Lost and Found

Miller (KN)

After the celebrations of Christmas, we start anticipating the prospect of a New Year – and inevitably that includes some retrospection as we remember what we’ve been through in the past twelve months, and, particularly at the Cat Sanctuary, who we’ve lost in that time.

HoneyBear  (KN)

In fact, 2022 has been a year in which fewer cats have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but there have been some notable personalities among them. The list has to be led by HoneyBear, our blue-eyed charmer, whose neurological quirks caused both his incontinence and his “Ministry of Funny Walks” gait. Once visitors encountered our boy, we could be sure they would always ask after him again.

Marty, our love-bug  (LBF)

Lovers of the Single-Wide cats were particularly hard-hit in the summer, when we lost seven cats in less than three months. First was Bluebell, the Dowager who was transferred when the Moore House was closed; a week later we lost Siamese Presley. Little Marty put up a brave fight with a tumour, and was a central figure for some loving from both cats and humans; less than a month later we lost Mr Pink, another especially loving boy.  All too often cats hide their illness until it’s too late for any treatment.

Mr Pink (JS)

Cats with feline leukemia are almost always more prone to having something that seems small become fatal; their systems don’t have the resiliency needed to combat an infection. Since August we have said farewell to Nandor, Catalano, Banff, Brian and sweet Jane (who features in the 2023 Calendar which went to press just before her sudden passing).

Jane (LBF)

Rudolph & Salish (KN)

Bonded pair Rudolph and Salish in pen 5 have both gone. Rudolph had an anaesthetic reaction to dental surgery in January; Salish passed in June – she missed him so much.  Most of the Old Boys club in Newcomers has also gone; Albi and Woody passed on the same day, and Moxie less than a month later.

Ruff (KN)

We remember sweet Ruff with fondness – his extreme shyness when he arrived, his amazing floof, the way he bonded with Karen – and I still find myself looking for OJ when I enter Pen 4:  he was another feral boy who finally decided that humans were not so bad after all.  Onyx was one of our dowagers, at least 20 years old. Having been largely an indoor cat for years, she moved out to Pen 5 this summer, and then wouldn’t move back in when the weather turned. Med-staff Catherine took her home to fosterage for her last few weeks of comfort and loving.

Puck (BC)

And two other front-courtyard senior tuxedos have passed in the last month: little Puck was our beloved Marianne Moore's cat, and she has crossed the Bridge to be with Marianne again, and sweet Miller (at top) was beginning to age early in the fall, and became very frail and tottery in his last few weeks.

Oscar (LBF) and Gypsy (DW) - gone to new homes!

So we grieve their passing, even as we give thanks that the lives they lived were made possible by the love and care they received at the Sanctuary.  There are never enough homes for all the cats we take in – especially in a year like this one with a prolonged kitten season.  We are grateful to the people who have taken in Sanctuary cats like Oscar and Gypsy and given them hope for a new life, and also to all the supporters whose help allows us to give lifelong home-space to otherwise unadoptable cats like incontinent Jasmine or moody Jade or JJ, to the cats who come with Feline Leukemia, or the shy ferals who want nothing to do with us. Every life is precious, and RAPS will continue to offer Sanctuary to cats who have no other options.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, 

Karen Nicholson, Justin Saint, Debbie Wolanski

September Song

Tugboat (back) snuggling with Colin  (BC)

Many of us will know the phenomenon of a tune that gets stuck in the head – I call it “an earworm”. My earworm that keeps recurring is a Broadway song from about 90 years ago, by Kurt Weill. It’s about how when you’re young, you can let things go, or just wait, but as you grow older, you cling to the precious things.

SaraLee and CB Lincoln get cosy  (LBF)

And it’s stuck in my head right now, because it’s called “September Song” and reminds me of some of our Sanctuary seniors, and just how precious they are to us. When I first came to volunteer here, I wasn’t collecting photos in the way I do now, so I don’t have pictures of all the young versions of these loves, but you will see something of how they have changed with the years, and you can follow some of the back in the NekoBlog entries, using the Search box.

Sara Lee, younger and sleek

Our oldest girl is smoky Sara Lee.  Pictures of a much younger version of her can be found in Claire’s blog of more than ten years ago, and Sara Lee herself came to the Sanctuary as a very young feral mama twenty years ago. 

Sara Lee snoozing  (KN)

She was always anxious to “help” with quality control at feeding time;  now it’s just too hard to make the jump up to the table, and she prefers to spend her days nestled in blankets. But jumping is not an impossibility, when there’s someone she likes at coffee time; she will happily scramble up into a lap, and beg for attention and tidbits. A bit bandy-legged, with fur that no amount of (unwelcome) grooming will smooth out, she is nevertheless the diminutive queen of the back courtyard.

In his young days, Miller was something of a chonk   (MW)

Miller came to us as one of a trio – with his sisters Fiona and Schatze, now both gone.  Initially shy, Miller could often be found perched high up on a cupboard that required some athleticism to reach. These days it’s definitely too much for him, and the place has been ceded to Freya.   

Waiting for tidbits and attention  (KN)

Miller prefers something warmer and within reach – sometimes the papasan chair at the top of the steps, sometimes hidden in the gazebo.  But if he hears his name called, he will appear for treats and for a little snuggly “Miller time” with his special friends.

Sleek and lovely Hope  (MW)

Hope is another girl who’s been with us a long time. Her whole family arrived together: Mom Joanie, Dad Hudson, brothers Domino and GusGus, and our pretty grey girl Hope – all feral and wary, though they calmed down in time and became much loved members of the Sanctuary family.  Hope is the last of them left.  She bases in the Connor House corner of the front courtyard.

Thinner, but still enjoying life  (MW)

Hope is noted as having the softest, plushiest fur – she is a pleasure to have in a lap for petting. As she has aged, lap-sitting has become an increasing pleasure for her too – even when she has to compete with Cher and Roe for lap-space.

CB Lincoln in his healthier days   (MW)

Cinnamon Bun Lincoln – so named for his curly tail – has been with us since he arrived in our care in 2007 with a shattered pelvis, possibly a victim of a car.  15 years later, his appearance hasn't changed much, and he’s still hanging in; however, as we human oldies know, old injuries have a way of coming back at you with age, and he moves more slowly these days. 

Still with stretched-out legs to ease the joints  (BC)

He’s also one of those cats who has become a little senile with age – occasionally we will hear him wailing, and someone will go to reassure him that’s he’s OK and there are friends around.  He may be an old man, but Dusty still loves him and follows him around!

Onyx's eyes haven't changed!  (MW)

Onyx is one of the last of a group of cats who came to us from a hoarding situation. Deeply bonded with Topaz, the two of them claimed the water-heater room off the laundry as their turf. Having lost her sister  last year, Onyx continues to be mostly a loner.  She spends her summer days in the back of Pen 5 and as the weather gets cooler, she will probably return to the laundry-room shelves – she may be old, but she likes to climb.

The Old Lady  (KN)

She’s pretty deaf, and she’s not keen on being touched, but she ranks high with the chickaholics, and no matter where she is, she senses when treats are being handed out, and pushes to the front of the line to eat all she can; she’s a skinny girl, but she has a big appetite for chicken!

The dapper Mr Tugboat when he arrived  (ML)

Tugboat is probably not as old as Onyx, but like humans, some cats appear to age earlier, and some are still fit and healthy into old age. The sleek and handsome boy who came to us in 2010 is now a pretty ragged-looking 19-year-old guy with aching joints who needs medication to be comfortable.

...now, gone is the sleek grooming   (KN)

Like most old cats, he needs warmth, and he can usually be found snuggling on the doublewide couch with Plum or Colin, or right next to the heater in the tea-room – that is, if he isn’t getting his cuddles from one of the staff or volunteers. Tuggy is much loved.

snuggles with Debbie   (DW)

There are many other older cats that we are watching carefully as they age – their fragility tugs at the heart, and we want them to be as comfortable as possible in their autumn days.

Oh, the days dwindle down to a precious few -
September, November...
And these few precious days I'll spend with you,
These precious days I'll spend with you 

- Kurt Weill “September Song”

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, Moira Langley,

 Karen Nicholson, Debbie Wolanski, Michele Wright, 

Two Beloved Old Gentlemen

 

Miller sunbathing   (MW)

A fine day in the Front Courtyard almost always sees the presence of two aging tuxies, enjoying the sunshine, and hoping for handouts.

Sylvester  (MW)

Sylvester came to us as a full adult.  He may have been TNR’d and then situated as a farm cat; he came to us when we had to bring the colony in.  He was very shy from the beginning, but without the usual horrified stare of a feral, so he may have had some handling as a youngster. He enjoys the company of other cats, though he's not really a cuddler.

Sylvester sharing siesta space with Figaro  (MW)

He has been with us for 11 years now, and has some health issues that have the med staff keeping a careful eye on him.  He used to be a regular gate-greeter – mostly in hope of treats – and was always on the lookout for volunteer Karen Yu, who would bring a pocketful of goodies.  About 4-5 years ago, we were finding that there was a lot of Temptations-type throw-up after visiting days, and the decision was made to limit the treats. No more McDonalds-equivalent for cats like Sylvester; limited healthy kibble, and straight protein was the rule.

Anything tasty in that bag?  (ML)

I’m sure the odd cat-candy made an appearance, but Sylvester has become a devotee of people carrying bags of chicken tidbits, and he hovers hopefully, looking for handouts.  When I’m sitting on the bench by the gate he’s usually on one side of me, and on the other is handsome Miller.

Miller  (KN)

Miller has been with us a bit longer than Sylvester, but he came as a half-grown kitten, so he’s probably very close in age – we think they’re both coming up on 16 years. Miller and his two sisters, Fiona and Schatze (both now over the Bridge), were trapped as kittens near the Massey Tunnel. The construction workers there were feeding them, but felt they needed to be somewhere safe, and the Sanctuary was the place.  They were three little ferals with very different personalities: Fiona was friendly and ready to cuddle; Schatze did NOT like this place and kept escaping till we finally put her in Pen 4; Miller was shy – friendly enough with other cats, but slow to warm to humans.  Some cage time with Schatze helped there, as they took confidence from each other.

Fiona with Miller  (DW)

Fiona shared the front courtyard with Miller, though the two of them didn’t hang out together very much. Gradually, he became more people-oriented and learned that cuddles were a Good Thing. In the right mood, a spell of Miller Time became a treat all round.  Miller is one of those cats who like to be held upright, with paws making biscuits on the upper chest. He’s not always enthusiastic about being picked up, but he makes it very clear when he does want that attention.

Miller  (MW)

These two will be among the enthusiasts when we open the gates to visitors again!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Moira Langley, Karen Nicholson, Debbie Wolanski, Michele Wright

Vesper and Fable - bromance or marriage?

Vesper, Fable - and the Valentine's heart! - MW

These two handsome guys arrived with us a couple of months ago, and everybody loves them!
Vesper and Fable have come to us from a family who had a number of cats. They’re not from the same litter, but they’re about three months apart in age, and from all accounts, they have been bonded together since they met. They’re about 10 years old, and have been living as inside-outside cats – which makes them very lucky, since outside is full of perils like coyotes, raccoons, cars, poisons and other things that can make a cat’s life much shorter.

Vesper - MD

They’re neutered, but even neutered cats can get a bit territorial, and that may be what happened – one too many encounter with a stray cat, or an unexpected stress,  and they started peeing in the house.  Hoping to prevent their other cats from indulging similarly, their owners brought them to us. It will be interesting to see if the abundance of cats at the Sanctuary will mean they continue their bad habit, or if they just say "whatever..." and learn to tune out all the other smells.

CP

After a short stay in the quiet of the Moore House, they were transferred to roomy central cage of the Hill House, where they held court for several weeks. Cleaning/feeding volunteers and Kitty Comforters alike took opportunities to sit with them, and once over the initial anxiety of their move, they relaxed and enjoyed the attention.

Fable - MD

Fable is the more dominant of the pair; he’s very protective of Vesper, and now that the cage is open, he’s keeping an alert eye on his buddy, making sure that everything’s all right. He’s a cat that’s not always easy to photograph, because he’s always on the move.

Fable - MW

Vesper is a cuddle-bug, happy to lap-sit. He’s the more stay-at-home of the pair at the moment, preferring his cage territory, and defending it from other cats with warning squeaks.  Once he gets out and about, he will be easily confused with Miller – the latter is a bit bigger, with a slightly harsher coat; Vesper’s coat is softer, he has more flecks of white in it, and a little Harry Potter scar-like marking of white hairs on his face.

Vesper - BC

Both are now venturing further afield, especially in the evening, when things are quieter and wet food is on offer. They’re not interacting much with other cats, but they love human attention.

MW

We’ve had cat-pairs come in before, and then drift apart – Wickem (soon to be profiled) came in to us with his buddy Gidget and inhabited the same central cage in the Hill House. That was a relationship that didn’t last; Gidget has relocated to the Connor, while Wickem remains in the Hill.  I have a feeling that it won’t be the case with Vesper and Fable – after 10 years together, they’re not going to let a relocation to the Cat Sanctuary affect a very happy relationship!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Melanie Draper, Chris Peters and Michele Wright

I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat!

For a handsome tuxedo cat, there are some names that immediately come to mind.  Who doesn’t remember the antics of Tweetie-Pie’s arch-enemy?

So with the number of Bobbys that have passed through our hands at the Sanctuary, it’s interesting that there have been so few Sylvesters.  The first Sylvester I knew, you can meet here – he was a large cat who lived in the Moore House with the older inhabitants.   Today's Sylvester came to us as a pretty suspicious boy in the winter of 2011, and it took him a good while to decide that humans were to be trusted. I understand there was an earlier Sylvester who passed in 2009

DW

He was picked up from a farm near Steveston Highway, but we think he may have been a stray rather than a feral. He had already been neutered, and his right ear is slightly notched so he may be a TNR (Trap/Neuter/Release) cat like Luke or Marilee, though their ear-clip is much more obvious. He is one of the cats with a shortened tail, with a lump at the end - whether an injury or a genetic marker, we don't know. For a good while he held himself apart from the usual swarms of cats that greet a visitor, but he’s very food-motivated, and it wasn’t long before he was hovering hopefully on the edge of the crowd.

He caught the eye of long-time volunteer and Board member Karen Yu, who made something of a project of him, coaxing him closer and closer until he allowed himself to be handled.  He’s still very picky about who he allows to touch him; if there is no food on offer, he’d rather curl up somewhere separate and watch what’s going on.
Karen says:
Sylvester only made himself known to me a couple of years ago, even though he’d been at the Sanctuary since 2011.  One day, I showed up and noticed that there was a black and white face peering through the fence.  Since that time, I’ve found him at the gate almost every time I arrive so I make it a point to spend time with him, whether to give him treats and/or give him some attention.  Last year, Sylvester had some balance issues so I spent quite a bit of time in his cage with him.  His short crooked tail reminded me of one of the first cats I took home from the Sanctuary, Lanny, and Sylvester’s habit of waiting for me by the gate was reminiscent of another favourite, Tex.  Seeing Sylvester faithfully wait for me is hard to resist, so I have to admit that he gets the majority of treats that I bring, although other front courtyard cats like Cagney and Blaze have learned that being in Sylvester’s vicinity gives them some benefits.  I hope that because of the time (and treats) I spend with Sylvester that he has become more comfortable being around other people, so that others can also see what a special cat he is.

Sylvester hanging out with Little Orange - MW

He’s not one of the actively antisocial cats like Leland, but he’s pretty picky about his feline company as well – not a snuggler, but willing to sit next to a chosen friend for a little while. He and his tuxedo pal Miller are two of the cats that are not interested in volunteer Laurie’s Sunday fish offerings; they would much rather pig out on Temptations!

He knows and loves Karen, coming to meet her on the evenings she’s working at the Sanctuary. The fact that she has a pocket full of treats doesn’t hurt!  And you won’t hear him saying “Sufferin’ Succotash!” like his namesake.  It's more likely to be "More crunchies, please!"

ML

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Moira Langley, Debbie Wolanski & Michele Wright

Family Day at the Sanctuary

Though most of the Sanctuary cats have come in as singles – whether feral-trapped or as surrenders, we have our share of feline family relationships. Some of them have recently been featured – the “Cow Cats” – Mya, Kirstie and Teagan – are now out of a cage and hanging about in the upper reaches of the single-wide trailer. They’re unlikely ever to be very tame cats, though both Teagan and Kirstie will accept a little attention, but they still enjoy each other’s company. However many of our siblings largely ignore each other, and it’s rare that you find them together, so most of the upcoming pictures are of singles rather than pairs.  Claire introduced shy Tricia nearly five years ago and updated us on her progress back in 2013. Tricia is currently caged for a mouth infection, and actively solicits petting when visited – big progress from the shy girl she used to be.

Tricia - CF

Now we need to get working on her little sister Tara. Tara has been almost exclusively a back-pens cat – a little ghost who hovers around pen 1, but doesn’t want much to do with people. She was recently confined to treat what looks like an inner ear problem, and though still wary of being touched, is watching everything that’s going on. Having a cat caged, and accessible to the staff and the kitty comforters, is often a really good way of coaxing them into the next stage of being tamed.

Tara - BC

The last of our Val Jones family, Paulo and Latte hang out together in the front courtyard – but their togetherness is probably less about affection and more about a common goal of food and attention from humans!

Paulo & Latte - PH

Brother and sister Miller and Fiona also live in the front courtyard. Though they mostly live independent lives, we can occasionally catch them together.  Fiona’s usually a very friendly girl, though she doesn’t think much of Sunday visitors – she has a talent for hiding herself away until 4:10pm, when she emerges with an air of “did I miss something?”. Miller has progressed from being pretty feral to being everyone’s pal, and loves attention. The third of the trio is their sister Schatze (whose middle name should have been Houdini). Schatze lived in the parking lot until recently – she had a gift for escaping (though we never knew quite how). The nearby presence of coyotes encouraged us to bring her to pen 4 which is totally meshed in, and she’s stayed there – she was pretty miffed at first, but has now progressed to living in the hut with some of the other cats.

Fiona & Miller - DW

Schatze - MW

Families can be adoptive as well as blood relatives – and that’s true of the Dryer Gang: the first cats you encounter on entering the single-wide. They are centred on Simone and Bantam, who we used to think were brother and sister, but according to the vet, Simone is older than Bantam, and may well be his mom – even though he’s twice her size.  The other cats are unrelated – they all just love each other!

The Dryer Gang - MW

The single-wide is also the home of some of our maternal relationships:  tortie Sophie and her tabby son Hiro; Diamond and momma’s boy Garfield.

Hiro & Sophie - MW

Diamond & Garfield - DW

And a third maternal relationship which we thought was wheezy Marissa and her orange son Paylan,  has now been revealed to be mother/daughter (rechristened Sarah Paylan) – we should know by now that though orange cats are usually males, we have our share of the female variety.

Marissa & Sarah Paylan - DW

Happy Family Day!

Blog by Brigid Coult
Photos by Brigid Coult, Claire Fossey, Phaedra Hardman, Debbie Wolanski and Michele Wright