probably more weird for staff and volunteers than for the feline inhabitants.

In some cases it was a guarded interest - who was this interloper, anyway?

Bantam photo-op

Merrin gives him the side-eye

In some cases the interest was more in the smell - could there have been a little catnip involved?

Phoebe does a little hopeful licking...

Bentley thinks Elf has been walking somewhere interesting...

The Elf made a few excursions into the back pens....

Cadbury says "Can I sit on your lap?"

...appreciated by some - but not by others

Darius is NOT happy about this visit!

He finds admirers in the New Aids pen, where he is very popular with the girls....

Amaretto sharing secrets

Holland getting quite snuggly...

..even possessive....

But the place he was most popular was in the Single-Wide, where Mya constituted herself his fan-club.

smile for the camera....

mine, all mine....

...so she said to me...

you can't leave so soon!

Shiva and Elf want to wish everyone a happy Christmas, and a joyful and safe holiday!

Blog (minimal) by Brigid Coult

Photos (and Elf) by Lisa Brill-Friesen

 

Rico

"The edgy emo kid" - KN

It’s a while since we’ve had a Detective Cat at the Sanctuary. We say that the Detective Cats are the ones smart enough to find their way to us, rather than us having to go out and get them.  In some cases they may be cats who have been dumped on the property; in others, they are feral or semi-feral cats who are drawn by the feline society and by the potential of food.  If trapped, they are given the name of a fictional detective. Detective Cats have included Magnum and Kojak (now passed), Watson (adopted), Cagney and Horatio.  Steele, in the back courtyard, not only found us, he cat-burgled his way in, and was rewarded by being named for Remington Steele. 

LBF

Rico is our latest detective – named for Rico Tubbs, from "Miami Vice",  When the staff get reports of a strange cat hanging around outside, traps are set at dawn and dusk and watched carefully.  We’re not sure where Rico came from, but he was at least semi-feral, and savvy enough to know how to look after himself.  On the edge of fields and woodland, there are always rats and mice around – the stupid ones actually get into the Sanctuary – and a cat can live quite well if it can avoid the raccoons and coyotes.

BC

There were no flies on Rico – it actually took at least a week to catch him. Once safely behind bars, we were able to begin the process of coaxing him into trusting us. He’s obviously had some contact with humans, and was willing to be petted, though he doesn’t solicit touch. Typically, once “released”, it took awhile before he was ready to exit the cage, and he made the acquaintance of a few of the local host cats. Newcomer SophieCat wasn’t exactly a welcomer – she just believed that every bed was there for her benefit.

Bunk bed roomie with SophieCat - BC

Sharing with SophieCat was not what Rico had in mind. New cats in the Double-Wide either make their way to the back deck and the “Red Light District”, or brave two sets of doors to get into the back courtyard.  Rico had had the taste of freedom, and the back deck was too confining; it wasn’t long before he was exploring the back pens and enjoying the combination of safety and freedom.

KN

We have no idea where he’s come from – he has a look of our “cow cats” from the composting facility, but he is slimmer and more active. He’s not bonded with any of the other cats yet, and he’s wary around some of the dominant males, but we think he’s still pretty young, and feeling his way in feline society. He often hangs out in Pen 1 with newcomer Odin, who is also wary, and he has been found cuddled up with Darius, who’s a pretty easygoing boy, and a good mentor for him.

JB

Now he’s out and about, he’s less likely to approach us for petting – but he loves to play, and attention with a wand toy gives him a pretty good sense about which volunteers are good for a game. As the colder weather approaches, it will be interesting to see if he prefers to remain an outdoor cat, or if he also discovers that there are warm and cosy beds indoors.

LBF

For now he's happy to lounge around and catch what's left of the fall sunshine. Good detecting, Rico - you chose the right place to come to!

LBF

Blog by Brigid Coult
Photos by Jess Breitkreitz, Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson