Solstice

Solstice  (BC)

The SingleWide is the building most likely to become a home to older cats who have been surrendered to our care for various reasons – an owner passed or with health issues, a cat with behavioural or health problems...  It’s an environment particularly suited to an animal who has been used to a loving home where they have been kept indoors – though cranky-pants like BeeBoo and Shadow have their own reasons for making it their home.

The necessary cage-stay  (KH)

Solstice came to us early this year  and was settled in one of the large cages to decompress. There are very few cats who actually enjoy the caging period, necessary as it may be; we all know that unhappy cats are likely to go and hide away, but they like to choose just where to hide, and those options are limited in a cage. We try, when preparing it for a new inhabitant, to give them a number of possibilities on different levels; Solstice was obviously a little uncomfortable physically and chose the easiest option, behind the drape on the main shelf. And there she stayed.

Initial suspicions  (BC)

When I first encountered Solstice, she immediately reminded me of Pandora, a SingleWide predecessor who arrived at the age of 18 with multiple physical problems and serious Cattitude. Solstice wasn’t quite as growly, but emanated a clear “Leave me alone!” message. She was matted and uncomfortable. But in fact she was less than 7 years old when she came to us. Apparently her owner had left town without her, and the family member who took on her care couldn’t cope with the angry, aggressive cat who was mourning the changes in her life.

Necessary grooming included very poofy feet!  (KH)

The Kitty Comforters stepped up. Regular visits, initially resented by Solstice, became more interesting to her. Care from the med staff left her feeling better and more receptive to human attention. Her UTIs and occasional peeing became less frequent as she became calmer – in fact, it’s likely that they were stress-induced when her owner left.  A little grooming and some tasty treats improved her mood. By the time she was released, she’d decided that these humans were OK – though  the other cats, perhaps not so much.

Making herself at home  (BC)

In the last six months, Solstice has become a more active member of the SW population. From hiding away, she now claims her comfy spaces right in the open; she loves attention and lap-time, and is ready to defend her territory to cats like Shadow, who think they have a right to the couch!  She explores everywhere, enjoying mountaineering on the cage-tops and snoozing on a shelf.  

Cage-top queen of all she surveys  (BC)

Visitors often ask how I know so many of the cats – and mostly it’s because of writing this blog, and because I work in most areas of the Sanctuary. But if I really want detail on a cat, there is usually at least one volunteer in any specific area who spends significant time outside scooping/cleaning/feeding. In the SingleWide, I know I can always turn to Kim for background and more photos.

No longer confined - so now she likes her cage!  (KH)

Kim says:
I love Solstice so much, and I hope it’s mutual.  I think she had a spicy tag on her in the beginning, but I found she was really sweet from the start as long as you took a soft approach. She loves head pets. She has the softest fur that is prone to tangles, but isn’t a fan of brushing. She was mad at me for two weeks after I tried brushing her. She’s become really comfortable exploring since Bella took over her cage. Every Monday when I arrive, I find her in a new napping spot. Sometimes, she climbs on my chest/shoulders and wraps herself around me — I joke that she’s trying to become a scarf.

No longer the angry girl who came to us...  (KH)

I’m with you, Kim – she’s a really sweet girl. She’s not officially on the adoptable list yet, but she might do very well with someone that she knows and trusts.

Blog by Brigid Coult, with Kim Howe

Photos: Brigid Coult, Kim Howe

October 2025 - I am delighted to say that Solstice has found her forever home with the family of one of our staff; we hear that she has settled right in as queen of the household.

Over the Bridge in 2023

Pandora - December - LBF

Pandora came to us in bad shape, but she had
nearly two years of greatly improved health with us before her aging body had had enough.

The Sanctuary is a place where we celebrate life – specifically, the lives of many cats who, in other circumstances, would have been euthanized for being unadoptable.  Many ferals have come through our hands, and though some have eventually accepted human attention, others have remained feral for much of their lives. Adopters shy away from taking cats with FIV or FeLV, diabetes or kidney disease – and we rejoice that we have been able to give them shelter and treatment. We have partnered with rescues in other places, and taken groups of cats that a smaller organization may not be able to house.

Dango - June - KN

Dango came to us from Alberta in 2019, and joined the New Aids pen; earlier this year he was relocated to the Val Jones pen so that his renal diet could be closely monitored.

But because many of our cats are with us through much of their lives, we are, time and time again, with them for their deaths. Sometimes they are unexpected, as in cancer, or FIP.  Sometimes we watch the gradual aging of a beloved friend, and know that their time is come. Many cats hide their ill-health, and occasionally we will find them already passed; most of them are taken by a staff-member to the hospital, where they will pass gently, held by loving hands.

Kiwi - December - MW

Kiwi came from the same shelter as Dango;

we lost her to FIP, which is a random mutation of an otherwise standard feline coronavirus.

The turn of the year is a time when we look back over the past twelve months, and remember more than fifty of the furry friends who have “crossed the Rainbow Bridge”. So once again, this is less a blog, and more a photo-essay that may bring smiles and tears and memories and love of some very special cats. We can't feature them all, but here are a dozen of those who have gone ahead of us.

Tugboat - February - MW

Much beloved by all, Tugboat became very frail in his last year,
and was cuddled and comforted by humans and cats alike.

Sprint - December & Shaggy - July;  LBF

Little Sprint was a junkyard cat, very shy, and with health problems; 
Shaggy was one of the last of the “oldies” from the former Moore House.

Sara Lee - March - KN

Sara Lee had lived here for most of her 21-odd years.
Easily identified by her bi-coloured eyes and her smoke coat, she was a fixture at the coffee table, where she toured from one lap to another.

CB Lincoln - February - MW

Cinnamon Bun Lincoln was named for his curled tail,
and known for his tendency to pee on anything/anyone he wanted to claim.

Little Orange - October - KN

One-eyed Little Orange was loved by volunteers and visitors alike,
and is greatly missed by his friend Allison who visited him every week.
He’s reunited with his girlfriend, shy Merilee.

Stella - February - MW

Stella was a regal presence in the Tea-Room and the breezeway; 
she liked to sit high up and reach down a paw to those seeking her attention.

Bossanova - August - KN

Bossanova evolved from a shy boy hiding high on a shelf
to a cat who would hover hopefully, looking for treats and attention.

Jazz - September - KN

Jazz was the doorkeeper for the Single-Wide.

Originally collared as a signal that she was a reactive cat,

she came to enjoy the attention she got, and demanded that everyone stop on the way in to pet her.

Pancake - March - KN

Pancake was the son of Autumn, in the front Courtyard;
he proved too shy to be adopted, and returned to us to make his life
with his cat friends in the DoubleWide.

Tara - October - KN

Tara remained a scared feral most of her life with us,
only allowing contact in the last months when she was confused and forgetting that she was scared.

Hamlet - August - KN

Hamlet came to us as a feral, but soon developed a presence
 as a benevolent Godfather on the DW deck.

Rainbow over the Sanctuary - BC

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

Pandora

Pandora   (KN)

For the last eight months, the centre cage in the Single-Wide has been occupied by a Grump.

Grrr....  (BC)

To be fair, Pandora has her reasons for being a Grump.  She was surrendered to us for aggression after her owner went into assisted care; she was a one-person cat, and change was very hard on her. She is a SuperSenior - a phrase that applies to cats over 15 years old, who are more likely to have problems like hyperthyroid, kidney disease, UTIs and other problems. At nearly 18 years old, Pandora has all the above, and possibly others, and our job is to make what time she has left as comfortable as possible.

I did not ask for this haircut!   (KN)

She’s a bit overweight, probably arthritic, and came to us with such heavy matting in her fur that it must have been been very painful for her.  She actually had to have much of it shaved initially - a process she didn't appreciate. The staff have been medicating her, but her skin looked worse for awhile before it dried out a bit, and her fur is beginning to grow back in a wispy way.  The centre cage gives her lots of room to move about, but in classic old-lady-cat style, she prefers to spend her time sleeping, either hidden behind a drape or curled in a cat-tree nest. “Up” is key; she does not choose to spend much time at floor level, other than for bathroom breaks, and she has claimed that upper level for her own.

Doing a little exploring  (KN)

The cage has actually been open for some time, but Pandora has left the other cats in no doubt that this is Her territory. Warm and fuzzy are not terms to apply to Pandora; another cat approaching her, and the growl leaves both intruder and observer in no doubt that she “Vants to Be Alone” – a classic Garbo Cat!  Noelle and Marie occasionally occupy the lower level, but are more comfortable being away from their irritable neighbour, and prefer to room with Little Cat and Menjosie.

Starting to grow fuzz again   (KN)

The stairway of cat-trees that makes it possible to access the upper level without discomfort unfortunately works both ways, and the warning rumble is often heard as she discourages visitors. This usually includes humans, though we’re not hated quite as much as other felines – unless we bear medications.  She reminds me of an elderly lady who’s been moved into a seniors’ home after a life of independence. She doesn’t want to admit that she’s more comfortable than she used to be; she thinks the staff are busy-bodies who should leave her alone, and she has no time for the other residents.

May I have more pets?  (BC)

And yet when I visited last week with chicken tidbits, I was astonished to see Pandora emerge and come and join the chicken crowd.  I use the word “join” loosely – she sat at a distance, and when offered a tidbit, was very unfriendly with Paylan, who has no boundaries when it comes to getting chicken! But as the supplies vanished and the other cats drifted away, Pandora came closer and closer to me, allowing me to pet her.  Initially, I applied the “reactive cat” technique – stay above collar level: head, ears, cheeks, throat – nut as she remained relaxed, I was able to stroke further down her body, including the bald patches.  When she decided she’d had enough, she wandered off without any fuss.

You may look, but not touch   (BC)

Visiting her again this week, the goodwill was gone:  “don’t bother me!” was the strong message.  Part of it may be position;  Jazz, for instance, who had many similar old-lady problems in settling in, now loves to be petted on her shelf, but obviously feels less safe on the floor. Other cats similarly – we do loom over them, after all, and eye-level contact may be preferred. Pandora, however, chose to come to me at floor level, and that may be her comfort-place when it comes to petting.  And we need to let her make the decisions about when and where contact feels safe; reactivity often has its root in fear, and only time and good experiences will let her know that she no longer needs to be fearful and quite so grumpy.

Blog by Brigid Coult
Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson