Slim

MW

Two years ago this month we accepted a young black cat into the Sanctuary – his name was Slim.  He had originally come to RAPS as a stray, and was adopted out from the 5 Road Shelter, but was returned within the month with concerns about his aggression – concerns that were initially borne out in his first days with us.  Only the med staff handled him for the first week or so, and when the “med staff only” notice was removed, volunteers were reminded to proceed with caution as they cleaned out his cage and offered food.

MW

As with most new cats, he remained caged for about a month, getting used to the attention of new people, and the sight and smells of a whole lot of strange cats.  Often in this period we have to cover the bottom of the cage door with a towel, so that the visual stimuli are not too much for the caged cat, and so that passing cats don’t pee into his territory.

MW

Again, as with most new cats, when his cage door was opened, Slim remained inside for some time, taking comfort in surroundings that had become familiar to him.  We all remember what it’s like to be a new kid in school (further back for some of us than others!) - it’s rare that a new cat will acclimate quickly, though some welcome the human attention, though wary of the felines

MD

Finally he started venturing out. We warned visitors to let him be, but both Kitty Comforters and cleaning/feeding volunteers gave him lots of attention, and though initially wary, he soon began to respond, and to look for petting.

"Will you pet me? - CN

Nowadays Slim is very much a member of the Connor House colony. He enjoys visits in the front courtyard, but doesn’t venture very far afield.  His name has ceased to suit him – he’s become a very chunky, solid boy, but an affectionate one.  Like many of the cats who come in with an “aggression” label, attention to his body language, and allowing him to settle at his own pace, has produced a cat that is quite easily handled, with awareness. Eli, Puffin, Lumi and many others have taught us that the label is often a product of ownership that didn’t respect the cat’s space and need to be alone;  just as with some humans, there are many cats that don’t want to be touched too much, get easily overstimulated, and certainly don’t want to be picked up. We have to remind visitors of this, and it’s one of the reasons we no longer allow young children to visit on Sundays.

MW

With people who respect his space and timing, though, Slim is a sweetheart, and might be a candidate for adoption, to the right person who could offer him a home alone – though it’s likely that we wouldn’t put him through the stress of a move to the Shelter. In a place he knows, with people who love him, he would probably do very well.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Melanie Draper, Caitlin Norman, 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

Love you.. love you... HATE you...

Many of the cats at the Sanctuary are here for behavioural reasons.  For the most part, that means that they have been surrendered because they pee and poop in the wrong places; the third common behavioural category is aggression.

Smithy warns us off - BC

I’m not including ferals in this category; ferals are by nature fearful, and frequently believe that attack is the best defence. For the most part their “attack” consists of hissing, and trying to look as fearsome as they can. You can’t walk into Pen 8 without a display of teeth from Smithy – but it’s interesting that he hangs around while I scoop the back litter-box, and listens while I talk to him. As long as I don’t make eye contact and don’t make obvious moves towards him, he’s ready to listen (though not to be touched).

When I think of aggressive cats, I’m thinking more of the ones who have been surrendered to us because their aggression has been unmanageable in a home. And it’s interesting that very often those same aggressive cats calm down at the Sanctuary and show little sign of the reason they were surrendered.

A relaxed and happy Eli - MD

Handsome Eli was apparently adopted out twice, and returned because of his behaviour. With us, he appears pretty calm – he’s not always friendly with other cats, but with humans he shows no signs of aggression (other than assertively wanting to get into the med cage!). I think it’s likely that he was mis-handled in some way;  as cat-people know, some cats just don’t like being picked up, or are over-sensitive to petting, and it becomes very important to read their body-language.

Cole - MW

Big black Cole was very aggressive in his home, and when he first came to us, his cage was labelled “med staff only” because he was an angry boy.  Since being released, he has calmly made himself at home in the front courtyard, and solicits attention from people. Like Leland and Tigger, he will occasionally ask to be picked up, and his only fault is that he really wants to be on the other side of every door.

Puffin has great presence - MW

For a good while we’ve had Puffin labelled as a dangerous cat for visitors; he asks for petting and then suddenly changes his mind – probably when the petting over-stimulates him. Though we still warn new visitors, Puffin has his fan-club; he is particularly fond of attention from young women, and absolutely adores Anne’s daughter Selena, who lets him cuddle with no sign of aggression.  Selena’s a very calm person, and Puffin obviously relaxes and feels at ease with her.

Grey Gizmo would rather be exploring - MW

But on the flip side, we have our share of cats who have not settled in like this.  Gray Gizmo persists in being erratically aggressive with both cats and humans; for the most part, he’s The Cat Who Walks By Himself, but occasionally he will allow a little petting. It’s rather like living with some teenagers – a perfectly nice person suddenly has a mood swing, and Dr Jekyll becomes Mr Hyde.  Gizmo is young, so hormones may still be at play.  That’s also true of his lookalike in the SingleWide – gray Jax (Jackie) will sit quietly with Marty for ten minutes of petting, and then suddenly attack.  I suspect that with both Jax and Gizmo, the sensation of petting builds up to the point where it is no longer calming; we all need to be really aware of tensions and twitches.

Deceptively elegant - that's Lumi - MW

Age and hormones are no longer a factor for Lumi – this pretty girl has her mood swings just for the sake of it. For a while she wore a red collar as a warning for people around; she’s a little calmer these days, but we all have to be aware that she may not be in a petting space.

Sophie looking innocent - MW

Tubby Sophie is one of the cats that has come out of Pen 2.  While the pen was closed, Sophie was often the greeter at the gate, and visitors quickly discovered that it was necessary to restrict petting to Sophie’s head, and not touch her back at all.  Now that she’s out and about we’ve found it necessary to put a collar on her to distinguish her from all the other tabbies. She has become even more sensitive about being touched – and yet she’s often the first to leap onto someone’s lap in the tea-room.  And with Sophie, it’s not just claws, it’s also teeth.  The collar alone may not be enough – she may need a warning bell as well!

Cher on guard - BC

The cat who wins the prize for mood swings is pretty Cher in the front courtyard. She is anxious for attention, weaving around legs and quick to jump into laps. With male visitors in particular she is very affectionate – until with no warning, she suddenly swats. The presence of other cats doesn’t help, but anything can set Cher off!

These are all cats that under other circumstances would probably be “euthanised” (a term I object to, in this context). I am so thankful that here at the Sanctuary they are allowed to have their mood swings, just like humans sometimes do, and that, other than the occasional “time out for bad behaviour”, they can just get on with the business of living with a bunch of other cats.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Melanie Draper, Michele Wright

Calendar out-takes

There were two Pico pics - this is the other one...

As the days grow shorter and the colours change, fall traditions are present at RAPS.  Our Fall Gala will take place on October 29, and is a particularly important event for us this year because all the proceeds will go to the funding of the new Regional Animal Hospital.
Traditionally we also launch our calendar for the upcoming year at this event, though all the busy-work of marketing it will occur in November and December.  And traditionally, one of the Neko Blogs for October is reserved for the Cat Calendar outtakes – the pictures that for one reason or another, just didn’t make it into this year’s selection.

we hope that Cookie is being adopted...

Once again, the photos for the Calendar were taken by Michele Wright, whose work you should know if you follow her Feline Friday pages on Facebook.  Michele doesn’t confine herself to cats – she’s done many wonderful dog photos too, and her guineapig Freddie is a seasoned model.  She has a great eye for a picture, framing her subjects with love and a sense of their personality.

Latte has had her share of calendar features...

I always start the selection process by trying to make sure that we have a good cross-section of colours and breeds – black, white, grey, various tabbies, orientals, pairs and groups. Everyone has their favourite sort of cat, but I hope that everyone will find one cat they particularly love in the collection.

Blue is striking, but he’s a loner – very much the cat that walks by himself

We had several black cats make the cut this year, to the point that it was hard to eliminate one to keep the balance.  Bear lost to two other blacks, and to the contender for cover boy

Fuzzy Bear...

Similarly, we had two lovely white cat pictures.  Lumi was the loser here – we loved the softness of the shot that won, and pretty as Lumi is, she’s a cat that will nip if things don’t go exactly as she wants; neither of us had the warm fuzzies for her!

Lumi is a diva...

Michele adores the cats in Pen 2, and in particular Calvin, who is distinguished by the brown smudges in his tabby M markings.  I think she would happily have had a whole Calvin calendar, but I would only allow her one selection – this is one that didn’t make it

Calvin - one of about eight pictures!

One of the things I discuss with the med staff is the health of the cats concerned – it’s very hard when a much-loved cat passes suddenly, but his/her photo will appear later in the year. Of course, there is no way of telling, sometimes, but I’m much more wary about selecting a leukemia cat, for instance.  This year two of our potential models passed without warning just as we were making the final selection. The picture of Vienna was a perfect one for fall colouring, and Salty and Dusty’s devotion had earned them a place as a pair – to lose both Vienna and Salty was very hard on us all.

Vienna in the sunshine

Dusty misses her Salty so much,...

There are still others that I'm thinking we might hold over to another year - though I am sure Michele will have come through with another batch of wonderful pictures by then, and hard choices will once more need to be made.

Please watch the RAPS website for news of the calendar launch; they will be available at both the Sanctuary and the Shelter, as well as online and through some of our pet-store supporters.  It's not too soon to plan your Christmas gift-giving to all your cat-loving friends!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Michele Wright

Moody, but Cute - CHER

Cher - guard-cat at the gate - BC

Visitors to the Sanctuary are quickly accosted in the front courtyard by a very pretty little grey tabby. Cher came to the City Shelter a few months ago, stuffed in a bag with her friend, and surrendered by someone who said they’d been hanging around his home.  Both Cher and Christina were transferred to us when it was obvious that they were not socialized, and they lived in adjacent cages in the Connor building.

Cher loves to play - MD

For the first while there were warning signs over both cages, and a fair amount of growling and swatting.  In Cher’s case, the growling eased off as the curiosity increased, and she spent more and more time at the front of the cage.  Christina still prefers the safety of her cage, even though it’s open now; Cher took very little time to venture out and explore the big wide world.

A first encounter with bubbles - MW

Cher’s mood swings are pretty marked – she’s obviously prone to over-stimulation, and she transitions from cuddle-kitty to killer without much warning. We’re used to warning visitors about Puffin, who also has mood swings – now we need alarm bells for Cher!

Where did it go? - MW

Puffin typically sidles up to people and demand petting – he is particularly susceptible to young women! But you have to watch his body language carefully – he’s nice till suddenly he isn’t, and the twitching tail doesn’t give much warning.  Similarly with Cher – she will launch herself at a male visitor and demand attention, and then suddenly turn on him.

Who's the next victim? - BC

Part of it may just be her age and upbringing (or lack thereof) – we see similar behaviour from grey Gizmo in the back, who can be a very brattish teenager when he chooses.  Part of it may just be that she has never learned how to interact with humans – when Chimo came to us it was because his usual mode of interaction was attack - especially when human hands and feet were within reach. With a lot of patience from the Kitty Comforters, he's now a pretty mellow fellow.

Chimo at his most cute! - MW

But I suspect that it’s a bit more than that with Cher; she’s more in the Lumi mode. For a long time we had white Lumi wear a collar as a warning that this cat was cute but would bite. And as with Cher and Puffin, there’s little or no warning.  Orange Buster-Baby, who we lost a couple of years ago, used to have to be caged when visitors were around because something in his brain just made him attack for no reason.

Such a pretty face - but not to be trusted! - MW

Visitors very often forget that cats are carnivores who are hardwired to hunt, and moving fingers are irresistible. It’s up to us to provide cats like Cher and Gizmo with interactive toys to exercise their hunting instincts, and not offer them fingers to practice on.  And we hope that as they mature, they do so, not into the Baby/Lumi mode, but into the Chimo one of being lovable and loved.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Melanie Draper, Michele Wright

Spike

Spike's a cat who's constantly underfoot and yet I only just met him the other day. Why? Because his very favorite place to be underfoot is in the med cage.

Leslie was kind enough to take a few minutes out of her busy evening meds schedule to tell me about her little "helper"...

"Spike was a feral that came from a colony of about a dozen feral cats being fed by an elderly gentleman. The man sold his property to a developer and they tore down the house to put up townhouses. We were called in to trap the cats by the salesperson for the townhouses who had seen them. Spike was very wild -- he almost killed me from inside his box when he was first in a cage and I tried to put in my hand to peek at him. This was about 4 years ago.

He used to live on top of the cages [where the feral cats often like to stay], but he eventually became very time. It did take a long time though. And he's decided he wants to be in the med cage.... all the time, if I'm there, so that I will give him food. His favorite is tuna, but he'll eat just about anything that I put on a plate. He has me totally trained. He sticks his claws in my leg just like Prince does as he tries to get my attention and I have to either grab him and push him out of the cage or give him something to eat."

"He's one of two cats who like to be in the med cage with me. The other's a pure white one called Lumi. They're both very fast. So if I throw them out, by the time I can close the door they're back in. They're really funny. What Spike does when he sees I'm going to try and move him, is he'll quickly run under the stool as if to say 'Look, look, I'm just going to go and lie down on my bed. You don't really want to throw me out of here. I won't bother you!' And so I leave him and go fix up the medicines, and the next thing I know, my leg's getting ripped."

It's funny how various cats will pick their favorite human sucker... Spike knows that a cute face like the one in the photo above will always win him Leslie's forgiveness for the odd overenthusiastic claw, while Lincoln, another med cage moocher, knows that Gaye never really means it when she says he's had all the tuna he's going to get.