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

Cappuccino

This handsome guy is the newest resident of the Old Aids area, which houses our leukemia cats.

MW

Cappuccino is one of the cats who has come to us from another shelter.  When a cat is diagnosed with feline AIDS or feline leukemia, decisions have to be made by many organisations that house homeless cats.  Cats with AIDS can live quite peacefully with each other and with non-AIDS cats, as long as there is no fighting – and once cats are spayed/neutered, they become much calmer and less likely to fight to the point of drawing blood.  But with feline leukemia, the virus is carried in the saliva, so the cats need to be isolated from non-leukemia cats, both for their own sake (their immune systems are compromised by the virus) and for the sake of leukemia-negative cats who can be infected by sharing a plate or a water bowl with a leukemia-positive cat.

DW

Sadly, this means that in many places leukemia cats are euthanised because there are no facilities for keeping them separate. RAPS is one of the places that has such facilities, and many of our leukemia cats have come from outside our normal catchment area.  Cappuccino is one of those cats, having been transferred to us from the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, along with two other AIDS cats, and one very shy one from a hoarding situation.

DW

This sweet boy quickly made human friends. Initially he was very shy in his cage, but it didn’t take him long to learn that he was in good hands, and to come forward for petting and attention.  He had quite an appetite, and volunteers soon learned that “seconds” were always welcome.

DW

Once released from his cage, he decided that he didn’t much appreciate the feline company in the main room, and took himself to the “outside” area, where he can usually be found on one of the beams above head-level.  It only takes calling his name, and he comes hurrying down the ramp to get the attention he wants.  He shares the area with the shyer cats – tabby Ooly and black Chateaux are the usual company, and they all pretty well ignore each other.  Once the weather turns colder, we’ll see how he makes out – the heat-lamp over a basket makes it a pretty good place to be – IF you don’t mind cuddling with other cats.

PH

An afternoon visit with him proved that he has become more accepting of company – he and Merlin were able to sit together fairly peaceably, and nose-bumps were exchanged with shy Ooly. Even with the offering of chicken, the three were able to share without too much dispute, although he wasn’t ready to go inside for the second course. He knew that dinner was on the way, though, and there was some anxious pacing and whining going on until Alice arrived with a full plate.

MD

Many of our volunteers work mainly in their own areas and don’t necessarily get to know cats in other places. It’s well worth the extra fuss of sanitizing to have a visit with this lovable boy and the other leukemia cats.

DW

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Loving the Leukemia Cats

You came to see me?  -  Dexter - MW

Many of our volunteers come arrive faithfully each week to do a shift – often in the same area each time. And in the course of those regular shifts, they get to know some cats really well.  A few of us enjoy the opportunity to dive into different areas off-schedule and get to know less familiar cats, or ones we’ve not seen for a while.

Happy - MW

Last week I covered a shift in the Old Aids area with the leukemia cats.  Old Aids is like coming home for me; I have fond memories of time there with Bella and Bubba, Panther and Jasper – cats who were dearly loved, and have now passed. I remember when the main room was pretty battered, the floor not in great condition, so that the cat-pee smells were impossible to eradicate totally. After one of Doug’s miracle refurbishing sessions, it became much easier to keep it clean, and you will often find volunteers cuddled up in the comfy armchair with a lapful of cats.

Where's dinner? - DW

When you visit an area on a regular basis, you get a different view of it than the one you perceive with less frequent visits.  I was given a very vocal greeting at the door, as usual, by Dexter – letting me know in no uncertain terms that dinner was overdue and he was starving!  The first surprise of the evening was Frodo, though – also anxiously waiting, but as soon as I sat down, he wanted up in my lap. Frodo has been one of the shadow cats for so long – usually hovering on a cage-top or out in the open area. More recently he’s been known to make quick escapes through the door and into the porch area, and he quite enjoys human company. But this is the first time I’ve known him demand cuddles in that way.

Frodo - PH

Much to Dexter’s annoyance, cuddle time came first. Happy was already in the chair, and shifted so I could sit with her. For so long she’s been a very wary little feral, but as she ages, contact with humans is less feared. Eva came up to join us, sitting behind me on the arm of the chair and offering kisses.  Her worried face belies a cat that has settled well with us; she’s not really keen on the other cats, but she tolerates them, and loves petting from volunteers.

Chair snuggles: Eva, Happy, Zanda & Merlin - BC

Zanda woke from his nap and bustled over to join us.  He’s always been a friendly boy and willing to snuggle with his pals; it’s a little worrying to see that he’s a bit more unsteady on his feet now. Merlin perched on the other chair arm and head-butted, wanting attention.

I'm so BOOORED waiting for dinner! - DW

The Dexter-demands were getting louder, so I warmed the cans, scooped the boxes and doled out food – with Dexter helping himself from every plate.  A quick visit next door to the Val Jones cats for the essentials, a few treats and a check that all was well, and then I returned to the main room for some more quality-time.  Shadow/Chateaux appeared for a quick feed, but he’s still very wary around people, though he has his feline cuddle-buddies. I checked the outside area to find Martini and Ooly in their usual hiding places;  Martini just looks down with disdain and rarely responds; Ooly was cosily established under the heat lamp, but later came into the main room for some food and company. She’s interested in humans, but doesn’t really want contact.

Martini hides in the shadows;
Ooly enjoys the warmth  - BC

More armchair time, more cuddles, and chicken tidbits on offer. Bibi is quick to emerge when there’s chicken; she can usually be found high up on a shelf or hiding behind the armchair, but treats take priority and she loses all wariness, ready to put her paws up on a knee to get the best bits.  Not a lap-cat yet, but who knows...

Bibsy - PH

It’s very easy, faced with the number of cats in other areas, to forget about some of these closed-off cats. They are kept separate partly for their own sakes – their immune systems are compromised, which is why it’s so important that we wash before entering their area – and partly for the other cats – feline leukemia is easily transmitted in saliva.  But they are a lovely group, and appreciate visitors who offer attention and cuddling – the favourite thing for so many cats.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos: Brigid Coult, Phaedra Hardman, Debbie Wolanski, Michele Wright

Earl Grey

Taken last June of what was for the longest time a mystery cat, this remains one of my favorite early pictures at the sanctuary. 

I now know him as Earl Grey, a name given to him a number of months ago by Linda when she found that nobody could remember what name he'd be given when he was first brought in.

Earl Grey is thought to be the brother of our sometimes bully Diablo, but the resemblance between them is pretty much limited to the physical. Laura describes Earl grey as a big boy like Diablo "but with a slimmer, more muscular physique." She says he "loves to be brushed and is actually the friendlier of the two brothers."

Indeed, more often than not, my pictures of Earl Grey show him upside down, stretching out a paw to knead the air, or scooting forward for a closer spot to receive cuddles.

So why is such an attractive, friendly boy still even at the sanctuary? "Unfortunately," says Laura, "He's a prolific pee-er (a trick he learned from the Terror Triplets, Sam, Bart and Louie, I think) so is unlikely to ever find a home. He doesn't seem unhappy at the shelter, however, and doesn't seem to find it necessary to bully the other cats like his brother does."

Footnote: This handsome boy was diagnosed with FeLV (feline leukemia); renamed Merlin, he is now happily living in the Old Aids area