Heavenly Newcomers

Mama Moon (KN)

Back in November, we welcomed a mother cat and her four kittens to the Sanctuary.  Normally that would be No Big Deal – our Adoption Centre is kept busy with incoming feline families.  But these five were a little different.  They came to us from Manitoba, where they were found abandoned after their people had moved away – and fall in Manitoba is cold!  

Galaxy prefers hiding  (KN)

Luckily, they were taken in by a small local rescue group with the irresistible name of What’s One More Community  in Winnipeg.  This is a very small organization, doing an enormous job with limited resources – and any financial help is gratefully received. They took this little feline family into foster, and got them checked over by the vet – to receive the sad news that all of them tested positive for FeLV – feline leukemia.

Cosmo - always curious  (BC)

RAPS to the rescue – we are a unicorn among shelters in that we have facilities specifically for leukemia kitties, and we were delighted to welcome Mama Moon and her four teenagers to live with us. They bypassed the Adoption Centre and came straight to the Leukemia area, where they settled in pretty quickly.

Moon likes to know what's going on  (BC)

Mama Moon is a sweet girl with striking looks. The blue eyes and colouring indicate that there’s probably some ragdoll in her, though it doesn’t show up in her offspring. Daddy-cat, whoever he was, was probably black and longhaired, and that’s evident in all four. There’s been a little name-juggling, but they’re now settled as Cosmo and Eclipse (M) and Calisto and Galaxy (F). 

Callisto is a flirt!  (KN)

All four are friendly, but Cosmo and Calisto are obviously extroverts, and Eclipse and Galaxy are much shyer. A visit to the Leukemia room will produce an immediate reaction of interest from Cosmo and Calisto, who will come to investigate and play, and enjoy being petted.  Cosmo is mostly black with a white locket on his chest; he’s active and energetic, he loves attention and is occasionally a shoulder-climber. His sister Calisto has beautiful bronze eyes, and a striking set of whiskers; she’s a true tuxie, with not only the white bib but four white paws. Her facial white is just a thin white stripe.

Eclipse & Galaxy in hiding  (KN)

The more introverted pair often need to be hunted for; they’ve discovered the hiding places, though they will emerge when they feel safe.  Eclipse, as his name suggests, is all black, and because he hides in dark corners, the pupils of his eyes tend to be dilated, so his eyes look as black as the rest of him. He is one who I have most often found in the “outside” of the Leukemia pen, though whether that is escaping or exploring is not clear.  His sister Galaxy is another tuxedo, but her facial white is a striking blaze down her nose, rather than Calisto’s discreet line.  The two of them can often be found hiding away together.

Cosmo goes exploring  (KN)

The five other cats already in the Leukemia pen are all semi-ferals (and not adoptable), but are very tolerant of the new family. Most of them live outside; Siamese Neko is the most usual visitor to the inner room, and Neptune and Athena come in when they think food is on offer.  Like FIV cats, FeLV cats are adoptable to special people – but there are constraints. All RAPS cats are adopted out on condition that they remain indoor cats but this is especially important with leukemia cats. The virus that they carry is transmitted in fluid – mostly though cat saliva. Cats who lick each other, who share food and water, can pass the virus on. It is not transmissible to humans, and it dies quickly when it dries – but in wet form it is a danger to other cats.  

Callisto has the best whiskers!  (BC)

The other thing about feline leukemia is that it affects the cat’s immune system, so that they have less resistance to other infections. We are careful about keeping everything very clean, and because many of us work with other cats who may have things like cat-colds or eye infections, we wash carefully before visiting them, and sanitize when we leave. There is no denying that FeLV cats tend to have shorter lives – but we also know that the virus may go dormant, and we’ve had leukemia cats like Ooly, who lived to be 18 years old.  Anyone who’s lost a cat knows that the grief is a measure of the love – and most of us would rather have the love, despite the inevitable grief.  So, to the right person, under the right conditions, adoption of the Moon family would be possible, though the youngsters would need to go at least in pairs.

Sharing the family tree - Callisto, Moon & Eclipse  (BC)

Till that happy time, they are having a good life in our Leukemia area; they are so engaging that they have a lot of attention from staff and volunteers, and are enjoying being somewhere much warmer than a cold Manitoba winter! 

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson

Quiet Days in the Leukemia Pen

Neko  (KN)

Looking back over fourteen volunteer years, it’s interesting to recall how the numbers of FeLV (feline leukemia) and FIV (feline AIDS) cats has fluctuated. We’ve always had space for both sorts of residents, but at one time we had leukemia cats in the back of the SingleWide, in the Val Jones area, as well as in the main leukemia pen (which, confusingly, was known as Old Aids), and only one pen of FIV cats; now we have more than 30 FIV cats in two pens.  Sadly, many of our leukemia cats don’t live very long – the virus is very hard on their immune systems – and we love them, knowing that we may not have them with us as long as we would like. We are learning things about the virus that we didn’t know years ago, and we hope that it will give our current leukemia cats more time.  There is no cure for FeLV, but anything that will boost their immune systems is helpful. 

Adria & Creston, now adopted  (BC)

One of the things we still don’t understand it what causes the virus to go into remission or to flare up. Cats like Ooly lived much longer in our care than some of the others – we think Ooly made it to 18 years, which is good for any cat – and we don’t know why; we can only be grateful.  Since my last leukemia cat blog the numbers of inhabitants has gone down: currently there are only six cats living there, but they all seem to be in good shape, and we hope that their health will remain strong.  We rejoiced when sassy Adria and loving Creston were adopted together by someone who understood that they would need constant oversight, and no contact with other cats. But the two were both young, and it’s wonderful to think that they have the experience of living in a home with humans of their own.

Beautiful Neptune  (KN)

We’re left with four black cats, a Siamese mix and a tabby. The four blacks are headed up by Neptune, who is probably the senior resident (if not very senior). He has been with us nearly seven years, having come from Oregon with Portia, who we lost last year. Neptune is shy until he knows you, but once he feels safe, he will come for petting and treats. 

Athena  (PC)

He is trailed devotedly by Athena, who was the only one of the MacLeod cats (arriving in 2019) to test FeLV+; Athena weaves her way around him, and bunts to get his attention. She looks like his mini-me, and you need to see them together to be certain who's who.  She’s still not very sure about wanting human petting, and is very picky about what treats she will accept.

Furgie usually looks startled   (BC)

The other two blacks are very shy as well.  Furgie came from the colony that now lives in Pen 3; the youngsters from a hoarding situation in Alberta. She’s now about 6 years old, and can be distinguished from the others by the little flecks of white on her neck and shoulders; she tends to look a little rumpled, and it always takes time and patience to get her to accept attention.

Laszlo  (KN)

The fourth one is Laszlo. who is the last of a group of leukemia cats who came to us from CatNap rescue in Nanaimo just over two years ago. As a leukemia-infected colony, the virus obviously had a good hold on their immune systems, and they have all passed in those two years, except for Laszlo who is still holding strong.  He is wary, but will accept a little petting if he accepts you. 

Athena, Laszlo, Neptune having a cage-top meeting  (JS)

The four of them integrate pretty well – Furgie and Laszlo tend to find their own corners, but every now and then there is a black cat meet-up to plan the next party.  Volunteer Justin calls it The Void.

Handsome Neko, listening to Joanne talk in Japanese  (JN)

The largest cat in the pen is Neko. Neko came to us almost five years ago, having been trapped as a Valley stray near Abbotsford. Initially he was very scared, and spent considerable time hanging out on the walkways under the roof of the outer section of the pen; in cold weather he took over the wicker basket under the heat lamp, but he was not ready to come inside for real warmth.  Gradually he has come to accept that nobody will hurt him, and began to venture indoors. 

Neko with black cat buddy  (BC)

He became more social with the other cats, enjoying cuddles and company with Boris (now gone) and Adria, and accepting attention from volunteers and Kitty Comforters. He especially enjoys it when Joanne comes and talks to him in Japanese; like Princess in the back courtyard, and her conversations in Farsi, there is something in the sound of the language he heard as a youngster that gives him comfort.

Big Dave preferring quiet alone-time on the cat tree  (BC)

The most recent addition to the Leukemia pen is Big Dave – who doesn’t look so big, when faced with Neko!  Poor Dave was obviously used to being either boss cat or the only cat, and he’s had struggles to deal with his new situation. Initially he remained mostly indoors, while the other cats came and went; Neptune in particular was not friendly, and Big Dave learned to find the corners where he could feel safe. Volunteers made a point of coming to visit for some BD time on the couch, but it took a while before he would venture past the cat-door.  With the recent heatwave, being out in the Leukemia courtyard is infinitely preferable to staying inside; cool stone floors and walkways that catch the breeze are too much to resist. However, there’s not much progress happening yet in terms of cat socializing.

Sweet anti-cat-social boy  (BC)

Big Dave will come for human attention, but he prefers to tuck himself away in a safe bed when the others are out and about.  With only six cats currently in residence, there are lots of places he can feel secure – but he would obviously feel much happier if he had the place to himself, or if, like Adria and Creston, he could score someone who would give him his own home.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Pauline Chin, Brigid Coult,
Joanne Nicholson, Karen Nicholson, Justin Saint

Ooly the Oldie

From kitty-comforter Pauline Chin: 
Hiding in the upper residence of the Old Aids area is an inconspicuous, quiet brown tabby named Ooly.  It often requires some effort to find her, as she habitually conceals herself… unless you have delicious chicken!  Even then, she makes no sound – just beckoning with her glowing green eyes.

MW

Ooly may look like a typical tabby, but it’s worth it to find this gal because she is 18 years old, which is equivalent to a 80-90 year old human. What makes her extra special is she is FeLV+.

PH

Before anyone hits the panic button, feline leukemia is a virus that can be active or inactive, and the cat may or may not show any symptoms.  Leukemia in humans is a cancer, with a whole host of different symptoms.   In comparison, most strays with feline leukemia will not make it to their first birthday. Those living indoors may live 2-5 years.  A healthy housecat might average 10-20 years.  It’s tough to say how long a cat really lives, as demonstrated by some of our beloved residents who have surpassed age 20.

KN

Despite all the years Ooly has lived with us, she is still wary of humans.  She’s still a chicken-lover, but she prefers it if you leave it and well… leave.  She’s gotten a bit thinner, but her green eyes are full of life, and she still has spring in her steps.  She’s more semi-feral than feral now.  I haven’t seen any aggression from her, compared to her earlier days.  Perhaps being an oldie has made her more gentle?

KN

The most coveted spot is the high basket in the back.  All the leukemia cats can easily access it via catwalks, but us humans have to climb a ladder to even see who’s in it.  At which point, we’re likely met with suspicious stares from the basket occupants.

Chateaux with Ooly - PC

Ooly may have outlived her old friends, but she’s made new friendships.  Her current closest friend is Chateaux, who might share cuddles, body rubs, and headbonks.  I once saw them staring out the back fence together.  Recently, I noticed the newer residents, Kilo and Neptune greeting her as they passed on the catwalk and cat tree.  It’s charming to watch, since only some cats accept close encounters.  Then, Ooly jumped into the basket and joined Neko for cuddles.  I was able to pet the latter, but Ooly stayed just inches out of reach.

Neko & Ooly - PC

I would say Ooly is very much an independent old gal.  She’s gentle.  She’s not needy.  She‘s not vocal.  She might be enticed by a sparkly toy, and of course, chicken.  We’re not expecting her to suddenly turn friendly after 15 years, but it’s a nice thought.  If at anytime she wants cuddles or a warm lap from a human, she’s definitely welcome.  We would love to celebrate her 20th birthday with her!

Blog by Pauline Chin

Photos by Pauline Chin, Phaedra Hardman, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

Neko

At last! We have a cat called Neko!

Relaxed in his bed - KN

The RAPS Neko Blog has been around since Claire started it eleven years ago. A couple of years living in Japan gave her the first experience of working with feral cats, and she named the blog with the Japanese word for cat.

Watching from a shelf - BC

We occasionally have cats come to us because someone has a connection with us and is able to pass the word that we are a possible resource. A TNR (trap-neuter-release) program in the upper Fraser Valley took in a very handsome Siamese boy – very scared, so either born feral, or lost for some time. When he was neutered, the routine blood-test showed that he was FeLV – leukemia-positive – and because leukemia is so dangerous for other cats, it was impossible to allow him to be released back to his territory. But at the same time, he was too feral to be homed, and unlikely ever to be adopted by himself. Luckily our friends got word of him, and they were kind enough to drive him all the way to safety with us.

A very scared boy when he arrived - CF

Ferals usually get named by the med-staff, but Neko came to us with that name, and was brought immediately to the area with the leukemia cats. Like all our newbies, he had the first few weeks in a cage to give him time to assimilate to his new surroundings, and to give us a chance to get to know him. Volunteers and Kitty Comforters reported that he was a very scared boy – not aggressive at all, but not willing to venture out of his shelter.

He spent the first few weeks hiding behind his drape - MW

New cats in the leukemia area do one of two things on release – they make for the cage-tops, or they head for the outside area. “Outside” is a covered courtyard, with lots of shelves and high-up spaces. Neko vanished into the rafters there and made himself at home in a basket under the heat lamp. There are several other cats who prefer living outside, but will make occasional visits indoors; Neko wasn’t going to try that.  And after all, why should he? He had a toasty warm bed, he had litterboxes scooped twice daily, there was both canned and dry food delivered to his area

He felt safest close to the rafters - CT

And then, little by little, we began to see more of him.  He would perch up on a shelf and watch as the area was cleaned. Any approach, and he would scurry back to safety, but more and more, curiosity won the day.

Allowing closer contact - KN

He’s getting braver all the time – the last time I fed in the building I had a little bit of pre-feeding snuggles with Smoochie on the couch, and looked up to find that Neko had come through the cat door – presumably, to find what the hold-up was with dinner.  He stayed, watching me, until I got up – and then his caution took him back outside again! He’s starting to allow brief contact, and there are certain people with whom he is obviously more comfortable. He may never be a lap-cat, but he’s coming to know that he’s safe at the Sanctuary.

Is that dinner I see you bringing?  - BC

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Chelzea Freeman, Karen Nicholson, 

Cheryl Townsend, Michele Wright