Frank

Frank  (KN)

Sweet Frank was not originally a RAPS cat, but came into Delta Community Animal Shelter as a stray, and was adopted from there.  Sadly, his family had to relocate and were unable to take him with them, so he was surrendered to our care.

Hiding in his cage in the Connor  (BC)

Many adult cats find that life in the Adoption Centre is overwhelming.  Their cages are not intended for long-term residence, and it’s not always possible to allow the cat access to the open room. And then there are all those kittens! - very annoying for a mature male who wants to be left alone.  Frank was transferred to the Connor building in the Sanctuary, where life was much quieter and he could have quiet one-on-one encounters with the Kitty Comforters and the staff.

What better place to sit than in a box?  (BC)

Like so many cats who come to us, he picked up a cat-cold, and just like any human, was pretty miserable with it. But once it had run its course, and he was feeling better, he was ready to venture out and explore the world of the Front Courtyard.

Hiding from other cats  (KN)

Many cats are social beings and enjoy interaction with each other. But I think it must be a pretty significant cultural shock for a cat that has been a one-and-only in a home, to be faced with a whole bunch of felines – like having been a work-from-home person, and suddenly having to deal with being at the office.  Frank did not like it!  He quickly found the corners where he could hide and watch the activity going on without being too involved in it.

Mango & James Earl (KN)
poor Frank's bêtes noir (or perhaps that should be bêtes roux et tigré)

Mostly, the cats get on well with each other, but as with any group, there are always a couple of trouble-makers.  In the front courtyard, these were beautiful James Earl and big orange Mango – James Earl with a personality twice his size, and Mango who had established himself as the dominant male.  Poor Frank kept running afoul of these two.  And having been faced with their aggression, he transferred it by bullying some of the smaller cats, so we had to watch out that they were safe from him. We try to monitor these sort of problems, and the staff decided that the best bet would be to move Frank to a place that felt safer for him – so he was relocated to the SingleWide trailer.

Lots to explore in here!  (KH)

Frank didn’t want safety – he wanted to be the other side of that door!  We are always careful with the entrance to the SingleWide, but Frank became an expert door-buster, waiting hopefully to dart between someone’s legs and make an escape. Once out in the courtyard, of course, he realised that Mango was waiting, and it was usually easy enough to scoop him up and return him to the safe zone – until next time!

Lounging in comfort (KH)

Eventually, the best thing happened – both the trouble-makers found homes. James Earl had been adopted out once and returned, but the right person came along, and he found a permanent place to establish his own territory. Mango was adopted by a family with a couple of pre-teens – old enough to be cat-savvy, young enough to challenge Mango’s energy.  With the two boys gone, Frank was returned to the Front Courtyard – and being a cat, promptly turned his energy into trying to return to the SingleWide, and door-bust in the other direction!

Dressed up in his bandana, and ready for adopting  (KN)

Life is much quieter now in the Front Courtyard. Frank doesn’t interact much with the other cats, but is much more comfortable with humans, and can often be found claiming a lap and asking for pets.  Now that his anxiety has lessened and he is more relaxed, we hope that someone will bond with him and take him home to where a lap can be all his own territory, with no competition.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Kim Howe, Karen Nicholson

Hill House Haven

Handsome Mango  (MW)

It was just the way my Kitty Comforter shift worked out last week – I ended up spending a lot more time in the Hill House than I usually do, and renewed all sorts of friendships with cats who were choosing a cosy corner on a not-very-nice day.

Inside the Hill House  (BC)

The Hill House is the Front Courtyard cabin that lies between the Val Jones pen and the Old Rabbit Area (ORA), both of which I’ve written about before. It gets its name from cat-lover Stanley Hill, whose family made its refurbishing possible as a memorial, and he would have loved the bunch of cats who were making themselves at home in it when I visited.

Solar, sitting by the ORA window   (MW)

As I wrote last week, many cats are territorial – they like to be in a familiar space, and can sometimes be a little hissy when a feline stranger intrudes. The Hill House is actually a space in which intrusions are frequent, and most of the residents shrug them off. The covered courtyard known as the Old Rabbit Area has many very shy residents, and the permanently open window between the two areas makes it possible for the ferals to venture out into a safe space with (mostly) friendly cats. 

Tamale, who lives mostly in the ORA  (LBF)

While I was there, handsome Tamale ventured through the window, and though he clearly didn’t want physical contact, he was ready to let me talk to him, and to see that there were tidbits on offer, when he felt brave enough.  We think Tamale may be the brother of short-haired tuxedo Boston in New Aids; Boston accepts belly rubs now, and thinks humans are a Good Thing, when they approach gently.

Kia's look clearly says "Leave me alone!"  (BC)

Many of the Hill House regular residents, are exactly that - regular: this is where to go to find grey Solar or friendly Kahlua.  Kia will be found in her open cage – this grumpy girl was not happy about coming into our care, and she is one of the cats that has claimed her cage, refusing to move.  The two big Hill House cages are prime real estate because of their size, and it may well be that she has to be evicted to make room for a pair of cats who need to room together (Benjamin and Olivia once had this cage), in which case she will be forced to find another corner in which to indulge her Garbo-cat tendencies. Kia doesn’t encourage either feline or human sociability; minimal petting is tolerated, and then you can see her planning where to deliver the go-away smack.

TicTac with her boyfriend Mozart   (BC)

At the other end of the spectrum I could also find Mozart and TicTac cuddled together in a very small bed.  Handsome Mozart is one of a group we called The Teens; cats who came to us past the easy socializing stage, and who have taken their own sweet time about making human friends. Pretty Pistachio from that group got adopted, but Benny, Leo, and Caleb are still with us. Mozart’s striking looks always draw attention, but he’s actually pretty shy around people, and the Hill House is his favourite hideout.  TicTac came to us from the Adoption Centre last year as one of the cats with cage aggression, who was not showing well to potential adopters.  Once out of her cage and in the company of other cats she calmed down – and all the more so when she met Mozart, who she adores. He tolerates her attention and consents to share his bed, but I think the relationship is a little one-sided.

Sam - as content as he can be, surrounded by other cats  (BC)

I am interested in the fact that Sam also chooses to make the Hill House his base.  Most of us love Sam – but warily;  Sam desperately needs a cat-savvy human who is prepared to have Sam be a one-and-only, and he is incapable of demonstrating that to a visitor without getting distracted by other cats – at which point (much of the time) he gets really reactive.  Sam has never recovered from losing his owner, and he does NOT like this place – but most cat-savvy people already have cats. Still, Sam chooses to claim a corner of the Hill House, and as long as other felines don’t get too close, he enjoys the warmth and the proximity to treats.

Pretty Speckle  (MW)

Lots of beds and shelves mean that this is a popular place for sleeping, snuggles and socializing.  Speckle can almost always be coaxed off the trolley shelves to accept tidbits and treats. She has really blossomed from the wary girl she used to be when she first arrived.

Jenny - wary, but interested  (BC)

The big table on the left hides the litter boxes, but also provides a surface for cats who prefer to hide on the higher shelving, and occasionally venture down to try a little flirting with a human visitor.  Newcomer Jenny has joined the many black cats in the front courtyard;  it’s nice to have her be so identifiable by her white markings, and even nicer to see her starting to accept attention from us.

Toes - taking shelter in the porch area   (BC)

Even on the way out, there are cats who prefer the shelter of the porch to the more open courtyard. Tortie Toes and newcomer Frank had both decided that they would opt for cover;  Toes is often in the Yellow Shed when not sitting on the box-pile, but was happy to have a little attention from her corner in the Hill House porch; newbieFrank is still working out which corner he will claim as home, and I hope he will eventually come inside and join the Hill House Club.

Frank likes to tuck himself away in a box   (BC)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult & Michele Wright

Puddin' and Butternut

Butternut   (KN)

Back in December I introduced a pair of Siamese who had, separately, come into our care. The female, Jasmine, was from the same Manitoba rescue where Picasso originated; the male, Strike, was a more local boy, and came to us with two other cats - we think, all around 4 years old.

Strike  (BC)

We understand that the three of them had lived at a home in Surrey and that their caregiver had passed, leaving them homeless. They were lucky enough to find a rescuer who feeds ferals in her back garden, and she recognized that these three boys were friendly and not your regular touch-me-not ferals. They might well be adoptable, but the Adoption Centre is full of kittens right now, and they’re better with us than in cages.

Puddin'  (BC)

On release from their initial cage stay with us, Strike decided that he was going to stay comfy, and he settled down to base himself in the Double-Wide. Puddin’, on the other hand, took himself as far away from the building as he could, and settled himself in Pen 3, at the east end of the Sanctuary. 

Puddin' out on a snowy day  (KN)

 Pen 3 is the one with all the Alberta cats, and they’re all pretty friendly; without plunging into a new social life, Puddin’ made himself at home there. He can usually be found by himself, but it’s less a “stay away from me” alone-ness, than just a tendency to be solo.

Puddin'  (BC)

Of course, another black cat to identify initially presents problems – but it doesn’t take long to see how different he is from most of the other blacks. In appearance he’s most like Odin, in Pen 1 – solid without being a chonk, with little grey flecks in his fur. His head is larger than Odin’s; the latter has a more pointed face. And like Odin, he has proved to be very friendly, anxious to jump up and lap-sit, and to give and receive attention.

Cage visit with Butternut  (BC)

The third cat of the trio is Butternut – a wonderful name for an orange boy. He also proved to be willing to be petted and fussed over while in a cage, but once released he got into a few too many fights with Jasper and Gizmo, and we ended up moving him to the front courtyard. Of course, there, it then put him face to face with orange Mango, so there was a bit more aggression to smooth over.

Butternut & Mango ignoring each other (BC)

I can tell who is who when I see them together – Mango is a bit larger and a bit younger; he has a lighter face and a lighter tail tip. But they’re almost identical in colouring, and now that Mango has calmed down, their behaviour is similar – meaning that they seem to like people but not other cats! Butternut seems to swat most when provoked – who can blame him? - whereas Mango is more inclined to go hunting for someone to swat. The big difference between them is that Butternut often seems to have really round eyes, unlike Mango, whose eyes are regular cat-shape.

Butternut playing at the tunnel  (BC)

Sadly, the affectionate Butternut of the initial cage days is no more; he’s friendly enough but not yet willing to come and solicit attention in the way that Puddin’ does. Some of that may just be caution, with Mango around.  But all three boys have known what it is to have a home and are quite adoptable; we can only hope that as they settle, they may bond with a summer visitor in the coming months. Till then, they can take their time and let themselves be comfortable with us at the Sanctuary.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson

Mango Tango

Look!  A big orange cat came right up to me.  He must be as nice as he looks!  

NOT!

Like other large or attractive cats, people often wonder why they’re here. If only their exterior appearance matched their personalities! 

Mango loves to befriend humans and bully cats.  His current routine is to greet newly arrived humans with a bold leg rub and at times… a leg trip.  With a club-shaped tail, large body, and being almost knee-high, he can easily tangle your feet.  Moving backwards or forwards, you’ll be doing the foxtrot when he chooses to weave between them.  Be glad you’re not carrying a tray of coffees or a pot of soup!

He likes petting and all food offers.  Like a loyal friend, he’ll keep following you around.  He has a growing curiosity of closed gates.  The cold doesn’t bother him at all.  He also like to sample all the food bowls in the courtyard.  

With his “friendliness” established, you’ll be playing right into his paws.  Nothing bad can happen, right?  If any other cats come by to say hello, Mango will swat them.  He also has a sneaky habit of inching closer to unsuspecting cats and smacking them or chasing them away.  These dirty tricks have quickly earned him a bad reputation.  Keeping it up and he’ll be dancing with himself in time out.

Mango threatening Salem

I find him to be an oversized, unruly kitten at times.  Wands and lasers catch his eye, but only hold his attention for a short time.  A rattle from a ball or another cat approaching suddenly becomes more interesting.  If he wants something, he might bite or grab with claws.  We have other cats like that, too.  It’s a behavior that most of them never leave behind.  We warn newcomers or leave a wide berth while walking by.

This boy does not know his own strength.  If a small kitten pounced on feet or gnawed on hands, it could be ignored.  When a 15 pound fellow like him does it, it hurts.  Littermates can bite them back in return or walk away to establish boundaries.  All we humans can do is shout “no!” and walk away.  Of course, there’s the odd human who insists on carrying on a conversation and still treating them.  In Mango’s mind, it means biting = treats.  “I must bite the hand that feeds!”

Sunning the belly...

While caged, he appeared calm and lazy.  For a 1 year old, he’s huge!  After a couple minutes of interaction, the claws and teeth would come out.  He didn’t display much warning.  It was his way of communicating “enough” or “go away”. His size made it tough to maneuver around.  The only choices were to sit or leave.  Mango would either lay in the tree or snack on his kibble.  If he was angry or defensive, he would make some effort to chase you out.

Biting and clawing are learned behaviors - just like so many other surrendered for aggression cats have here.  Sadly, Mango also seems to lack feline social skills.  Instead of a stare down or swishing tail warning, he will outright hit other cats.  He 100% has a home here, but I can’t say how many friends he has.  If you choose to tango with him, know that he likes human company and loves food even more.  Obviously, don’t wear your best dress or any knitted sweaters, ‘less you don’t mind having distressed threads and an untrendy ugly sweater afterward. 

Blog and photos by Pauline Chin

(thanks, Pauline!)