Front Courtyard Tabbies

Speckle   (MW)

Last November, I introduced shy lynx-point Chai on the blog, and mentioned that she came in to us with other cats from a local trapping operation. All of them went to the Adoption Centre, but were not ready for taming, and were transferred to us at the Sanctuary. Tabby & white Speckle is the most easily identified by her markings, but I’ve struggled to sort out the other two from all our other front-courtyard "plain" tabbies. Some of them have already had their blog moments in the sun; here they are again, with our newcomers.

Freya (BC) & Cricket (KN)

Freya and Cricket are well-known to us all – affectionate and confident girls. Freya, who was initially surrendered for aggression, is likely to be the greeter and leg-rubber at the gate (and occasionally a gate-buster); she likes to sleep on top of the 6’ broom closet.  Cricket endears herself by jumping up to meet the petting hand; we keep a careful eye on her because she occasionally shows a limp, though it never seems to last long. Floofy Autumn with her highlighted ruff usually hangs out on the top level of the climbing frame. Cookie Hill has mostly moved her location from the Hill House to the Yellow Shed, but is anxious for pets when someone comes to visit. In the Connor we have the more torby girls: Carly Simon, Celine Dion and Christina Aguilera and of course, pretty dilute Chirpy

Lorelei & Libby (BC)

Libby was introduced as part of a feral group that came to us from VOKRA. Her brother, grey Solar, has settled well, and particularly loves Carol Porteus, who comes to feed twice a week – he knows she’s always good for particularly tasty offerings. Libby, though, is not comfortable with humans and hovers between the feral Old Rabbit Area and the Hill House. The draw in the Hill House is tubby little torby Lorelei, who Libby loves, but even loving Lorelei is not enough to tempt Libby into human contact. She looks on disapprovingly as other cats accept attention.

Kahlua (LBF) when she first came to us

Libby has the same identifying chest dot as Kahlua, who arrived last April with Chai and Speckle – but Libby’s fur has more of the classic-tabby whorls, whereas Kahlua shows the tabby stripes. Kahlua began in the Old Rabbit Area with the ferals, but has graduated to the Hill House, where she knows she can flirt with visiting humans. 

Kahlua today (KN) - confident and happy

From her beginnings with us as a feral, she has gained immensely in confidence, both on the table or shelves, and at floor level – some cats are ready to be petted in one place but not the other; at waist-height they can be fussed, but on the floor they are daunted by our size unless we get down to their level.  Kahlua just enjoys the attention, wherever it happens. She and Libby look alike, but their behaviour is very different!

Goose (KN)

Another tabby who is easily confused with Kahlua is Goose. She came to us more than a year ago from a local rescue; I believe she was originally from Manitoba. At about 8-10 months old, she was in the teenager space where she was past her best-by date for taming. Cage time was longer than usual, because she was so timid; many hours of Kitty Comforter attention  were spent just sitting and talking with her to accustom her to our presence. And, typically, once released, she still believed we were big scary monsters, and avoided being noticed.  And because she’s a very ordinary little tabby in appearance, it was easy to miss her.

Goose (LBF) in her favourite place

She loves to play, even if she still isn't sure of humans. Laser pointer, ping-pong balls, feather toys.. you name it, she'll probably play with it – in fact, she’ll wake out of a deep sleep to come play. She also LOVES cardboard boxes. She can mostly be found in the Gazebo in the centre of the front courtyard, where she hangs out with the boys – Mozart, Benny, Caleb (she is particularly attached to Caleb!) and enjoys the comfort of the heat lamp.

Dominique (MW)

The last little tabby came to us a little later than her buddies Speckle, Chai and Kahlua, because it turned out that she was pregnant, and she went into fosterage to have her kittens. They tamed and were adopted, but she remained wary, and was brought to join the others. She had originally been named Domino, but since we’ve had two Dominos (one adopted) and currently have another Domino (male) in New Aids, she was renamed as Dominique.  Rather than joining the other ferals, she stayed near Chai in the Connor area, and can often be found near the gate.

Dominique (KN)

Though clearly tabby-marked, her fur is more agouti-patterned, with torbie hints of orange in it. Dominique is very food-motivated, and the offer of treats is a major incentive to hang around certain humans!

Most of us struggle to identify all our black cats correctly. The tabbies, too, tended to get lumped into “the tabbies” group – but there are enough differences in appearance that a little detective work has helped ID them, and allow their personalities to shine through!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

Legs

In the many blogs to date, we’ve already seen a variety of body shapes, eyes, and colours in which the Sanctuary cats come.  Volunteer Pauline Chin decided to look at some feline legs.

HoneyBear curls his long legs for sleep - MW

Firstly, don’t let the appearance of the cat’s legs or their funny walks fool you.  HoneyBear and the late Terry have defied many expectations.  Despite his  neurological problems, which affect his back legs, HoneyBear is one of the top climbers.  He can run like a horse and stalk toys like a tiger.

Having climbed to one of the walk-ways,
HoneyBear wants to know what's down there  -  LP

HoneyBear is constantly on the move on Sundays.  His seal-point colouration, snowshoe feet, and jewel-blue eyes are reasons why people follow him around for a photo-op.

Akiva's built like a racehorse! - MW

Newcomer and tall boy Akiva is probably the leggiest cat on site.  He’s mostly grey with white socks. With his lean body, you can really see his long legs without any primordial pouch or extra fat hiding them. Akiva enjoys his freedom to investigate the back courtyard and to meet new people.  He uses a slow, quiet approach.  With his height, you won’t overlook this senior gentleman (he’s about 13).

This is MY cage, Akiva says,,,   - KN

He’s very much a loner, not enjoying the company of other cats, and could really do with having a home of his own.

Debo on his throne - MW

Debo is another leggy senior, and  he loves to get his white mittens on you.  He uses his legs mainly for climbing on and hugging people. Debo spends at least 90% of the time on “his” chair in the Single-Wide.  When he wants attention, he’ll hop off and slowly chase you.  Pursuing people for affection is how he gets his exercise. He may be an old guy, but there's still a lot of spring in those legs!

Jack Sparrow curls his disable rear end around - TV

Pops and Jack Sparrow both arrived with 4 legs but can only use two.  Sparrow loves to climb on the cat trees and asks for lap time now and then. He moves on his front legs like a human walking on their hands.  He has the advantage since his back legs have no bones.  He actually walks faster than most 2-legged creatures I know.

Pops loves attention - KN

Pops prefers the ground.  He drags his remaining back leg as he walks.  It seems awkward, but he manages himself well and never lets it bother him.  Sometimes, he craves cuddles and plops himself by a chair, waiting to be picked up.  Watch Pops practically teleport over when there’s delicious chicken plated out!

Chonky Lorelei has stubby little legs - MW

Lorelei the rotund cat has some short-looking legs beneath all that fur.  You’ll probably see her watching from a distance.  Unless you’ve befriended her, she’ll take off quickly.  You’d think her large body and fluff would slow her down.  Not at all!  Her little legs are so swift that she can vanish into the feral area within seconds.  If you’re one of her friends, she’ll stand still for petting, even giving leg rubs.  Take this chance to feel those muscles!

Leggy Hannah loves her cat-tree - and doesn't much like other cats - MW

Orange & white Hannah (fans call her Hannah-Banana) can perform a unique trick with her legs.  She’ll grab onto a pole of a cat tree and swing, dance, and roll around it.  Other cats are not amused, especially if they’re in the same tree, but it’s great entertainment for human visitors.  Her monkey dance performances are limited, so watch her while you can.

Bella's baleful stare reminds us that she's not always a fan of humans - KN

One of the springiest sets of legs belongs to Bella - the third Bella that's lived with us.  She enjoys her me-time and seeks out the highest shelves, or the tops of outside pens.  Visitors can spot her leaping across cagetops, while they marvel at her dilute calico colouration.  Sometimes, she naps on the cardboard atop the food cupboard, or walks over for pets.  Bella was a frequent target for rapscallion boy, Jasper and had to become fleet of feet.  When the chase was on, she fled to the tallest platforms, even wedging herself behind a barrier.  Bella’s agile legs always kept her ahead of Jasper!

Pretty Parker supervising the laundry room - and ready to swat!  - MW

Many cats - especially the shy ones -  enjoy being up high, and all the buildings are set up so that cats can choose their preferred level, and give those legs a workout!

Blog by Pauline Chin (with Brigid Coult)

Photos by Karen Nicholson, Lisa Peters, Tanisha Vincent, Michele Wright

Feline Weightwatchers

Cats, like humans, come in all shapes and sizes. We have our share of little cats (like Marilee, Shady, Emily…) all of whom are far from being kittens; they’re just small slim cats.  But we also have our share of the plus-size cats, and just like humans, we need to consider whether the plus-sizing is a health issue, or just the way the cat is.

Capilano & Chinook - MW

When we had Pen 5 closed, it was more noticeable how many of those cats were large-size varieties. Chinook, Adam, May, Capilano – none of them were shrimps. With some concern for their size, their food was changed to a higher-protein variety, but they liked it so much, they just ate more of it and seemed to gain more weight!  We soon reverted to the ordinary variety...  Now that Pen 5 is open, some of them are getting around a bit more, and with the constant stream of feline visitors, the concentration of large cats in there is no longer so obvious.

Sid - BC

Being overweight, in cats as in humans, can lay them open to a variety of health concerns. Both Sid and Marmalade are plus-size and are also diabetic; med-staff monitor them carefully to make sure their insulin levels are under control.

Carla & Cookie - BC

As with humans, there are two important parts to weight-control: diet and exercise. At the Sanctuary, there is always dry food out for the sake of the shyer cats who don't want to eat at mealtimes, or who don't like the wet food. So the only way to control intake is to cage the cat – and that obviously then cuts out the possibility of exercise. Newcomers Cookie and Carla are decidedly tubby – Carla can be a bit crabby with cats and sometimes with humans, but she likes to play, and volunteers are encouraged to get her moving as much as possible.

Deety - MW

Any visitor to the double-wide trailer knows Deety; this boy likes to stay on his shelf in the laundry-room, but it was noticed that his size increased and his ease of movement decreased. Med-staff Catherine would take him down to the back gate and encourage him to walk back; Deety now not only comes down by himself, but occasionally comes out and visits in the back courtyard (especially when he feels that the dinner service is a little late)

Eiffel - BC

Another newcomer is Eiffel – this 26-lb boy is not just tubby, he’s a LARGE cat (and a very sweet one); currently caged while he’s in the settle-in phase, he should be out in the general population soon.

Autumn & Lorelei - MW

Sometimes with the long-haired cats it’s hard to tell whether it’s fluff or pounds. Looking at Lorelei and Autumn in the front courtyard, you could be excused for thinking we have too many tubby tabbies; a little petting quickly establishes that a lot of Autumn is fluff and Lorelei is solid!

Buster: preparing for the Westminster Cat Show - ML

When volunteer Maureen blogged about her beloved Buster recently, she also wrote about Buster’s size issues.
Buster was contacted by his vet’s office with a proposal to join their “Biggest Loser” contest.  We of course accepted as he is weighing in at 10.85kg (24lbs) and he is not getting any younger.  I have had Buster on a grain-free diet for a year now but to no avail.  We have found this food makes him hungrier and of course I succumb to his demands when he is hungry!  Knowing that Buster was an unwilling participant and disliked trips to the vet he participated by Skype. I brought him in  to have all of his tests done (which of course he had to be sedated for) get his nails clipped and a nice little haircut for the summer. After the full stats were analyzed Buster’s goal was to lose 13lbs over a 37 week period. 

"I am lovin' my new haircut..." - ML

We started Buster on his new food – which contains more fibre to allow him to feel fuller longer and he seems to be okay with the transition. We do of course reach his quota by 2:00pm though…baby steps, baby steps...

A phone-call recently from the vets told us that Buster was their “Biggest Loser” for the July/August period, having lost an astonishing 12% of his body-fat (1.3kg/2.9lbs) and I went down to collect his prize.

(the next update will be Buster showing off his new Speedo)

Blog by Brigid Coult & Maureen Lahaise

Photos by Brigid Coult, Maureen Lahaise, & Michele Wright

Lorelei & Lora - two tubby torbies

 It is interesting that there are certain cats that you only see at certain times of day – or who react differently at different times.  In the mornings I find that front-courtyard Diamond is very wary; by late afternoon he’s ready to accept petting. Handsome Quinn in the back courtyard is very shy and usually stays well out of the way; but at dusk he comes out and, though not ready for petting, is ready to accept treats. There are many cats who love the Sunday visitors – and then there’s Fiona, who hides out until 4:10pm when the last visitor’s gone, and is then ready to appear and interact with the staff and volunteers.

Lorelei - MW

One little girl who has recently joined the chickaholic crowd in the front courtyard is Lorelei. She is often found disputing wall space with Petunia – they’re both small cats who like to get an advantage in height. Lorelei is less shy than Petunia; she will come for petting, and interacts quite comfortably with the other cats. 

Lorelei - MW

She’s one of our multicolored girls – a tortoiseshell/tabby mix, hence, a torby. At a distance she looks quite like tabby Jake, and then you realise that it’s not just fluff; this is a very solid little girl.

Lorelei on Cat-TV - MW

After the evening feeding, as dusk comes on, several cats emerge from the feral-cat area on the east side of the courtyard. Among them is Lora.

Lora - BC

In size, colour and body-shape, she’s very like Lorelei, but she’s got short fur, and has obviously had some skin problems, because the fur on her back is a bit patchy. In addition to her tubby body, she has skinny little legs.

Lora - MW

Lora is very shy, both with humans and with other cats. When Michele took this picture Lora was feeling cornered in her bed, and there was a certain amount of hissing going on,  Out in the courtyard she hangs around on the edge of the crowd. If chicken is being offered, she really wants it, but hangs back from the feeding frenzy; if you toss her a tidbit and another cat goes after it, she backs off and waits until it’s not being disputed. But though she’s shy, she’s obviously fascinated too – once food’s out of the way, she hangs around just out of arm’s reach – as only a cat can do – and occasionally lies down to show her belly. She will, very cautiously, accept a little petting, but prefers to limit it.

Lorelei & Lora - BC

Lora and Lorelei didn’t come in together; Lorelei was trapped at the docks about five years ago; Lora came in from a similar area couple of years later. But in colouring and body-shape, they are very similar – and they can often be found together.  For all you volunteers who excel in working with the feral cats, Lora will make a wonderful challenge.

 

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Michele Wright