Cats from Westeros

Rhaenys has found a place where she feels safe,
but can still satisfy her curiosity   (BC)

About a year and a half ago, we took in three young cats from Boundary Helping Hands Rescue in the Kootenays. Somebody at that rescue is obviously an ardent fan of Game of Thrones, because they came to us with the names Jorah, Corlys and Theon. I don’t know if our med-staff were just not Ice and Fire addicts, but the three boys names were changed to Fletcher, Flynn and Fonzie. We lost Fletcher to cancer last year, but Flynn and Fonzie are beloved members of the back courtyard cat family.

Beric enjoying the sun   (KN)

This past fall another three refugees came from Boundary Helping Hands Rescue (otherwise known as Westeros!) They were Beric – namesake also known as Beric OneEye (leader of a guerrilla resistance group against the Lannisters), Rhaenys (the Queen Who Never Was, and a dragonrider) and Laena (daughter of Rhaenys, and also a dragonrider).  BHHR put in some dedicated efforts to socialize them, but they have limited space for long-term care, so these three little refugees needed a place where they could truly settle in at their own pace, so they have joined us at the Sanctuary. Still wary of people, they are considered “unadoptable” — but we know that with time and understanding, they can thrive.

Slightly suspicious, but allowing touch   (BC)

Poor Beric (who as a feline has both his eyes) came to us in a very matted condition, and he got a winter lion-cut (complete with Ugg booties!); the two girls escaped that indignity, but all three of them contracted the upper respiratory virus that did the rounds during the winter months, and they had to be caged separately so that their medication could be carefully monitored.  Like most of the Front Courtyard ferals, they vanished into the Old Rabbit Area when they recovered and were released;  the ORA is full of draped shelves and good places to hide.

Laena was more outgoing in her cage than she
has been since release.  (CR/KN)

We were told that Laena was the most confident of the trio, while sweet Rhaenys was the most timid – in fact, of the three it’s Beric who has been the most active in exploring the courtyard and all its corners. He can most often be found around the ORA courtyard, but he seems to prefer to use the big (swimming pool) litterbox by the SingleWide stairs, and likes to base himself in the papasan chair in the sleeping area above it.

Cozy in the papasan...  (BC)

He’s not soliciting attention yet, and avoids touch, but not in a way that speaks of fear – more of “I’d prefer that you kept your distance, please”. He seems to get on well with the other cats.

Rhaenys - high up, queen of all she surveys...  (KN)

Rhaenys is a beautiful long-haired tabby in many shades of brown. She enjoys sitting by the plant containers and soaking in the sun, but she was initially very wary of being approached, and scurried away to find a covered shelf where she could disappear. Now she is less fearful when on a raised level, and allows touch, if not yet much in the way of petting.

Now Laena's out, she prefers to remain hidden!  (KN)

Laena has almost totally vanished; obviously, being caged made her willing to cooperate, but with freedom has also come the ability to hide from sight, and she’s reverted to her “humans are bad!” feral default. She’s obviously found some good hiding places, because all we see is a worried face peeking out. In appearance, she’s very like Cuddles, though with a white left chin rather than a black one – however, she’s a long way to go to match Cuddles’ degree of confidence!

Beric heading out to explore   (BC)

It’s early days, though – all three are still quite young, and are learning that we mean them no harm; that there is food, and there are safe places to rest. Because we don’t see much of the two girls, we don’t know if they’re interacting with each other, or just doing their own solo thing. Rhaenys is now exploring outside the Connor, on the climbing structure; we hope that Laena, too, will venture outside the ORA drapes. Just as Fonzie and Flynn have shown us, they have lots of time to decide that they can relax and feel safe with us.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson & Chloe Robinson

Best Buds - Thistle & Fonzie

Thistle and Fonzie are the best of friends. 

Fonzie (KN)

They came to us from different places.  Fonzie was one of a trio of young males who came to us from Grand Forks last winter; we don’t know if they were related, or even if they were trapped together, but they were too feral to be easily tamed, and were sent on to us by the local rescue.  The three were very different in appearance:  tabby and white chonky Flynn, silver tabby Fletcher, and black-and-white Fonzie, whose sideburns gave him his name.  Initially they hung out together in the Double-Wide, on top of the cages, but increasingly we saw Fletcher and Fonzie exploring outside.  The Kitty Comforters earmarked them for special attention, and gradually both boys began responding to attention and to tidbits. Flynn remained indoors, and though he explores outside more now, he is still not ready for contact.

Fonzie playing with Fletcher

Quite suddenly we lost Fletcher. Feral cats know that they can be both hunter and prey, and when they are unwell, they are vulnerable and hide away. Fletcher had an inoperable tumour, and all we could do was to let him go peacefully. Fonzie was lost for awhile without his brother; the two of them had played together in the back pens, and life alone took some adjustment. But he is one of the more social cats, and was ready to go with the flow of Sanctuary life.

Thistle

At some point he encountered Thistle. Thistle had come from Vancouver Island, from Broken Promises rescue and arrived with his “sister” Daisy; Daisy was renamed as Aster (there can only be one Daisy at the Sanctuary!) and the two of them were wary of contact. Aster mostly located to the back deck, but Thistle was an outdoors boy, and enjoyed the freedom of the back courtyard.  He is an elegant dark tabby, and though he hung back for awhile, finally started to allow contact with humans.

Fonzie & Thistle

This fall, Thistle and Fonzie have discovered each other, and become very close. They can be found snuggling together on the seat outside the tea-room – sometimes just the two of them, sometimes with Tyson as a third snuggle-buddy. 

Adding black Tyson to the snuggle

They groom each other, they head-bunt, they wander through the courtyard with tails entwined. We have been saying that Fonzie might be added to the Adoptables list, but I think this is one of those times when we need to be looking for someone who would take the two of them together – adoption can be stressful for a cat (especially a former feral) and these two would take comfort in each other.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson

Triple FFFelines

Shy Flynn and Fonzie on the cage-tops  (KN)

Sometimes our new cats come into the Sanctuary and settle down really easily, and sometimes the acclimation period may be extended – and then it’s a matter for much patience on our part, the application of the appropriate bribery, and the cat’s determination to hold (or not!) to their feral roots.

Fletcher discovering the joys of solo play  (KN)

In the late fall of last year we had contact with Boundary Helping Hands rescue in Grand Forks. They had previously trapped a trio of young male cats in the spring, but had no luck in taming them. In some jurisdictions cats like this might be returned to the place from which they had been trapped, but sometimes that’s not possible. RAPS can offer an alternative; a space where they can remain feral if that’s what the cats need, but where potential socialization can happen at a slower pace.  The three of them were transferred to our care, arriving just after Christmas.

Handsome Flynn, considering contact   (BC)

Whoever named them was an Ice and Fire fan – they were Jorah, Corlys and Theon – but whether the RAPS med-staff were not followers of Game of Thrones, or just wanted other alternatives, the trio was renamed as Fletcher, Flynn and Fonzie. Claire suggested that given Theon's end in GofT, it was perhaps not such a bad idea to try an alternative.

Fonzie is happy not to be living a GofT life!  (KN)

The three of them might well not be genetically linked; they are very different in appearance. Fletcher is a beautiful silvery grey tabby – spotted more than striped – with neat lynx-tips to his ears. Flynn is the largest, a handsome brown and white tabby boy. Fonzie is black and white, and was named for his black “sideburns” markings, like the Happy Days character. The two tabbies are around three years old, and Fonzie is a little older.

Fletcher guarding a scared Fonzie   (BC)

The three of them were caged in the DoubleWide for their initial stay – for vet-checks and neutering and vaccines. Flynn, as the biggest, had a cage to himself; he spent much of the time hidden behind his drape, hissing and swearing at us when we visited him.  Fonzie and Fletcher shared the cage next door and obviously took comfort in each other’s company; both were fearful, but not so vocal about it. Fonzie usually elected to climb over Fletcher in order to hide behind him.  Once released, these two boys made their way to the Great Outdoors – they can occasionally be found visiting on the Double-Wide deck with the other semi-ferals, but they are happy to explore the pens.

Fletcher seeking the safety of the DW Deck  (KN)

Fletcher in particular has had a wonderful time exploring mainly in pens 1 & 2, or finding bushes under which he can lurk and keep an eye on whatever’s going on. Initially he was very wary of contact with us, but he has joined the chickaholics crew, and hovers hopefully when tidbits are offered. He is still happier to take food off the floor, but he has dared to nibble from my hand, especially when he thinks I’m not looking at him. He and Fonzie can function independently, but they enjoy each other’s company, and can often be found play-wrestling in the long grass. There is a guarded truce with the other cats.  

Fletcher & Fonzie playing in the grass  (BC)

Fonzie is the most social of the three – he’s not ready for much petting, but allows contact and offers occasional leg-rubs. He likes to divide his time between the DoubleWide and the back courtyard, often coming in to share dinner with the Deck semi-ferals, before returning to be with his buddy.

Flynn observing DoubleWide life   (BC)

Flynn had the biggest struggle with coming to us; he was initially cage-aggressive, but rather than fleeing the cage area on release, he has remained in the DoubleWide, mostly on top of the cages.  Height obviously gives him a sense of security, and he would perch on the edge and watch all that was going on below him.  

Ready for just a little petting...  (BC)

In the last few weeks he has come down to shelf-level and allowed a little tentative contact – not much in the way of touch, but interest in being talked to. He has also occasionally been spotted outside, though his outings don’t yet last very long.

Fonzie enjoying back courtyard exploration  (KN)

I’m looking forward to getting to know these three sweet boys much better. The progress they have made is in small increments so far, but they’ve got all the time they need to decide that in true cat-fashion, they have fallen on their feet with their arrival at the Sanctuary.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson

Sad to report that we lost Fletcher quite suddenly; cats don't like to show when they're unwell, and by the time he was diagnosed, his cancer was inoperable. Fonzie will miss his brother...