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

Banshee & Domino

***spoiler alert...

Domino & Banshee - JK

Most of the Moore House cats are too senior to do anything as undignified as running and playing.  And yet, in the last few months, one could often hear the sound of kitty feet running around or toys being pushed across the floor. Wasn’t it supposed to be quiet in there?

Domino - PC

Not while Domino and Banshee were around!  This pair of young cats have been in foster care with a volunteer for a year, followed by a few months in the Moore’s side room,   They just celebrated their first birthday in August.  Domino and Banshee were part of the massive group of black cats that had been trapped in Richmond a year ago.  While most of their siblings and relatives were adopted out, they remained behind because they tested positive for Feline Leukemia. Looking at their high activity levels, you’d never know they have FeLV.  After several confirmation tests, they have now joined the other FeLV cats in the private playground.  

Banshee birthday-boy - LBF

Big, handsome Banshee loves to chase balls around the room.  Just toss a toy and watch him go.  Despite the name, he’s not a screamer (thankfully).  He’s the bigger cuddler of the two. Banshee takes a bit of warming up, or he’ll hide beneath the chair.  Once he approves, he’ll come over for pets and leg rubs.  Oddly enough, he doesn’t mind being held.  Banshee has a funny light coloured spot on his nose, which looks like a permanent booger.  He also has a knack for sitting on his toys and blocking the door to stop you from leaving.

Domino - PC

Fluffy girl Domino spends her time in the cat tree, on the filing cabinet, or any high place.  She enjoys all types of toys and things that look like toys.  Domino is notorious for destroying anything stringy.  If you have hoodie strings or loose shoelaces, she’ll turn those into playthings, as well.  She plays hard.  She likes rough petting, too.  But she dislikes sharing.  And that’s when the tortitude comes out!  Domino makes chasing her brother a hobby.

Banshee - LBF

She and her brother are both shoulder cats.  They will not hesitate to leap onto your shoulders when you’re in range.  It’s fun, unless you’re cleaning, then it increases the challenge.  When there are no humans present, the pair will either play or bird watch.

Domino - ready to jump - LBF

Now they’re in the FeLV area, there are plenty of things to explore, places to play, and cats to interact with.  At a year old, they are the youngest of the group.  With their bold personalities, they’re competing with Dexter, Bear, and Smoochie for attention.  Volunteers will have the advantage of being able to sit down in a chair with them and relax or to watch their antics.  Domino and Banshee will have fun in the courtyard section of the pen, where the back area offers the biggest bird watching window ever!

Banshee - PC

We would love these two sweethearts to find a home – whether permanently or in fosterage. The biggest condition is that they should never come into contact with non-FeLV cats; the usual RAPS rule of “keep them as indoor cats” is an even more vital one than usual. Having leukemia cats is not for everyone – but potential adopters should know that the virus is not not contagious to anyone other than another cat, and it doesn’t necessarily mean a shortened life-span – we’ve only recently had to say farewell to old Ooly at the respectable age of 18, and she’d lived with us for more than ten years. Banshee and Domino are an energetic loving pair of siblings who will be happy with us – but who would be even happier with their own humans to give them constant attention. 

Domino - KN

STOP PRESS!  As this gets ready for the electronic equivalent of going to print, we have the exciting news that Banshee and Domino are in fact being adopted, and will very soon be going to their furever home - not to a volunteer, as is often the case, but to outside adopters who heard about them, met them and fell in love. It is so exciting to know that we have people who understand the challenges posed by Feline Leukemia, and are ready to face them and adopt anyway.  
Good luck, little ones - live long and prospurrr.....   💕

Blog by Pauline Chin, with Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Pauline Chin, Jennine Kariya & Karen Nicholson

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

Ooly

Those of us who work in the Old Aids building housing the cats with feline leukemia know that its inhabitants are fairly evenly divided between those who love humans – especially when bearing food – and those who are very wary. Merlin, Bubba, Zanda and Yoda are all determined cuddlers and get their fair share of visitors, but there has always been a set of cats that want nothing to do with two-legged visitors.

The outer area of Old Aids boasts runways 8 feet off the ground, and at least one cat-basket with a heat-lamp where the most determined outside-dwellers could stay cosy even in the cold, and glare at the invading humans below.

Jackson, Todd & Ooly

The elegant slender tabby with the pointy face on the right is Ooly. She came to us with shy black Todd who was probably her brother, trapped on Annacis Island about ten years ago. Both began their stay with us in the double-wide and the back courtyard, but were transferred to Old Aids when the leukemia virus showed up in them. Both were feral – Todd eventually allowed limited contact, but for most of the time Ooly’s been with us she’s opted for hissing and spitting when we get too close, preferring to spend most of her time out of reach above our heads.

And then she started venturing through the cat door and into the security of the main room. Initially she’d make a dash from the entry to the cat-tree, and head for the upper-level security of the cage-tops.  Any approach to her was met with evasive action, but at least she was seeing that humans weren’t too bad.  Phaedra tells me that Ooly does snuggle with quite a few of other cats in there - her best bud seems to be currently black & white Bibsy with Happy running a close second, and newcomer Chateaux getting in on the action.

When I do morning cleaning there, the cats know that I usually have something tasty in my pockets once I’m finished, and I can sit down and have a little fuss-and-feed time. Little bits of chicken are met with excitement by Kojak and the shyer Happy – but in the last few months, Ooly has been coming down to hover on the edge of the action. She does the same with Phaedra, who has found that she prefers not to share a plate with other cats.

For me, at first, it was just a wary sneak around – but the chicken that came her way was much appreciated, and she proved ready to hold her own with the more food-aggressive cats. More recently she’s actually accepted food from the hand, mingling more comfortably with the other cats, and allowing herself to be touched occasionally, when safely surrounded by feline company.

We’ve a ways to go with her; her body language still says that she’s uncertain, and I doubt she’ll ever allow herself to be snuggled like Bubba. But it’s not so long ago that Kojak was similarly wary, so there’s hope.

Blog & photos by Brigid Coult