The Tuxedo Club - part 1

Some of our semi-feral inmates can be pretty nervous when there are strangers around.

Hamlet in what used to be Ringo's corner - MW

In regular conditions, the number of weekend visitors increases as the weather improves, and we have to be careful to allow the shyer cats space to get away from unfamiliar faces. The Moore House is closed, and also New Aids - our friendlier FIV cats live in the Val Jones area. We block off several areas for “Cats Only” - the front courtyard section where the ferals hang out, the approach to the office in the Single-Wide, the Newcomers, Pen 8 and Waldi’s Hut,  and the back deck of the Double-Wide.

Hamlet, Bodhi, Luke - LBF

The Double-Wide deck has become the popular gathering spot for the more timid cats in that building, and in particular, for the tuxedos. Grey Bubbles is an honorary tuxie, and there are a few tabbies like Kin and Guthrie who ease in and out of the crowd, but the mattress under the lamp is dominated by black and white fur.

Hamlet at ease - KN

Hamlet arrived in company with Ruff – a pair of ferals who were brought in for their own protection when their territory came under construction. Ruff settled himself in his cage and declined to emerge for almost a year; he’s now become Mr Sociability in the back courtyard. His buddy Hamlet (actually, they weren’t the friendliest of buddies) went in the opposite direction and ended on the deck. For some time he was to be found up on one of the high shelves with Ringo, hiding from human attention; these days he’s more often to be found just inside the door, and ready to accept attention from loving hands.

Bodhi & Luke - LP

Bodhi and Luke arrived about the same time, but from different place; Luke came with Taylor, and once released, the two went in different directions. Black Taylor made for the back courtyard and joined the “who IS that black cat?” crowd. The poor boy has had quite a lot of dental problems, and been in and out of a cage, getting treatment. Luke preferred the comfort of the deck and a more sedentary life-style. He has bonded with Bodhi, who is probably a little older. Bodhi came to us from a hoarding situation and was very wary about contact with humans at first, but the two of them are now ready to approach volunteers, and enjoy some petting.

Luke & Bodhi  - KN

Bodhi, Luke and Hamlet can often be found cuddling together on the big mattress under the heat lamp.  They are sometimes joined by Pancake, though he’s much more social, and prefers to be in the main building, around humans. Sir (who came in as Survivor) will often tuck himself into a nearby basket. Jolene sometimes shares their shelf, but not often the cuddles.  Little Smudge, after quite a lot of medical attention and cage living, had moved himself to the cage-tops in the main-building – warmer than the deck, especially with the big boys hogging the heat.

Pancake, Jolene, Sir  -  MW &BC

When we get our tuxedos together, with their striking markings (especially Bodhi) we think the boys should form a band and call it HISS...  or perhaps PURRRRR

Next week: the Red Light Cats band.... (with thanks to Daphne Jorgenson)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, Lisa Parker, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

Buddies on the way

An unlikely friendship - but one that helped them both...   CP

  MW

Tiger is a 7 year-old boy, surrendered to us for a peeing problem. Medical checks tell us that it’s not physiological – he’s just one of those cats who’s got out of the habit of using a litter-box.  He’s a beautiful boy with classic tabby markings, and right from the beginning he was friendly with people who visited him.  We hoped that the peeing problem might go away, and that he could eventually be adopted out, but no such luck – either it’s hardwired into him now, or he is so easily stressed that it’s his way of coping with things.

VL

The smell of pee, of course, is one of the ways that a cat marks its own territory, and Tiger has claimed the cage he was placed in as his space – even though the door has been opened for some time, he is reluctant to wander too far, and constantly returns to the place he feels most comfortable. He’s not a food-motivated boy, but one who enjoys gentle petting, and a human that will allow him to roll and have his belly stroked.

MW

Sprocket came in to us  about the same time as Tiger as one of a pair of feral cats caught in north Richmond by Stephanie, our most experienced trapper.  They are probably about a year old.  His brother Rocket (also orange) tested positive for feline AIDS, and is now living in the New Aids pen. Both were very shy; when startled, Rocket will fly around erratically, and we’ve learned to move very gently around him. Sprocket was caged in a corner of the DoubleWide, and for several weeks remained hiding in his carrier.  The med-staff worked with him, and eventually he learned that humans were worth purring for.

LP

Once the Kitty Comforter team set to work, Sprocket decided he was on to a good thing. Though still very timid, he would sit within reach and allow gentle petting; for a while we had to be very wary because we wanted to keep him caged, and he would sit a little too close to the door for comfort.

KN

Eventually Leslie decided that cage-time was no longer necessary, and his door was opened. Being a cat, he promptly decided that this was where he really wanted to be, and for a while longer, we continued to serve his dinner to him. But obviously, when humans weren’t around, Sprocket started exploring, and was often found in the cage opposite his own.

MW

And then he vanished.  There was some concern – had he gone out on the deck with the ferals? Had he somehow got past the main door? When we have new cats around, it is kept closed, but experienced paws have learned to open it for themselves. With some relief, we found that Sprocket had not gone far – he’d braved the diagonally opposite corner of the DoubleWide and found Tiger’s open cage.

TV

For some time we consistently found the two of them together. Occasionally they snuggled; mostly they lay separately, but each obviously took comfort in the other’s presence. The older, steady boy, and the younger, still easily startled feral made a good pair.  And gradually Tiger was completing the Kitty Comforters’ work, and letting his buddy know that he was in a place of safety and one where humans are not to be feared.

Sprocket & Tiger paws - MS

Both cats have moved on now - each one has gained confidence from the other's presence.  Tiger has remained in the DoubleWide - he likes warmth and comfort. But he's no longer confining himself to his original cage area, and he's often found buddying up with Pancake.

Sharing a shelf with Pancake - BC

Sprocket has made his way into the great outdoors, and is usually found in the Newcomers area with the other shy cats. Kitty Comforters and regular staff and volunteers are watching for him, and making sure he remembers that we aren't to be feared.

Sprocket outside - KN

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Vicki Lo, Karen Nicholson, Lisa Parker, Chris Peters, Molly Sjerdal, Tanisha Vincent, Michele Wright