Beetle and Cricket

As our name implies, Richmond Animal Protection Society is focused on the needs of the animals in our own municipality, and grew out of the need to get control over the feral cat population that existed here some twenty years ago. Currently, we’re feeling good about the feral situation; many of the cats that are trapped here are escaped or dumped pets rather than “career ferals” and our expert trappers are quick to act when a stray cat is reported.  Occasionally, we will cooperate with other shelters in giving homes to cats that cannot be homed elsewhere – the FeLV cats come particularly to mind, because not every shelter can deal with the level of care needed for leukemia cats.  But occasionally cats arrive on our doorstep by different routes.

Baby Beetle

Baby Cricket

In the late summer of last year, one of our staff took a holiday in the Interior, and just before returning, was landed with two young feral kittens. Once a rescuer, always a rescuer – Beetle and Cricket got packed into the car with the rest of the bags, and brought to the Sanctuary.  Normally kittens go to a foster home where they can be handled and habituated to human touch. But these two were about three months old – just feral enough for the fear of humans to be well implanted, and unlikely to tame enough to be ready for adoption.  They took up residence in the wing of the Moore House (usually known as GeriCatrics) that gives it the alternate name of The Kitten Trailer.

For a while they have resisted human contact. But steady work by the Kitty Comforters and the cat-whisperers on staff have produced a more relaxed attitude, in tabby Cricket at least.  Beetle is still somewhat spooked by any movement, and his wariness is reinforced by another black kitten, Frisky, who looks almost identical, but is even warier.

As with Pebble and Sandy, these guys are approaching the stage when they will be released into the general population – and the question will be whether it will be a general release or whether they will join the older pair in one of the feral pens at the back.  Pebble and Sandy resisted all attempts to make contact, but in the last six months or so, volunteers have been reporting regular friendly contact with Pebble, who comes forward to investigate the human intruder, and is willing to accept petting and head-rubs.

A teenage Cricket with distinct cattitude - BC

Beetle is still wary - BC

So visits by staff and volunteers to these youngsters are encouraged, in the hope that we can overcome the fear instinct and get them to accept regular handling.  We’re careful about washing before visiting, so as not to transfer germs from other areas, and currently, we’re saying no Sunday visitors, for their protection. Both are easily coaxed with Temptations, though Beetle at least prefers not to have the hand giving them out too close.  But at some stage they will have to face the bigger Sanctuary world, and we hope they can do it more easily, knowing that humans are their friends.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Michele Wright

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.

 

 

 

Sandy and Pebble

Sandy and Pebble arrived at the sanctuary in March as feral kittens. RAPS worked to tame them, and now they will allow pats from visitors to their cage.

The pair still hasn't quite got the hang of this whole comfortable-with-humans thing, and turns to hissing and hiding when the cage door is opened.

Pebble

Sandy

But there's a note on the door saying not to be fooled by the hissing. And indeed it turns out that these kitties don't mean it (much). Sandy stops hissing when touched and will tolerate pats, and Pebble's hisses immediately turn to purrs and show off dances.

Sandy

Pebble

Note - the two were never really comfortable with human contact, and were released into pen 4 with the other ferals. Let's see how they make out!