Royal Progress

Princess (KN)

Princess came to us late in 2021 all the way from Iran, and for much of that time she has been clearly characterized as a cat you might admire, but one you shouldn’t try and touch. I first blogged about her in 2023, by which time she had a pretty solid grasp of Sanctuary life. She based herself in Waldi’s hut, which she shared with a number of other cats without actually socializing much with them. She had regular visits from her sponsor, and interacted with him quite happily; he would talk with her in Farsi, and she would flirt in response. Occasionally a visitor might admit to speaking Farsi and would be taken past the rope barrier to chat with her, or even to sing to her.

Hanging out near the SW  (KN)

Her relationships with other cats have markedly improved. She prefers to maintain her distance with most of them, and is quick to use bad language to smack someone down.  But we have caught her actually playing with some of the ones she knows; orange Sprocket holds his own with her, and they will chase and tumble happily.

Sharing a shelf with Sprocket (KN)

Often when I work in the back pens, Princess will follow me (or precede me) from pen to pen. It doesn’t have anything to do with the lure of food  (I rarely bring the bag of treats out until most of my work is done) but she is curious about where I am going. She lurks on the roof of the outdoor litterboxes in Pen 3 while I scoop, and frequently has arguments with black Odin, who is equally curious.

On inspection patrol  (LBF)

Since we opened up the renovated DoubleWide (Hauser House), her explorations have taken her there as well. She’s not enthusiastic about using the cat-door, but when the weather’s fine, we will prop the outer door open, and she runs in and out. She’s not settling in – Waldi’s Hut is still “home” – but she’s poking her nose into new spaces.

Investigating cage-tops in Hauser House (KN)

A lot of her changed attitude to people is due to the work of Brad and Marty.  Brad knows a little Farsi, and has always made a thing of visiting Princess and talking to her. Marty’s a true cat-whisperer, and has had immense patience in coaxing her to accept food from his hand, and eventually, gentle touch. Her behaviour is markedly different now. The first time she asked me for pets, her goal was quite clear. She offered the slightly sideways head-bump Louie used to give, and pushed her head under my hand, asking for the stroking to continue.  There are conditions: she has to be on a shelf or something raised, and there needs to be NO other cats in her line of sight,.

On a shelf, and ready for pets  (MW)

Currently we’re encouraging volunteers, who may have held back because of her spicy reputation, to coax her to a place where she feels comfortable with touch – and not just the “safe” version around head and ears, but now the full-body stroking she is beginning to request. I don’t know if she’ll ever be a lap-cat, and like many others, she vanishes into hiding when visiting days get too busy.  But with visitors gone, dinner served, and the peacefulness of a Sanctuary evening evident in the Back Courtyard – along comes Princess, ready to put aside her feral upbringing and allow humans to adore her.

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Back Courtyard Shadows

Shy Minnie in Pen 8

Throughout the Sanctuary, there are feral cats lurking out of sight or on the edge of our vision. Some of them have come from our own kitten-rescue efforts; others have come to us from other rescues across the province. Many of those rescues are doing amazing work with little in the way of resources, and they rely on fostering for ongoing care for their cats. And as we all know, some cats will tame down fairly easily, and others resist it all the way!  For a fosterer, the hope is always that you can get a cat to the point of allowing contact and building a relationship – and when that doesn’t happen, it’s very hard to know what to do with a stressed and angry animal in the long term. 

Escaper Volcano is getting used to us 

At the Sanctuary, we can release these cats into the general population and play the “wait and see” game. Some of them may go their entire lives avoiding us, others tolerate our presence as long as we don’t invade their space too much, and with luck, a few will learn that with humans come good treats and gentle hands.  Most of the shyest cats can be found out-and-about in the early morning, and in the evening; cats are by nature crepuscular, meaning that they are most active in the twilight. And it’s usually staff member Karen whose patience and camera-eye can capture views of the ones that many of us see only rarely. All the photos in today's blog are hers.

Sherlock is very wary

Sherlock and his brother Mycroft came to us together; they were spotted on the trail-cams around the perimeter, trapped and brought in. Sometimes these “detective cats” may have been dumped, but these two were definitely feral, and had probably been making a living off the rodents in the surrounding farmland. After their obligatory cage-time for neutering, vaccines and so on, their cages were opened. Sherlock made for the courtyard; Mycroft chose to remain indoors. He adapted really well, and in fact has been adopted (he’s just “Mike” now!) and has his own home. His rough-coated brother Sherlock has also adapted well – just, not to people. He migrates happily from the south wing to the eastern one, and no longer freezes in fear, but he doesn’t trust us, or allow an approach. That’s OK – it’ll happen when he’s ready...

The Winter King - majestic, but cautious

I introduced beautiful Plateau back in September, and he remains wary and dislikes too much attention. He usually hangs out around Waldi’s Hut.  He has been joined by The Winter King, who prefers the comfort of being IN the hut – though he is quick to exit or to hide when any human enters. He came to us from the Shuswap lakes are this past fall, and we had hoped he would tame up, but in the Adoption Centre he huddled in his cage, and only reluctantly tolerated touch, though without aggression; the staff decided to bring him over to the Sanctuary and see if he might blossom (like Bello did). He has obviously decided that he will remain on the wild side.  Thankfully, unlike his namesake, he is no fighter, but manages to co-exist quite happily with his roomies.

Devon and Cordelia, in Pen 8, prefer to be up and out of reach

Next to Waldi’s Hut is Pen 8, given over to a group of refugees from a hoarding situation in Victoria. These cats have been very wary with us, mostly going into hiding when anyone comes in to clean or feed. The Kitty Comforters (particularly Patti) have been working on building trust with them – sitting quietly with music, offering tasty treats and gentle play. Some of them are getting much braver and coming to the gate, especially in the evening; others prefer to remain out of reach, though they are obviously not as scared as they were. Churu to the rescue!

Pretty Pinnacle prefers to stay in hiding

When Lisa and Ken rescued the Commuter Colony last year, there were two naming conventions applied – one group was the Hotel Cats (including Westin and Wyndham) and the other was the Topological Cats (including Plateau, above). The latter group also included Summit, Meadow, Pinnacle and Volcano. Pretty tabby Pinnacle has removed herself as far as possible, but can occasionally be seen at a distance, or lurking in the shrubbery.  Volcano showed himself to be an escape artist, and since recapturing a black cat is not the easiest thing, he has been confined to the escape-proof Pen 7, where he is beginning to get used to the presence of humans; as well as regular visits for cleaning and feeding, Pen 7 is regularly entered by the med-staff handing out necessary meds to other cats.

Tubbitha - no, you may not pet me!

The colony that came to us from Cranbrook, known as the College Cats, has established themselves firmly in Pen 3. Most of them prefer not to use the cabin, which is largely occupied by the group that came from a Calgary hoarding situation back in 2021; the College cats prefer to use the outdoor shelters, and largely operate like a shoal of fish – where one goes, the others tend to follow.  All except for Tabitha, who has separated herself from her family. Renamed Tubbitha, this solid tabby girl has established herself just outside the cat-door leading onto the DoubleWide deck. I assume she goes in when it’s cold, but mostly, she remains at the base of the cat-tree. Visitors proceeding into New Aids have to be warned not to touch her; unlike Hickory, who is also dark tabby and enjoys attention, she is quick to warn people off. The collared cats are marked as cats who will approach and then change their minds, reactively; Tubbitha is not collared because she doesn’t want to be approached at all.

Handsome Chef has the BEST whiskers!

Beautiful tuxedo Chef is right on the edge of contact. He arrived with us in a Tupperware container from another rescue this past June, He came with the name Chicago, but we already had a Chicago among the Pen 6 Newton cats, so his name was changed. He’s still quite young – probably less than 2 years old – and the inner kitten is still there in his reaction to wand toys. He doesn’t want direct contact yet, but he likes treats, loves to move, and is sometimes to be spotted playing with a found object, whether manufactured or just a leaf. He’s quick to swipe with sharp claws when you get too close, but he obviously enjoys being around the courtyard even when people are there – he doesn’t go and hide out in the gardens.

Princess offers the royal sploot

Our little Iranian refugee, Princess, has always kept her distance; she likes to have visitors come and speak Farsi to her, she is a dedicated chickaholic, and she follows me around in the pens, but she did NOT want contact. Suddenly she is presenting herself for petting (though under specific conditions: she has to be on a table or a shelf and there must be no other cats around) - then she ducks her head under my hand and clearly tells me to go on and stroke her. I knew that she’d started accepting it from other volunteers, but it’s the most amazing feeling to have that gift of trust. She’s been with us more than four years – who knows when or if the others will allow that touch.  

But in their own time.... 

Blog by Brigid Coult

All photos by Karen Nicholson

Magic Moments

Shy Ivy   (KN)

Many of our Sanctuary cats have come into our care with a feral label, and that’s fine – we are one of the few places that feral cats can live their feral lives safely as long as they need. But it is always exciting when a cat takes the first steps in building a relationship with humans, and for the humans in question, there is no feeling quite like it.

Princess is smack-ready!  (LBF)

Princess has been with us for three years now, and has established her quirky personality firmly in the back courtyard. Her upbringing was as a feral cat in Iran, and she was sponsored here to RAPS when her caregiver’s health failed.  For a couple of years she didn’t like anyone – cats or humans – and would only react with interest if a visitor came and spoke to her in Farsi. She was active around the pens, and would follow working volunteers, though not allow contact. She still reacts to most cats with hisses, or a quick swipe, but she chooses to live in Waldie’s Hut with a bunch of other cats that she has learned to tolerate. Occasionally she can be found playing with orange Sprocket, who also lives there. She is tidbit-motivated, but wary when the other cats crowd around.  

Accepting pets from Marty (MC)

Volunteers Brad and Marty are both cat-whisperers, and make a point of visiting with her in the hut with tasty treats. Both have coaxed her into allowing petting – not just little touches, but firm, full-body strokes. I suspect that Princess will mostly remain a loner, but it’s so good to see that she is now accepting contact with us.

Guacamole getting used to this "lapcat" business  (BC)

Black Guacamole is a more recent arrival – a three-legged cat from Surrey, with an amputation that was probably the result of being caught in a leg-hold trap. Initially he was very wary and spooked around us; he preferred to hang out around the back of Waldie’s Hut and in Pen 8.  Gradually he has become more comfortable with his surroundings, and has joined the crowd looking for handouts. He is not particularly interested in the usual chicken tidbits, and I have to remember to bring dry crunchies if I want to coax him closer. It’s pretty clear that this boy is a stray who has known human touch, rather than a feral; it doesn’t take much to get his attention, and he will flop over on his back for petting – which has the effect of making him one of the dirtier cats in the courtyard!

The great inspection  (HR)

Sweet Ivy is another cat who I’ve been trying to coax into contact, with no luck as yet. She hangs around the back of the DoubleWide trailer, and on the deck, and is often found with her friend Tabitha, from the College Cats. Kitty Comforter Hélène has lots of quiet patience, and persuaded Ivy that she was safe to approach at the end of a play-session with a wand toy.

Don't you touch my blanket!  (JK)

Anyone who works in the DoubleWide laundry room knows that it is necessary to do a careful assessment of the shelves before folding and restocking clean laundry. Blonde Parker is very possessive about her sleeping places!  Parker is one of those cats that visitors reach to touch, but they often don’t notice the warning collar until too late. We warn folks that there are bandaids in all the bathrooms – but it’s not only the visitors that need bandages. When new staff member Chloe came to us, Parker slashed her hands when she moved too close; I am always extra wary when Parker comes to help me do the evening feeds.  So it was lovely to see Parker making up to Chloe this weekend – flirting and asking for attention. Chloe has gone slowly and steadily to win Parker over, and though others may have to leave her shelf alone, she is ready to move when Chloe asks!

Stetson investigating the great outdoors  (KN)

I introduced our handsome Stetson when he was still in his cage, and not wanting any company. Not long after, he was released, and quickly made his way to the back courtyard, to hide out from all those scary humans.  It wasn’t long before he decided that FOMO was definitely a thing, and everyone else was having way too much fun; more and more he became part of the crowd looking for attention and tidbits. Initially, he was ready to hard-smack the treat from the offering hand, but became better and better mannered about accepting it. 

Being a lapcat is not so bad!
(especially when you have a cold, and want a little TLC)   (AM)

Anne Marchetti discovered that as long as you stroked him without him being able to see the approaching hand, he would accept petting with great enthusiasm. And this week, Stetson graduated to being her lap-cat!

A common view of a very wary Sylar (KN)

My own little magic moment this week was with my long-term sponsor cat, Sylar. He has been with us for 14 years, and the only times I have been able to touch him have been when he’s been caged for medical care. His primary language is of hisses – fearful, not aggressive. He has learned that when I’m around there are tasty treats, and he knows my voice and comes running with his plaintive little meow. But it’s a good day when he accepts food from the hand; he’s wary of the other cats as well as of humans, and is easily spooked by them.  Currently he’s in for a health check, and I went to visit him with treats in hand. We went the usual round of hisses and bribery, and I looped his drape out of the way so we could see each other. He was looking very scruffy-old-cat, and I spent some time with grooming tools getting loose fur out of his winter coat. I don’t think he’s ever really allowed grooming, and he leaned into it and purred, and enjoyed his dinner as I worked. 

All that fluff off feels so much better!   (BC)

Sometimes the only time we can handle these old ferals is towards the ends of their lives, when they forget that we’re so scary, and discover that the humans are not so bad after all. We accept it as the gift it is, and try to put aside the possible future. Sylar may not remember, when released from his cage, that we had this moment, and we will probably go back to the just-out-of-reach relationship that was our pattern.  But I’ll remember what we had this week, and it’ll be a precious memory.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Martyn Corey, Brigid Coult,
Jennine Kariya, Anne Marchetti, Karen Nicholson, Hélène Rybol

Settling In

Shy Rosie  (KN)

Quite a number of cats have come to join us in the last six months or so. It feels as if we’ve lost a lot of our older cats in the last few years – we’re grieving the loss of sweet skinny Calvin just last week, and Quinn just before that; both casualties of kidney disease, which is one of the most common factors in feline health issues. We rejoiced when Sara Lee and Onyx achieved their 20th birthdays, but cats that live that long are like human centenarians – some people (and cats) have longevity genes, and others age much earlier, or are susceptible to health issues, especially when they have come to us from a feral background, possibly with poor nutrition in their past.

Burt Reynolds looks good in a tux  (BC)

But as much as we miss the golden oldies, our doors remain open to cats who need us – cats from other shelters, cats brought in by our own trapping team, cats with health issues...  This week’s blog is an overview of some of the cats as yet unprofiled, cats who are showing personality, but not yet ready to interact with us to the point where I have the material for a kitty-bio.

Monty is the senior newcomer  (BC)

The newest boy is probably also the oldest; Monty is in his holding cage in the SingleWide, and is around 17 years old. Sometimes people will surrender an older animal in order to get a younger one – this is not the case with Monty; he was much loved by his owner.  But a move necessitated by work would have been a big upheaval for the old cat, who is already fragile and dealing with kidney disease, and rehoming is not always easy. After a tour of the Sanctuary, the owner felt that Monty would probably do better in a quiet Sanctuary space, and arranged something with Sanctuary Manager Valerie that would reflect the care Monty will need, and the support of RAPS.  He’s a very sweet cat, and loves attention from the volunteers; it might be that someone would give him a home for his retirement years.

Darjeeling is not very sure about human contact   (BC)

Two cages away from Monty, there’s a 10-year-old grey girl who has been with us several months, but who has remained caged. Darjeeling is from Campbell River, a tufted-tail cat (the result of an injury, rather than natural) who is still not very happy with human visitors, and is most likely to react with a smack. She has remained caged because she came to us with what we believed were dietary allergies;  the vets have now decided to wean her off the novel-protein foods in the hope that she could come out of her cage and share with the other cats.  It may in fact be seasonal allergies rather than dietary ones, or stress issues, but without extensive and expensive testing, all we can do is to trial different things and see how she does.

Burt Reynolds, sharing all the love  (BC)

A walk over to the DoubleWide brought me to a reunion with now-uncaged Burt Reynolds. He came to us from Cats Cradle Rescue in Sidney, and was originally sent to us for his angry feral behaviour, but either tamed very quickly, or remembered a former life with humans.  He began his time with us going through a range of dental procedures, and has emerged in good spirits and settled well into life in the DoubleWide – it’s quite likely that his behaviour was a result of living in pain, and now pain-free, he has blossomed into Mr Personality. He is happy to remain an indoor cat, rather than venturing outside; he can now often be found on the cage-tops, but is ready to come down and interact with the people he knows. Possibly another boy who might find a home... 

Stetson is VERY suspicious   (BC)

Still caged is a cat who came from SARC (Surrey Animal Rescue Centre). like growly Root Beer. This boy has been much slower to respond to the Kitty Comforters overtures towards him. His name is Stetson, and he is making full use of the drape in his cage to stay out of sight.  When the drape is lifted, he huddles in the corner, with his big eyes full of anxiety;  I find that he responds well to NOT being looked at, but being offered little tidbits.  He disdained a taste of Churu, which is a favourite for so many cats, but he loved bits of cooked chicken, finally accepting them gently from my hand.  I suspect that “little and often” will be the trick with Stetson – and we may have to deprive him of his drape occasionally so that he learns that being visible doesn’t make him less safe. He reminds me of big Neko, with the leukemia cats, who took several years to accept and enjoy the attention of Sanctuary humans.  We’ve got time with this newcomer – he’s only a couple of years old.

Rosie shares her space with shy Daffodil  (BC)

Out in the Back Courtyard we have three “flower” girls who are beginning to settle into the larger community. Blonde Rosie has been here since the spring, but is pretty shy; she’s come to us from the Humane Society as the last of a Barnston Island colony; she’s around 8 years old. She hangs out around the Newcomers area and can often be found in company with Daffodil, who came to us from Kamloops a couple of years ago, but who has never joined the other Kamloops cats. Rosie seems to feel safer indoors, but can often be seen peeping through the stair railing into the courtyard when chicken tidbits are on offer. Both little girls are beginning to explore more.

Rosie's "roomie", Daffodil   (KN)

Their counter-cat is Primrose, whose pretty name belies her nature (for now, at least) – Primrose was dumped at our gate and spent a scary night in a carrier; her cage time to get used to us was also in the Newcomers area, but she was very picky about who she would allow to socialize with her; we had warning notices on her door for unsuspecting volunteers.  Once out of the cage, she made it quite clear that she disapproved both of humans and of other cats.  Like Shadow (girlfriend of Nikki SixToes in the SingleWide) Primrose is little and cute and dangerous. Staff member Karen somehow managed to get a warning-collar on her so we know not to confuse her with Nyx or Juno, and to watch out, but between Primrose, Gwen (who is increasingly venturing off the DW Deck and into the courtyard), and our Iranian Princess, there are some significant divas to keep on our radar!

Primrose is identified by her moods, and her collar!  (KN)

As the winter closes in and the weather gets colder, cats who are not already indoor residents begin to discover the advantages of Sanctuary life – warm rooms, fresh water that doesn’t freeze, and more indoor visitors bearing tasty treats. They may come in as scared cats, but they soon discover that there are big bonuses that come with life here.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson

Update: Feb 2025  -  Sadly, we lost sweet fragile Monty in mid-December.. Darjeeling has gone to fosterage, in order to be able to control her diet AND give her freedom from cage-life.  Stetson vanished into the back gardens when released, but is now much more relaxed, enjoying his explorations, and beginning to allow touch and treats,

In Tigger's House

Smithy and Sprocket are best buddies  (KN)

When the Sanctuary was constructed more than 20 years ago, much of it was thanks to the generosity of devoted donors who sponsored the cost of building cabins and pens. As you walk around, you will notice signs memorializing the beloved pets of those donors.

At the south end  (BC)

The back courtyard is structured in an L shape, with one wing reaching east and another to the south. At the south end of the latter wing is a cabin that is labelled as “Tigger’s House – in Memory of Waldie’s favourite cat.”

Waldie & Barb  (DW)

Tigger is long gone now;  Waldie is now in his 90s, and only comes occasionally to visit, but up to a couple of years ago, he held down a regular Saturday night shift at the Sanctuary, scooping the back pens, while his wife Barb fed the cats. The two of them have been devoted Sanctuary supporters since the beginning; Barb is still a regular volunteer. Their home is well known to their neighbourhood cats and they have been responsible for rescue and TNR around there for many years. When Waldie is visiting, he always seeks out Rookie, who they brought to the Sanctuary.

Rookie  (KN)

So “Tigger’s House” is actually known to most of us as “Waldie’s Hut”, and it’s the home base of a number of the shyer cats. Some of them have relocated from Pen 8 next door, when it had to be closed and refurbished for the colony of cats from the Kootenays. Pen 8 had been an open area – most of the cats living there were semi-feral – and the inhabitants were used to the courtyard space. Some, like hissy-Smithy, preferred to stay in the courtyard just outside, hiding out in the collection of boxes and shelves backing on to the SingleWide deck. Others preferred the shelter of a cabin. 

Smithy says "leave me alone!"  (KN)

Smithy’s friend Sprocket can often be found in Waldie’s Hut, high up on a shelf. When outside, he likes the company of his hissy pal, but at night, he prefers his comfort. His brother Rocket, in the New Aids building, has finally accepted attention from humans and enjoys being petted;  Smithy’s touch-me-not attitude has rubbed off on Sprocket. He doesn’t hiss, but he prefers no-contact.

Sprocket is comfortable with wandering - just not with touch  (KN)

Princess, who was featured in the blog a couple of weeks ago, can also be found here. She also prefers no touch, but hovers hopefully if chicken tidbits are offered. 

Princess wanders freely, but likes this hut  (KN)

The real chickaholic in this area is sweet Selena. She was a feral mom who came to us more than 10 years ago, and joined the other tabby/white cats in Pen 8. Now she is aging, and with senility has come the loss of feral-fear – she loves attention (especially when food is on offer), and shoulder-climbs when I am cleaning in the cabin. She also no longer restricts her area, and can often be found visiting around the Tea-Room. Like Sara Lee, she’s starting to look a little raggedy, and lap-climbing is a little painful with her old-lady claws.

Selena waiting hopefully  (BC)

If there’s anyone who has picked up the hiss-habit from Smithy, it’s Magpie. This handsome boy prefers the bed adjacent to the door, which means that he can’t pretend that he’s not there when you enter, and he hisses until eye-contact ceases. He’s not a cat I have even tried to touch, and he’s not really food-motivated – he’s just one of those cats who will probably remain feral.

Magpie is always suspicious  (KN)

There are a few other cats who rotate in and out of the hut, depending on mood and weather. It was a favourite place for Cinnamon Bun Lincoln until a few months ago; now he’s very frail and prefers the comfort of the heater in the Tea-Room. His girlfriend/worshipper Dusty prefers the hut; Dusty is another who hisses early and often, but her hiss is reactive, and she does allow human contact when given time. She is a cat who prefers cat-company; her two earlier boyfriends, Salty and Ridley, have both passed, and she follows Lincoln adoringly – though mostly, he ignores her.

Dusty is a loner when not following Lincoln  (BC)

And let’s not forget the outside of the cabin – there are several of the back courtyard cats who prefer to have their secret cat meetings well out of reach, and have found a way to climb to the roof of Waldie’s Hut. We have to be careful that the fencing above them prevents them from getting onto the roof of the SingleWide. And in the heat of summer days, it can be very hot up there, and occasionally someone needs to climb up and make sure that all is well with the cats.  

Sprocket keeps watch as Quinn chairs the day's cat-meeting  (DW)

Like most of our back-courtyard cabins, Waldie’s Hut is showing its age – these cabins were not designed as long-term structures, and a coat of paint is a temporary fix-it for some of its imperfections. But it’s full of memories – if you close your eyes, Samantha and Eclipse, Chimo and PawPaw, Lucky the Bengal, and many others are still there for the long-term staff and volunteers who loved them.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson & Debbie Wolanski

The Princess

(KN)

We have Royalty in our midst – you may admire, but should not touch!

(KN)

When RAPS first came into being, it was in the form of Richmond Homeless Cats, and in that format and subsequently as Richmond Animal Protection Society, our focus was all on the animals of our own municipality. A name-change to become the Regional Animal Protection Society signalled an awareness that we could be reaching much further afield, and links were made with individuals and organizations across the province. Cats came to our care from Vancouver Island, from Revelstoke, from Haida Gwaii, from the Kootenays. And from further afield – Pops and Sparrow from California, many cats from Alberta rescues, Jasmine and Picasso from Manitoba.  

Some have come because of links with a rescue; others because a single person rescued them but couldn’t give the cat the home that it needed. Some readers may remember Terry and Tinker, both disabled and largely incontinent. Tinker actually came from China, and has his happy-ever-after in the home and under the loving care of former manager Lisa.

(BC)

Princess’s rescuer was among our summer visitors, and was immediately enthralled by the Sanctuary. Though Canadian, he had family in Iran, among whom was an elderly relative who cared for some of the many feral cats in her neighbourhood. He was concerned for her health, and for what would happen to her favourites – especially one particular cat – when she was no longer able to tend them. There were extensive discussions with the staff, and he took the responsibility for trapping the cat and bringing it all the way from Iran to our care, where he sponsors her through our program.

It takes another tortie...  Lunette (L) in a rare sharing of space with Princess (R)
(KN)

Princess is the perfect name for her. She is a tortie full of tortitude, and she takes no sass from any other cat. Nor does she take it from humans – not that we would dare!  She’s a touch-me-not girl, ready to slap if she feels you’re in her bubble. But unlike a lot of ferals, who spend most of their time avoiding us, Princess hovers about two meters away – she’s interested in us, but she doesn’t actually want attention.  

(KN)

She lives in the south wing of the back courtyard, in the beds that back onto the Single-Wide, and in the building we call Waldi’s Hut. When I’m cleaning on a Friday morning, she will often follow me from one pen to another, not looking for interaction, but curious about what I’m doing. She will listen when I talk, but not approach; when she settles somewhere the other cats hang out, they know to give her a wide berth. 

(LBF)

Like many of the back courtyard cats, she knows I carry a bribery bag of chicken tidbits, and she quite likes the idea of chicken, but doesn’t appreciate all the chickaholics who crave it as well. She has only taken food from my hand when it was flat and still for at least five minutes, without anyone else horning on the goodies; any hint of movement on my part, and I get a good smack! The usual scroungers – Midnight, Sylar and Pumpkin – usually get in the way of handouts, and will also get smacked if they get too close.

(KN)

I’m told, though, that when her sponsor comes to visit, and talks to her in Farsi, she turns into a flirt with him – not a lap-cat yet, but demonstrating pretty clearly that he is her person, and we’re just not good enough!  Ah, well – we’ve lots of patience for a character like Princess!

Blog by Brigid Coult

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