Mr Love-Bug

 

A handsome senior!  (KN)

I don’t think there’s anyone who works in the Connor building who doesn’t love our sweet Vesper.

Vesper with his beloved Fable  (MW)

This handsome tuxedo gentleman – now about 15 years old – came to us in 2017 in company with his “brother” Fable, a Siamese.  The two of them were surrendered to us for “inappropriate urination”, but we never had any clear evidence of it, and came to the conclusion that it was probably a stress-peeing situation in the home.  They were devoted to each other; both would do little solo outings into the Front Courtyard but they always returned to cuddle together.

Vesper solo  (MW)

Fable suddenly passed in March of 2021, and poor Vesper was alone.

Kiwi with Vesper  (DW)

In 2019 we had taken in a group of cats from an Alberta shelter that was closing. Among them was a trio of sweet semi-feral calicos – two of them (Melon and Honeydew) with classic white-fur and calico markings, and one (Kiwi) with much more black in her calico colouring.  The three were wary of human contact – something that improved over their years with us – but they enjoyed the company of other cats. 

Did someone say chicken?  (JS)

After Fable passed, Kiwi became Vesper’s comforter, and they could often be found curled up together on a shelf in the Connor building, or flirting from one shelf to another.  But Kiwi passed suddenly from FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) in December 2023 – she was only 6 – and Vesper was alone again.

Can I room with you?   (BC)

This time, however, it wasn’t a long transition.  Tabby Dominique had obviously been keeping her eyes on the handsome man, and she was quick to move in and fill the space in his bed. Dominique had come to us through a local trapping operation in the summer of 2021; she was found to be pregnant and went into fosterage to have her kittens. The kittens were socialized and taken for adoption, but Dominique’s feral roots were a little too strong, and it was decided the Sanctuary was the best place for her. She seemed largely to ignore her fellow-trappees – Chai, Speckle and Kahlua – and made herself comfortable in the Connor, where she encountered Vesper and Kiwi. The two of them were well-bonded, but occasionally we would find them snuggled up together, with Dominique keeping a careful eye on them.

He's all mine!   (BC)

Vesper & Dominique enjoying the winter sunshine  (MS)

With Kiwi’s sudden passing, Dominique was there to comfort and do her own snuggling with the widower. Cats do grieve when they have close bonds that are cut off by death – it’s obvious that Celine is still missing her beloved Hope – and Vesper was certainly in need of comfort. What nobody had expected was the involvement of a “younger woman”.  

Butterfinger  (AG)

Butterfinger had arrived in the summer of 2023, originally with the name of Butterflower – she was another of our transfers from Sammy’s Forgotten Felines in Kamloops. Like Kiwi, she was a dark calico, almost a tortie; unlike the dainty Kiwi, she was, quite frankly, a bit of a mess, soiling her bedding (she's a manx), kicking her litter around (hence the name change), and being very wary with us.  She is still pretty young – not much more than 2 years old.  

Butterfinger and Vesper  (BC)

Once out of her cage, she relaxed and became more comfortable with her surroundings, establishing herself as a champion at wand-play with the other three calicos.  When Kiwi passed and Dominique moved in, Butterfinger kept an eye open, and established herself in the same complex of shelves with the other two. Any time Dominique wasn’t around, Butterfinger would move in; Vesper was obviously flattered by the attention of another pretty girl, and before long, it was anybody’s guess who would be snuggled with him.

The ménage à trois:
Dominique, Vesper & Butterfinger   (BC)

The three of them have a fairly well-established ménage à trois now – it’s rare that you will find all three together, but usually one of them will be with Vesper and the other will be close by. There are no cat-fights;  warmth and snuggles are the important thing. The only thing perhaps a little more important to Vesper is chicken; he will edge out of the snuggle, stand on the edge of the shelf and shout until the tidbit is delivered.  We think that he’s a bit deaf and can’t hear how loud he is. It doesn’t seem to bother “his” girls – the attention of a dashing older gentleman in a tuxedo is worth the odd inconvenience to them!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Akira Graham, Karen Nicholson,
Justin Saint, Molly Sjerdal, Michele Wright

We Miss Them So

 It’s been a very hard few weeks at the Sanctuary.

Puffin - MW

Many of our cats are moving into their middle or senior years, and, as with humans, life expectancy varies.  We talk about the senior cats (14 years is the equivalent to 70 or so for a human) and the SuperSeniors (15+). And as with humans, there are some that stay strong and healthy well into old age, and those who are taken by known and unknown factors much earlier.

Fable the valentine - MW

A lot of our cats are in those early senior years, and despite the work of our wonderful med staff, many manage to hide their symptoms when things begin going wrong with their bodies. Cats are hunters in the wild, but they are also prey of other creatures, and any prey animal knows that it has to hide weakness. It is not unusual for a problem to be noticed, and the cat gone within a week – once they show that something is wrong, it is too late to do anything about it.

Spooky helping with morning chores - KN

We are a no-kill organization – but that just means we won’t use excuses of behaviour and health to justify the unnecessary death of any creature. To my mind, that’s a very different business from what is true euthanasia – the release of a creature from a pain that cannot be endured. However necessary it is, though, it’s hard on staff and volunteers alike, on the hospital techs and the vets, and on those to take a beloved friend on its last journey.

Skittles - KN

So, though I prefer to write about the lives we cherish at the Sanctuary, this week’s blog is a picture tribute to Puffin, Chateaux, Fable, Janine, Spooky, Ninja, Minnow, Skittles, Zimmer, Darwin and Shadrack, all gone within a few very emotional weeks. The back stories for many of them can be found elsewhere in this blog.

Puffin - MD

Puffin, in his early days with us, had a reputation for biting – he was very much a do-not-touch-me cat. He mellowed somewhat over the years, and more recently he befriended several of the volunteers, and was an altogether more approachable prospect. We will miss the King of the Front Courtyard.

Chateaux - MW

Chateaux came to us with his brother Shadow – one to the FIV cats in New Aids and one to the FeLV cats in Old Aids.  Both boys were very shy. Chateaux was never a people-fan, but he loved his buddy Neptune – as big and black as himself.

Fable - MW

Fable came with his brother Vesper – either or both of them stress pee-ers. The two were bonded in their early days; more independent in the last couple of years. Fable adored people and took every opportunity to climb into laps.

Janine - KN

Sweet Janine was one of the shyer front courtyard cats, and the brother of friendly Jamie. She had just started to hover around when the humans she knew were working.

Spooky - MD

Stubby-tailed Spooky had had several bouts with health issues during her time with us – mostly respiratory problems and eye infections. Her recent gastric problems were probably cancer. Most cats seem to have resting bitch face - Spooky's markings always made her look as if she was smiling.

Ninja - KN

Ninja had been with us for years – basically a victim of black cat syndrome and never getting adopted. As a younger boy he lived up to his name, sprinting and climbing; he was a gatecrasher, darting in to gated pens when he could sneak past; in the last year he was a permanent resident in the bathroom of the volunteers' Tea-Room.

Minnow - MW

Pretty calico Minnow was part of a group of cats that lived together in Pen 2 for a while. Her  sister cats chose to stay with the Pen 2 crowd, but Minnow wanted more out of life, and could be found both inside and outside in other areas.  Outgoing and confident, she tolerated both cats and humans.

Skittles - BC

Skittles was my own love, moving from being a spooked feral to a cat that adored lap-time and cuddles. His brother Cadbury is warily accepting of petting; the rest of his clowder don’t want to be touched. Skittles was a gentle giant, interacting easily with humans and cats alike.

Zimmer - MW

Sweet Zimmer showed in face and body the rigors of a life as a feral cat. For much of his early time with us, he was seen only as a worried face looking down from cage-tops; in his last years he made up for it with a warm bed, many human friends, and much love.

Darwin - KN

Darwin came to us relatively recently with seizure problems, and needed a longer cage-stay to make sure we really had it under control. Visits to him in his cage were at floor-level, and were much appreciated - he loved to be cuddled, given half a chance. Release allowed him to explore and make more friends. In the end, though, it was a mouth cancer rather than a seizure that necessitated his passing.

Shadrack - BC

Shadrack is another big loss for me. I first got to know him as a shy cage-top cat in the Double-Wide, wanting attention (and chicken) but wary of venturing down.  Over the course of the eleven years I've known him, he's become a confident explorer, a lap-cat, and remained a determined chickaholic. 

Ninja in his active climbing days - MW

In the past year, we have adopted out many of the Sanctuary cats that had formerly been labelled as “unadoptable”, to loving, cat-savvy homes who have been able to deal with the behavioural issues that had kept them with us. We’re sad to see them go, but excited for them as well.  

Fable and Vesper were always together
when they first came to us - MD

But the departures such as the ones we’ve had in the last couple of weeks are hard on everyone. We have to hold faith that we gave a better option for most of these cats, for life would have been harder and shorter in the wild or at a facility that was not no-kill. They have known love and safety with us, and our lives have been richer for time with them.

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Pairs of Purrs

How can I pass up a Valentine’s Day posting without giving some time to all the cats who prefer each others’ company rather than being the stereotypical Cat Who Walks By Itself?

Semi-ferals cuddle under the heat lamp - KN

Most cats do tend to be solitary by nature;  some, like the “Garbo” cats, actively dislike the proximity of any other cats; others – the majority, I think – can take it or leave it. Many cuddle-puddles come into existence for the sake of physical comfort rather than any emotional attachment.

Walker and Capilano - MW

The Sanctuary has had its share of cat-magnets – some loved and now lost, like Mario, Salty or Daniel; some still with us. Blond Walker, in Pen 5, is loved by Capilano, and by Chinook (neither of whom cares particularly for each other), and is usually found in company with either one.  The trio share a cabin with two other pairs of love-birds: Rudolph and Salish, and Adam and May. Pen 5 is definitely Valentines territory! ❤️

Rudolph and Salish are always together - KN

Sweet semi-feral Tibet is affectionate with the humans he knows, but reserves his real love for feral girlfriend Judy; Judy has been at the Sanctuary since December 2011 and resolutely refuses human contact.

Tortie Judy loves to snuggle with Tibet - KN

The group of cats that came in to Pen 2 a couple of years ago still tend to hang out together, and many of them prefer to stay in the privacy of the cabin – so it was good to see this pair of good buddies have a mutual affection moment in the courtyard.

Tux Booty tells his buddy Chase how much he likes him - KN

In the Moore House, Shaggy and Spicer came in to us as a bonded pair, and their love is very clear; both enjoy human company, but they are most often found together.

Grey Spicer and the aptly named Shaggy - VL

The February page in our calendar features front courtyard BFFs Vesper and Fable. These two boys are less dependent on each other than when they first arrived, and both enjoy interaction with human visitors, but togetherness is still their favourite thing.

Vesper is very possessive of his buddy Fable - MD

Spike and Princess, in the Double-Wide, did not arrive together, and have come from very different origins, but these days, they are nearly always found together, somewhere near the med-cage. Princess is perhaps the more adventurous of the two, but she always gravitates back to her buddy.

Spike and Princess - ML

In the Single-Wide, Babylon is probably the nearest we have to a cat-magnet – he can most often be found cuddling with Presley or with Harvest, but many of the other cats gravitate to him for reassurance.

Babylon snuggles with shy Siamese Presley - MW

And the quintessential Sanctuary love-in, of course, is the Dryer Gang, who rotate in and out of position as the mood and the warmth takes them.

The "core" Dryer Gang - DW

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Melanie Draper, Moira Langley, Vicki Lo, 
Karen Nicholson, Debbie Wolanski, Michele Wright

Vesper and Fable - bromance or marriage?

Vesper, Fable - and the Valentine's heart! - MW

These two handsome guys arrived with us a couple of months ago, and everybody loves them!
Vesper and Fable have come to us from a family who had a number of cats. They’re not from the same litter, but they’re about three months apart in age, and from all accounts, they have been bonded together since they met. They’re about 10 years old, and have been living as inside-outside cats – which makes them very lucky, since outside is full of perils like coyotes, raccoons, cars, poisons and other things that can make a cat’s life much shorter.

Vesper - MD

They’re neutered, but even neutered cats can get a bit territorial, and that may be what happened – one too many encounter with a stray cat, or an unexpected stress,  and they started peeing in the house.  Hoping to prevent their other cats from indulging similarly, their owners brought them to us. It will be interesting to see if the abundance of cats at the Sanctuary will mean they continue their bad habit, or if they just say "whatever..." and learn to tune out all the other smells.

CP

After a short stay in the quiet of the Moore House, they were transferred to roomy central cage of the Hill House, where they held court for several weeks. Cleaning/feeding volunteers and Kitty Comforters alike took opportunities to sit with them, and once over the initial anxiety of their move, they relaxed and enjoyed the attention.

Fable - MD

Fable is the more dominant of the pair; he’s very protective of Vesper, and now that the cage is open, he’s keeping an alert eye on his buddy, making sure that everything’s all right. He’s a cat that’s not always easy to photograph, because he’s always on the move.

Fable - MW

Vesper is a cuddle-bug, happy to lap-sit. He’s the more stay-at-home of the pair at the moment, preferring his cage territory, and defending it from other cats with warning squeaks.  Once he gets out and about, he will be easily confused with Miller – the latter is a bit bigger, with a slightly harsher coat; Vesper’s coat is softer, he has more flecks of white in it, and a little Harry Potter scar-like marking of white hairs on his face.

Vesper - BC

Both are now venturing further afield, especially in the evening, when things are quieter and wet food is on offer. They’re not interacting much with other cats, but they love human attention.

MW

We’ve had cat-pairs come in before, and then drift apart – Wickem (soon to be profiled) came in to us with his buddy Gidget and inhabited the same central cage in the Hill House. That was a relationship that didn’t last; Gidget has relocated to the Connor, while Wickem remains in the Hill.  I have a feeling that it won’t be the case with Vesper and Fable – after 10 years together, they’re not going to let a relocation to the Cat Sanctuary affect a very happy relationship!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Melanie Draper, Chris Peters and Michele Wright