At Large No More

For several years, Sunday visitors to the Sanctuary have entered, anxious to report that we have escaped cats in the parking lot, and needing to be reassured that yes, we did know those cats were out. 

The two “strays” were Jordy (brown tabby) and Schatze (torby). Both had been taken in to the Sanctuary and for various reasons they never settled. Jordy made his home-base in handyman Doug’s work-shed; Schatze hung out mostly under the Moore House.  Staff kept an eye on both, necessitating the occasional capture and vet-visit, but both were so unhappy and so quick to escape, that they were just accepted as the outside cats.

Jordy

On his last vet visit Jordy was diagnosed with a heart condition, and his outside feedings soon included medication, which he accepted happily. And then recently he vanished – we hope he just found a hiding place and passed away quietly. Schatze, deprived of her parking-lot buddy, was more active and vocal, and the decision was made that, like it or not, she should come in. We’re situated on agricultural land, and the inevitable predators are a danger to even a savvy cat like Schatze.

Schatze

So she came into the Moore House for a while, caged, to try to settle her, and there was discussion about where she should go – should she stay in the Moore House where she could see out to the area she used to hunt? Or should she go somewhere else?
In the end the decision was made that she needed space more than she needed visual familiarity, and last week she was released into pen 4, one of the feral-cat pens at the back. It’s a spacious pen, totally fenced in and covered, and the other cats in it – who include OJ, Rusty and Sandy & Pebble – all seem to get along peaceably. They get Kitty Comforters in from time to time, and many of the cats are more accepting of human attention than they used to be.



For the first few days in the new pen, Schatze sulked; she found herself a corner under a bush and stayed there. Staff and volunteers visited her, and made sure she had food, water and attention. On Friday Michele went in to try to get some pictures, and Schatze emerged to do a little exploring. The following day I visited and was greeted by the familiar chirping, and a little cat looking for her favourite treats.

Time will tell whether Schatze will settle or will pull a Houdini – we hope she realises she really has it good in there!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Michele Wright

 

Note: Schatz/Schatze/Schatzi is a German term of endearment for a girlfriend - treasure, sweetheart.  People spell her name a variety of ways; I've left the spelling as in Claire's original posting.

 

 

 

Update - OJ

Can you spot the kitty?

Yes, OJ is still feral and still not big on the trust. This was as close as I could get this week:

Others have had somewhat better luck, though, including Ann who's managed to entice him to accept a few pats. She's even heard him purr.

Step 1: Apply salmon.

photo by Ann

Step 2: Commence petting.

photo by Ann

She makes it sound so simple! Still, we recommend leaving this move to the professionals for the time being -- during a patting session last week, another feral sitting nearby spooked OJ, resulting in either OJ or the other cat coming flying out at Ann in attack mode. I think all involved were rattled by the experience, but it sounds like Ann's already forgiven the cats, and I'm sure OJ is still open to to salmon-flavoured bribes.

OJ

OJ is a feral who was trapped by Carol at the beginning of July and brought to the sanctuary. He lives in the same pen as Ginti, Amelia Earheart, and Lillian. I first met him within days of his arrival and managed to get this picture of him hiding in a doghouse.

I've been meaning to do a blog post on him since then, but have never managed to get another photo-- he always seemed to be hiding in some mystery spot when I went looking for him. Fortunately, Phaedra has managed to make contact (more or less) and get this shot of him.

photo by Phaedra

Apparently, she encounters him regularly when she's doing her early morning cleaning shift. He sits inside the large shed in the middle of the pen while she's working and watches her. He'll accept food while she's there, but makes menacing faces if she gets too close. Well, he is a feral after all, so I don't think she takes it too personally!