Calendar 2025 - out-takes!

Peaches - but she's more gloriously calico
than you can see here!   (KN)

‘Tis that time of year again, and the phenomenon of the annual RAPS Calendar pops up.  Actually, it pops up back in July, with the beginning of my calls to photographers and the requests for specific considerations – are there pairs or groups? - is there anything seasonal? - are there particular stories to link to our models?

One photographer taken by the other -
with model Jasper at his most endearing    (MK)

This year the calendar features the work of staff members Karen Nicholson and Mike Fossey. All the staff and volunteers at the Sanctuary are known to whisk cell-phones out for quick pics, and many of them are really good, and have been featured in blogs and on the website. But Karen and Mike take their big lenses really seriously, and both have that magic eye for the personality of a cat.

We lost Raisin as we were doing last proofs -
and her portrait was withdrawn   (KN)

The Calendar is launched this week with pre-orders here, but, as I have done before in a blog, here are some of the ones that didn’t get featured for various reasons – though quality was not one of them!

This is so typical of Biggie - but do we really
want to see closed eyes for a full month?  (KN)

What are my criteria for shortlisting? I’m looking for a spectrum of colours and breeds across the year, with not too much dominance in any area. I’m looking to learn something about the cat in question, about their personality.  I’m looking for a picture that I can have on my wall for a full month and still see interesting things in it. 

It's good to see Boston out and about - but he
looks like he's emerging from prison!  (KN)

I try to avoid pictures with cage bars or pen netting where possible – though sometimes it’s artistically valid. And I try to avoid selecting a cat who has featured in the previous year’s calendar.

Such affection in this picture - but Thorne (R) was featured
last year, and we lost Percival (L) recently  (MK)

It’s hard to turn the page of a calendar and be faced with the picture of a cat that we’ve all loved and lost – sometimes we know it’s going to happen (as in Percival’s passing) and sometimes it comes as a shock to us all.

We miss you, sweet Leonardo diCatprio   (KN)

and sometimes I look at a photo of a cat and think “you’ll likely not be with us next year...”

old-lady Bricklyn is looking increasingly fragile  (KN)

With both Sam and Cheeto featured this year as our orange cats, I was sad not to be able to justify this picture of sweet Daffodil. She came from Kamloops, but missed out on bonding with the other orange floofs – she divides her time between the DoubleWide and the Newcomers.

Daffodil is still very wary around us  (MK)

Artistically, I really like the photos in which the cats naturally frame themselves, or in which the colour or texture of the object that hides them is also interesting;  in the end, that was why we selected Gizzard’s picture, rather than Barbie’s – she hid herself a little too much.

Barbie did NOT want to be in the open for her portrait  (MK)

There were a number of photos of the Cranbrook College cats, and of the Pen 8 Kootenays cats;  Li’l Bit from the first group won the cover picture prize, and Zoey being squinty claimed a page, but both had serious competition.

Bernadette, of the College cats, is a tree-climber to find a quiet place  (KN)

Already, I’m starting to think about the next calendar – can we do more seasonal shots? - do we need shots that show more of the Sanctuary? - who are the potential models who’ve not yet had their moment in the sun? - Gwen?  Kramer?  Amaretto? Oscar or Winston?  This is the thirteenth calendar from the Sanctuary, and there is a continuous flow of refugees coming into our care and no lack of potential pictures for next year.

Sweet Skye is shyer than her other sisters  (KN)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Mike Kossey & Karen Nicholson

Now go and find the Calendar to see the photos that made it!
For online purchase, click HERE

Garrus

Garrus  (KN)

Garrus came to us earlier this summer as a stray, to be homed at the Sanctuary. Initially he was pretty well-behaved, and we moved him to the Adoption Centre, hoping to find him a home. However, once he had fully decompressed and settled down there, his true colours came out, and we discovered that  the Sanctuary was the right place for him after all. 

Garrus (LBF)

We don’t know if he’d been turned out by his original owners for peeing, or if he was an indoor-outdoor cat who took his outside habits indoors – but it was very apparent that he was not happy about being caged, because though he (mostly) used his litterbox, he also got himself a reputation for unprovoked attacks on staff and volunteers.  This is not uncommon – cage aggression is an issue that the Adoption Centre often sees, and cats who show it can be very grateful they are at RAPS. Other shelters cannot always afford the time or space to deal with an aggressive animal, and adopters are wary when they hear that a cat may be reactive. 

Garrus being wary  (BC)

Thankfully, no-kill is at the heart of RAPS philosophy, and stressed cats who show aggression are able to be transferred to the Sanctuary. With us, they will sometimes remain reactive and bite-y, and they will sometimes calm down and become friendly and approachable.  Transfers in the last year include cats like Peaches and Sam, who have spent their summer wearing collars as a warning to visitors that they are better not touched, and who have learned that they don’t need to be constantly on their guard. Collars have been removed now that visiting hours have ended, and both cats are more relaxed.

Peaches & Sam (KN)

Garrus spent his first couple of weeks with us in the Tea-Room cage, and earned his warning-collar; he’s a handsome boy and it’s tempting to offer caresses, but approaches were not appreciated.  When he was released, he moved into the back pens, and can usually be found in the back area of Pen 5, where he encounters fewer cats and fewer humans.  He doesn’t exhibit feral behaviour, but he doesn’t appreciate much attention, and though he will occasionally do a little finger-sniffing and allow neck- and ear-rubs, his patience is limited, and he signals the end of a session with a smart swat.

Not too close, please!  (KN)

Sadly, he’s also something of a loner, and doesn’t appreciate the close presence of other cats; he’s not actively aggressive with them (as Gizmo is), but his body language is pretty clear when he tells them to leave him alone.

Garrus - playful (LBF)

But it's still early days – he’s only been with us a few months, and perhaps as the days grow colder he will learn that warmth and company in the cabins is not altogether a bad thing.  Take your time, Garrus – even though you don’t much love anyone yet, you’ll find that there’s a lot of love to be found at the Sanctuary!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson

Peaches

Peaches says "MY space!"  (KN)

A couple of weeks ago I featured this girl as the lead photo for a blog I called “Love Attack”. She was more the Attack than the Love, sadly – she’s one of our collared cats, so marked to make it clear to visitors that this is a reactive feline – pet at your own peril!

This is definitely a trap!  (KN)

Peaches was surrendered to us because of her aggression, and she made it pretty obvious in the Adoption Centre that she was NOT a happy camper.  Usually when a new cat comes to us, if it has its name already, that doesn’t change. In this case, she was introduced as Precious, but the med staff asked for that to be changed to Peaches. It actually suits the warm tints in her colouring. We think she’s 7-8 years old.

Peaches  (KN)

She spent the first few weeks of her Sanctuary stay with the obligatory cage-time that allows a newcomer to adjust to a new space.  In her cage in the Double-Wide, Peaches didn’t have much trouble adjusting to new surroundings, but she didn’t want anyone in her space – staff and volunteers had to step carefully when cleaning there, and you took your life in your hands to change the bedding!  Sitting quietly and talking was permissible, but anything more tended to be greeted with an unfriendly rumble.

Laundry is usually a comfy place to hide  (KN)

Because we have visitors at the weekend – as well as occasional new volunteers – Peaches joined the collared cats when she emerged from the cage. She’s managing quite well in new and much bigger surroundings; she didn’t spend long inside and has now investigated all the corners of the back courtyard.  

Watching the treats action from a safe place  (BC)

Occasionally she will approach and ask for attention; as with JJ and Sophie and a few others, the best technique is to hold still and let her do the petting. Arms and legs are good for bunting and rubbing against; hands tend to produce a more aggressive reaction. We don’t know if she was abused in any way, but she certainly doesn’t expect good things from hands.

Sometimes it's worth suffering for beauty!   (LBF)

Other cats factor into her don’t-touch-me bubble – and yet, I wouldn’t label her as a Garbo cat (“I vant to be alone...”). She watches the activity around her with interest; she’s just not ready to be part of the crowd.  

That’s OK, Peaches – you’ve got all the time you need to decide how you fit it, and whether there are humans here that you can trust.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson

Love Attack

The warning collar says that new girl Peaches
needs to be approached with caution  (KN)

What are the primary words that come up when you think of cats?  My bet is that they would include “cuddly”, “soft”, “purring”, “stroke” and many more like that.  They’re certainly in the minds of our Sunday visitors, who are sometimes disappointed to be told that they can’t pet all the cats! Since the return of our weekend visiting hours, we’ve needed to be able to have guests identify some of the cats that are particularly reactive, offering slaps and swats instead of (sometimes as well as) purrs - and most of those cats are now sporting collars as a visual warning.

JJ wears a warning collar
- but Kasha needs no warning!  (LBF)

But sometimes it’s not so much about the petting itself, as about the relationship of pet-ee and petter! JJ stands out with her handsome blue collar, and all the volunteers know that we need to move carefully around her.  But when Kasha is anywhere close, JJ is a different and totally cuddly cat; her only frustration is that she wants Kasha to sit and pet her all the time!  She has now begun to snuggle with other volunteers if Kasha’s not available, and most of us have learned to let JJ pet the human, and not vice versa!

Cole "come pet me" look - MW

Cole was an angry, reactive boy when he first came to us; our black panther has changed a lot since then. Mostly he hangs out in the DoubleWide laundry room, but occasionally he is very emotionally needy, and begs for attention. He can often be found at the gate – not to go gate-busting, as he used to, but to welcome whoever comes through, and demand a cuddle. Like a small child, saying “Up! Up!”, he stretches up, wanting to be lifted; he’s one of those cats who likes being held upright, and butts his head under your chin. Sadly, he’s a big boy, and there’s only so much cuddling you can do; he wants to be walked around, and when you sit, he’s off to find someone else to pay attention to him.

Tugboat loves his cuddles with Debbie  (DW)

More vocal in his demands, Tugboat is another who is insistent on having a cuddle when he needs it. Our old boy is getting arthritic and unsteady; he shuttles between the Double-Wide couch, (where he snuggles with Plum), and his favourite basket in the Tea-Room.  When he wants attention, his creaky voice can’t be ignored, and he’s feather-light in your arms. There are lots of people who will give Tuggy any amount of cuddle time.

Wylee having a very important
discussion with Louise (BC)

Sweet Wylee is not often seen during visiting hours – he hides in the Newcomers area, which is a cats-only zone, and if he is seen, he is often confused with Gizmo. But in the evening, when the med-staff are doing their rounds, he will sometimes emerge; if there’s a tea-break he will check who’s attending, and if it’s Louise, he will leap on her lap, scoot up to her shoulder, and bury his head in her neck, begging for petting. Molly will do, at a pinch; I’ve occasionally been favoured; but Louise is definitely his Perfect Person, and Cuddler #1.

Roe is blissed-out
when she's in Justin's lap  (JS)

Roe is usually one of the cats who waits at the front courtyard main gate; she likes visitors and the attention and petting she can get while she’s around them. But certain people are her priority. If Justin arrives, she is anxious for all his focus; she is quick to monopolize his lap and to squirm around being cute, and receiving the caresses she wants. If she knows he’s around but not with her, she sulks, waiting for him to come back to her.

Sometimes shy, sometimes cuddly  (KN)

Last week I was doing a back-pen shift and got ambushed by Odin outside Pen 1. He was very insistent that I sit with him and give cuddles – something he doesn’t always do. Odin tends to be a loner; he doesn’t hate other cats, but he’s not part of a social crowd. He’s also wary with humans, but Alice has spent a lot of time with him, and his comfort with her has transferred to other people. He suffers, to a certain extent, from black-cat-itis – when people can’t immediately ID a black cat, it’s easy to overlook them altogether.  Odin is worth hunting for!

Marty & Merrin love snuggles  (JS)

When Justin can’t be found petting Roe in the front courtyard, he can often be found smothered by cats in the Single-Wide. Most of the love-attack cats in the Sanctuary want to be the ONLY cat – and when another cat appears on the scene, they move. The Cuddle Crew in the Single-Wide love being together;  piling on to a chair together is bested only by piling on top of a human on their chair. If they’re athletic, they jump up; if they’re not, there are steps, and ways of edging into the pile. If they are late-comers (yes, I mean you, Bossanova!) they approach from above and sneak down over the shoulder. They actually prefer being crowded on the chair to using the couch on the deck – but there they also have to give space to NikkiSixToes, Shaggy and sometimes big black Kiefer.

Cuddles is zoned-out...   (KN)

It's perhaps unfortunate that the cat called Cuddles is another of the collared ones, who is approachable only when blissed-out on catnip!

Wherever you go in the Sanctuary, there are always ferals who will hold back, reactive cats who will go “purr-purr-purr-SLAP!” and the beloved ones who come to us looking for love.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson, 

Justin Saint, Debbie Wolanski, Michele Wright