Gone in 2018 - but still loved

Merlin (Jan) was a resident of the leukemia area   (MW)

One of the things that always seems to come with a New Year is a retrospective of the one just past – and inevitably that includes recollections of the big personalities and celebrities who have died during the year.

Jake (Aug) waiting anxiously for visitor attention   (MW)

At the Sanctuary we try to focus on the positive – to think of the love that has been shared with our cats, and of the fact that many of them have lived longer and healthier lives with us than they might otherwise have done.

Gunther (Feb) was one of our sad-eyed tabbies     (MW)

But we grieve their passing, even when we know that that final trip to the vet is the most loving gift we can give them at the end.  And that journey is always made with a loving hand to ease the last moments and let them know just how much we cared for them.

Romeo (Jan) liked to be in the tea-room where he might beg human food.   (DW)

There are many conversations full of memories – remembering Romeo and the Timbits, Splotch and his shift from feral to lover, Gregory and how bonded he was with our beloved Dell....

Abby (June) was a small cat with a big personality  (MW)

Here are just a few of the friends we lost in the past year.

Orange Daniel (Oct) is greatly missed by his buddy Cloverleaf    (MW)

Bengal Jinx (Feb) was surrendered for peeing - but we loved her  (MD)

Front courtyard Jinx (Dec) loved her sunbathing    (MD)

Handsome Simba (Aug)  took every opportunity to snuggle  (PH)

Kiddie (Nov) has gone to be with his sister Sadie    (MW)

Bonnie Boy (Nov) knew how handsome he was!   (MW)

Emo Pickles' (Sept) flattened ears belied his loving nature   (PH)

Sweet Peppercorn (Oct) loved to have attention from humans   (MW)

We don’t have a finite amount of love to share – every cat that walks into our hearts leaves a little bit of itself there, but there is still much love to be given to the newcomers who continue to come into our care.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Melanie Draper, Phaedra Hardman, Debbie Wolanski, Michele Wright

Sunday Sanctuary Changes

Friendly Jake is always one of the first greeters - MW

Richmond Homeless Cats was founded in 1989 by Carol Reichert to address the needs of Richmond’s feral cat population. The Sanctuary came into existence when it became obvious that there were many cats who were never going to find a home – whether because they were feral, they had behaviour problems, or health issues. For years we were Richmond’s best kept secret – but gradually the word got out, and cat-lovers all over wanted to see what we were about.

The barn cats in pen 7 are shy semi-ferals  - MW

As a private organization we were able to set parameters around visiting, and Sunday afternoons became the favoured time – after the busy-ness of the morning cleaning was done, and before the evening feeding/scooping routines began. More and more people discovered us, and the number of visitors grew to a point at which we had concerns both for cats and for humans – the cats, because many of them were not used to unfamiliar people around them, and many of them would go into hiding to avoid attention – and the people, because inevitably there were scratches from cats who chose not to cooperate with handling, and it became very hard for the few volunteers on duty to monitor all the areas.

The back gardens - with no humans! - PH

We are, to some extent, the victim of our own success. The trouble is that many visitors have limited experience with ferals and semi-ferals, and look on the Sanctuary visit experience as if it were a petting zoo. The experience of  having more than a hundred visitors through on a not particularly nice day in early spring led us to consider what the situation was likely to be by the summer – and reluctantly, but for the safety of cats and humans alike, we’ve had to put some restrictions in place.

Puffin is tolerant only so far....     MW

The first concern was for very young children, and the decision was made to deny entry to those under 6 years old. Between 6 and 13 they are welcome, but must be attended by an adult at all times. Regular visitors know that cats like Puffin, Sophie, Lumi and Jobie are unpredictable, and we really don’t want an incident with any of them. Many of our young volunteers have first met the cats through Sunday visiting, but they cannot volunteer until they are 16 years old (unless they are working with an adult).

Hillie likes to wander - but she's not really comfortable round people -  DW

The second concern was for our shyer penned cats, and for those with health issues. It was decided to restrict access to all these areas – and to restrict it even to volunteers on Sunday afternoons, since it’s confusing for visitors to see someone in an area they’ve been told is out of bounds. Volunteers and Kitty Comforters can come and visit at the Sanctuary at any time, and will continue to do so, but Sunday afternoon focus is now on visitors, and volunteers who are present are there in the role of guides and ambassadors.

Shy Marilee hides behind her buddy Gilbert - MD

I have commented before that we have an ageing feline population, and an aging infrastructure too – timber that was in good condition when things were first constructed is now disintegrating under the influence of weather and enthusiastic claws. Many of our cat-cabins should really be replaced, pavers are buckling, pushed up by roots below, flooring needs to be re-laid, and the Single-Wide is only half-renovated. Generous donors made it possible to gut and renovate the Hill House, Connor and Old Aids in previous years, but there’s a long list of other projects awaiting attention.  So reluctantly, we have to be more pointed about asking for donations – financial or in kind.

Lumi scouting out her next victim - DW

It’s hard to make changes like this, and particularly hard on people who’ve made a routine of weekly visits, and look forward to visiting with favourite cats. We hope that some of those folks will commit themselves to being volunteers, giving them access not only during their shift but at other times.  Our primary concern has to be for the cats – not just for their physical well-being, but for making them feel that they are truly in a place that is a sanctuary for them.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Melanie Draper, Phaedra Hardman, Debbie Wolanski, Michele Wright

Kitties, It's Cold Outside

The snowfall of last week was reinforced by a blast of arctic cold, and along with the rest of the Lower Mainland, the Sanctuary has been at sub-zero temperatures.  The vast majority of the cats have decided that they really prefer the indoor life-style, and every bed - especially the ones under the heat lamps - has been claimed.

Front courtyard snugglers - Debbie, Petunia (back) Gilbert (front) & Spencer - DW
Fabio & Lucky are somewhere in the pile!

That, of course, makes for some difficulties for the volunteers – cats take exception to being moved off a comfy spot just because some human wants to shake a blanket out, or to change it for a clean cover. And the production of clean bedding is made possible only by careful use of the washer/dryer, because the system is easily overloaded – both by cats and by electrical needs. Having either the washer or the dryer running, of course, is much in demand; the warmth and the vibrations make the appliance top a preferred sleeping space.

One variant of the Dryer Gang: Diablo, Bantam & Simone - MW

Out in the back pens, the cats are also preferring to cuddle together and not venture out. Cleaning pen 1 yesterday, I found twelve of them watching me anxiously; most are semi-feral at best and would normally be backing away, but comfort came first, and they waited patiently while I replaced an ice-filled water-bowl from outside their door with one full of warm water, adding a splash of warm to the inside water-bowl as well.

A wary group of ferals - BC

In pen 5 May and Adam were eager to greet me (though that was in part because of treats in pockets), but Chinook, Willow and Salish also joined in the love-fest, enjoying the chance for some interaction since they’d not had the chance to get out.

From top: Salish, Willow & Adam - waiting hopefully - BC

There are, of course, always the cats who want to do their own thing. Our little grey Gizmo (not to be confused with orange Gizmo in the Moore House) is definitely a cat who walks by himself.  Now that he’s out of a cage, he’s interacting much better with humans, but other cats are still not his favourite thing.

Gizmo the Grey - BC

The cats in the feral pen would prefer not to be inside if they can avoid it; when I go in first thing in the morning to scoop their box and refresh food and water, they hurry out of their house. Cold toes are infinitely preferable to dealing with (horrors!) a human!

Smithy says "Don't look at me!" - MW

The decorations have started going up in the front courtyard; the carolers will be visiting on Monday at lunchtime, and cats are finding their patches of sunshine to make the fur coats compensate for the chill.

Jake's attention is caught by a possible food hand-out - BC

Bobby would prefer that he not actually touch the snow - BC

Some actually seem to enjoy it; semi-feral Autumn must have some Maine Coon in her little body, because her fur has grown in thick and luxuriant (especially her ruff) and I found her today rolling ecstatically in the snow.

Autumn actually loves the cold  - BC

The end is (theoretically) in sight, though;  more snow is forecast on Sunday, followed by warmer temperatures and a return to our usual Wet Coast weather. Pretty as the snow has been, it’ll be good to return to unfrozen water-bowls and functioning sinks again!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Debbie Wolanski & Michele Wright

Cats' Eyes

Just as a cat’s coat pattern and colour is dictated by genetics (see here and here) so also is eye colour. Most kittens are born with blue eyes, and as they mature, the melanocytes also mature to give the eyes the adult colour.

Autumn - MW

Jake - MW

The majority of our Sanctuary cats have eyes that are in the yellowish end of the spectrum. Depending on where the cat hangs out, the colour may be very obvious, or overshadowed by an enlarged pupil – many of the indoor cats with less natural light may appear to have dark eyes that are actually mostly pupil showing, with a thin rim of coloured iris.

Mad Max - MW

Marmalade - MW

With some, the colour is very vivid – especially when the yellow eyes belong to a black cat.

Colin - MW

but our beautiful Dell has wonderful eyes too!

Dell - MW

The more melanocytes, the more intense the colour. Pumpkin was named less for his fur colour and more for his eyes.

Pumpkin - MW

Orange Hannah’s eyes are also very intense in certain lights.

Orange Hannah - MW

With some cats there is patterning of the iris. This may be true heterochromia, in which a cat may have two different coloured eyes (usually one blue and one another colour) or colours within the iris that may make the eyes appear different colours. When Sara Lee and Sara Lou came in together, the only way to tell them apart was Sara Lee’s darker-coloured right eye in contrast to her left one, which is blue/green. However if you look closely, you’ll see that the basic colour is the same; it’s the brown patterning that makes the eye look brown.

Sara Lee - MW

Freckles is another cat with patterned eyes – named for the speckles around her nose, it’s a name that also suits her eyes.

Freckle - MW

Luigi is one of our many black cats, but easier to identify when you can see the markings in his right iris.

Luigi - PH

With some of the cats the yellow shades over to green that can appear quite intense in certain lights.

 Sophie - MW

Krissy - DW

Lucky - MW

Blue eyes are characteristic of certain pure-breeds, and the only cats of that description that we get at the sanctuary are with us because of bathroom habits.  Both Bluebell and Jobie have the right eye colour that says they were probably bred for pedigree – but neither is a cat that you would really want in your home!

Bluebell - MW

Jobie - MW

But we love them anyway!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Phaedra Hardman, Debbie Wolanski, Michele Wright

“…to pee, or not to pee; that is the question…”

Visitors to the Sanctuary are always reminded that most of our cats are non-adoptable because they may be feral, semi-feral, have health problems or behaviour problems. And most of the latter cats have usually been surrendered to us because of “inappropriate urination”.  But there are various reasons for that situation. In some cats, it’s their way of saying “I’m really stressed”. What that stress may be will vary. Perhaps the people next door have got a dog barking at all hours.  Perhaps there’s a new baby in the home. Perhaps there’s a new boyfriend or too many loud arguments.  The cat lets the owner know that it’s not happy by doing its business in the middle of the bed, or wherever – and next thing it knows, it’s being surrendered to us.

Leland - MW

We don’t know why Leland was left at the vet, but we do know that the kindly vet-tech who took him to her home hadn’t allowed for his degree of stress, or for a well cat-marked apartment. Poor Leland is still stressed, living with us, but he does have some people to love, and we just mop up after him as needed.

Nina - MW

Some of our older cats don’t handle stress very well; Nina has just come to us, rescued from being put down after things changed in her home.  It’s quite possible that when things are calmer for her, she might make an adoption prospect to the right person; she has shown no signs of peeing in her bed.

Tugboat - ML

For people who have multiple cats, having one or more cats acting out by peeing is common. Sadly, it’s all too often human-generated by there being too few litter-boxes, or boxes that aren’t cleaned often enough. Sometimes one cat will ambush another and create a situation in which the subordinate cat associates fear with the litter-box and decides it’s better to go elsewhere. We have had cats brought to us from hoarding situations, or just from multi-cat homes because of this problem. These are all what I would call the situational pee-ers. And there is very little doubt that most often the original problem-solving needs to start with the human – whether it’s an emotional, physical or medical problem – because there’s very little the cat can do…  But just occasionally someone will fall in love with that cat, and take them home to be a one-and-only, and the cat behaves perfectly – as was the case with a lovely Siamese called Tristan a few years back. 

Harry - PH

 We have our share of cats that have the best reasons for being with us.  Harry was left at our gate with a note that let us know that he’d had surgical treatment, but still ruined two floors! 

SweetPea - MW

Our darling SweetPea has no control over her sphincter muscles and leaves a little trail of drips (and the occasional “egg”) for us to clean. Noonie (in the Moore House) and Brady (in Old Aids) are both fragile cats and when weakened, it’s easier for them just to pee than to get up and find a litter box to use.

Jake - MW

And then there are the incorrigible pee-ers – Jake, in the front courtyard, who is everybody’s friend and loves to be carried; Jake wasn't surrendered for peeing, but has taken to it with great enthusiasm -

Elliot - MW

and Elliot, who likes nothing better than to find a lap and be fussed over – in both cases we have to warn visitors not to put anything down because it will immediately be marked! In fact, occasionally Jake likes to mark his favourite people! 

Lucky - MW

Our elegant Bengal, Lucky, probably has a pedigree and cost his purchaser quite a lot;  but once he started peeing around the home, the pedigree doesn’t count! Handsome Tugboat, cuddly Yoda, noisy Booster, elderly Bluebell – they’ve all just got into the habit of “going” wherever they are, rather than finding one of the many litter-boxes around.  It’s hard to know if it’s a habit that could ever be broken, or if it’s so ingrained now that even the most loving private home can’t deal with it.  So instead they have a loving home with us – and we smile and mop up after them!

Leland knows he is loved

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Phaedra Hardman, Moira Langley & Michele Wright