Cats Needing Comfort

Celine  (KN)

Any cat-lover will tell you that despite the popular image of cats as being aloof and independent, they also love, as we do, and grieve when they lose someone – cat or human – close to them. The Connor building has seen loss recently. I blogged about our beloved Hope, who was such a presence in that room, and then just last week we lost Hope’s little black friend Layla, who has been with us around eight years.  We are concerned about big torbie Celine, who was bonded with Hope, and the Kitty Comforters are now rallying around to comfort another little grieving cat. 

Spooky (BC)

We have so many black cats, and it’s easy to get them confused – especially in the Connor, where you can also encounter Nyla, Chicharron, Luka, Alvin, Bellatrix and many others.  Anne, who coordinates the Kitty Comforters, has asked us to look out particularly for Spooky (and for her lookalike, Emily).

Spooky with her buddy Layla, now gone  (BC)

Spooky came to us with Layla, so they have been companions for a long time. They were part of a group that came from a hoarding situation in the Kootenays which was more than the local rescue was able to manage. They were not in good condition – in fact, some of the larger group died – and the med staff had to get used to climbing up to the Connor cage-tops, where the three of them hid themselves, in order to medicate them.  Spooky is a special favourite of volunteer Laura, who says that she doesn’t put herself forward for attention unless chicken is on offer. She’s also one of our snuffly cats with permanent congestion, and has occasionally been caged for treatment.  Layla would make sure Spooky had company while caged, even trying to get into the cage with her when Laura was visiting.  

Spooky has beautiful eyes   (KN)

She may be shy, but once Spooky realises that you’re offering gentle petting, she drools with happiness. Now that the weather’s warmer, she can often be found on the porch of the Connor, and is less concerned about staying out of reach, though she’s an active climber on the ladder, the cat-tree, up the sides of the cages – she’s happier communicating with us at our head-height.  

Emily is reactive  (BC)

The other little black cat – who was less close to Layla I think – is Emily. She’s easily mistaken for Spooky until you pet once too often and then she swats; I don’t think it’s nastiness so much as getting easily overstimulated. The danger is that black cats like that may get avoided, and then they’re lonely. Emily likes attention, but you just have to read her body language very carefully, and leave her wanting more rather than saying “that’s too much!”  She used to have a stocky little body with a little round head on it – she’s lost some weight recently, and now looks more in proportion (and more like Spooky!).  Look at the eyes to differentiate them – Emily’s eyes are quite round, and yellow, they pop against her dark fur. Spooky’s eyes are gentler and an almost translucent green.

Sad Celine  (BC)

And sweet Celine – for so long a cage-top cat, holding aloof from us, until Hope offered her company and the two began to share the table-top bed.  Now she seems a bit lost – not close to any of the other cats. She sits on the cat-tree for a bit, and then wanders outside; she doesn’t interact with the other cats except for hissing when Cricket gets too bouncy.  She accepts gentle petting, but doesn’t lean into it.  Treats are ignored. When dinner is offered she has a few mouthfuls and then moves to the top of the cages.  Grieving takes whatever time it takes – all we can do is to keep an eye on how she’s doing, and let her know with touch that the humans around her are there for her. 

Ringo is learning to trust other cats again   (KN)

I am heartened by watching shy Ringo in the back pens; we lost his good buddy Zivko more than a year ago, and Ringo retreated to his hidey-place, unwilling to venture out without Zivko to be his protector. But time heals, and Ringo is starting to hang around with the current Boys’ Club – Thorn and Percival and Chaga are making him feel more confident, and he head-butts with Midnight, who is also shy.  Time – and having good friends around – it works for cats as it does for humans.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult & Karen Nicholson

Steady Sweetness

Huey  (MW)

Huey was one of the cats I met in my early days at the Sanctuary. He had come in with his “sister” Hannah from a situation in which their owner had moved and was no longer able to keep them with her. Both cats (and several others we’d had from her) were originally ferals, tamed by her determination and love. 

Donni and her fan-club; Huey gets groomed  (BC)

Following their arrival at the Sanctuary, she visited them weekly, bringing treats and grooming tools, and giving her love to a big fan-club of felines. Huey and Hannah were always front and centre in the crowd.   Donni died in 2013, and over the following few years, the population of “her” cats gradually aged out. Hannah, who loved people (and particularly loved leaping on them) was adopted out; quiet Huey remained with us.

Venturing on the occasional outing  (KN)

He has a stumpy little rump-tail – whether a manx-style mutation or the result of an accident, I don’t know. He tends to be very much a Double-Wide cat, with occasional ventures into the courtyard. Huey loves attention, with no strings attached – he’s not particularly interested in treats, he just wants to know that you’re paying attention to him. 

Stop scooping and talk to me   (KN)

He is quite often found on the Double-Wide couch; he likes to be petted, but he’s not a lap-cat, preferring to remain within touching reach. Especially favoured people get leaned on – and drooled on, as well. 

Couch cuddles   (DJ)

Huey is recognized as a supervisor around the cleaning crew; he will follow the person scooping litter-boxes from cage to cage, making sure that the job is done properly. He appears to like people more than other cats; you’ll occasionally see a little interchange with another loner, but mostly he’s the Cat Who Walks By Himself.

Sharing a little loner advice with Ringo   (LBF)

If you’re used to being in another area of the Sanctuary, please make time to spend with this sweet boy. His beautiful eyes will thank you for the effort.

(KN)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, 

Daphne Jorgenson, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

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

Second Chance at Love

Cats that prefer to be alone are a cliche for good reason, but at the Sanctuary we have many cats who truly enjoy each other’s company.

Plum (R)  just looooves her Tugboat!  - KN

A quick visit to the back pens reminds us that cats are well used to living together. The closed pens hold cats who are used to sharing space, but the open pens also hold colonies of cats who prefer to snuggle with each other, and who can always be found in the same cabins.

Spicer and Shaggy - VL

Cats will often have real attachments to each other – all have been spayed/neutered, but love is about much more than sex.  Often cats have come in to us as a pair, and the bond is apparent. And when one of the couple passes, there can be very real grieving.  Shaggy and Spicer came into the Moore House together, and settled very happily; an older couple, they comforted each other through the transition of moving to the Sanctuary. They were rarely apart; where you sat with Spicer, Shaggy would also come, and the deck was their favourite area.  

Shaggy with Chanel - MW

But Spicer was not well, and when she eventually passed, Shaggy was bereft. Volunteers and staff would make a point of visiting with him and giving him what comfort we could.  But comfort was also gradually offered by Chanel. She had come to us as a very scared girl, and preferred to spend her time on top of cages, though she allowed occasional petting. Increasingly, we found her in Shaggy’s company, and the two are now a settled pair. 

Samantha in her cover-girl days - MW

Samantha was, in her younger days, one of the most beautiful of the cats – you couldn’t get a bad picture of her. She’s still pretty, but a more senior lady now, sometimes a little more bedraggled – and she doesn’t always appreciate grooming.

Basket means coziness! - LP

Her guy was VanDyke, a very shy black boy with a double haematoma – both ears crinkled by burst blood vessels. He was one of our many cats with kidney disease, and it wasn’t always easy for the med staff to give him the Sub-Q fluids that made him feel better because he was so wary of us.The only times he seemed really relaxed were when he was with Samantha.

Eclipse with Samantha - how close can I get?  - KN

When VanDyke passed, Samantha retired to Waldi’s Hut, where she had the comfort of Chimo and his buddy PawPaw. She’s still there, even though PawPaw’s gone;  Chimo remains her best gay friend – but the cat she has come to love is another shy black boy, called Eclipse. Eclipse came from the same place as Jay-Z and may be his brother or his father; the two don’t interact, and Eclipse prefers his own company or Samantha’s.

Dusty with her beloved Salty  - DW

Long-term Sanctuary volunteers still talk about our Romeo cats in the back area – Mario, and Salty, both of which had a harem of both boyfriends and girlfriends.  After Salty passed, his best girl, Dusty, was bereft – like Mario’s Nelly, she seemed to be looking for him.

Ridley with Dusty - BC

Inasmuch as one cat can take on Salty’s mantle, it seems that it’s fallen to Ridley, who was also part of the Salty cuddle-puddle. Ridley is something of a magnet for our shyer boys like Ringo (who is now venturing outside more regularly). But he’s also become Dusty’s guy, and the two can often be found cuddled up together, or flirting at the Double-Wide entrance.

Lounging together - BC

At the Sanctuary they all have choice, just like humans – to be introverted and alone, to indulge a full social like without specific emotional links, or to find a soul-mate to love and be loved by. And when/if, sadly, their partner passes, if they’re open to it and lucky, someone else will fill the space in their heart.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Vicki Lo, Karen Nicholson, Lisa Parker, 

Debbie Wolanski, Michele Wright

Ears!

A few months ago I blogged about the variety we find in cats’ eyes, and I’ve been looking round the Sanctuary at the similar variety found in feline ears.

The primary differential is whether the basic shape is rounded or more pointed. There are a lot of rounded ears to be seen, and the proportion of ear to skull shape can make that more or less obvious.

Careen - MW

Other ears are more pointed, and in many cases, the point is emphasized by a little tuft of hair at the apex – a lynx-tip.  Sometimes the tuft is the same colour as the cat, which enhances the point;

Chatter & Colin (MW)

in others, the lynx-tip provides colour-contrast.

Emery (MW) & Faline (BC)

Ears are a part of body-language; we all recognize the flattened airplane-ears of a fearful or angry cat

Ringo  (BC) and Janine (MW) in hiding

Presley  (AL)

though in some cases flattened ears are just the way that cat is made

Emo Pickles relaxed & happy (PH)

When doing TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release) it is common to notch or snip the ear of a neutered cat so that it is clear that it doesn’t need to be trapped again when the colony is checked.  Most of our cats have unmarked ears because they come to us from having been spayed/neutered.  Little Marilee is one of the exceptions; when she was first TNR’d she was returned to her colony with the common clipped ear; it was only when her tail became injured and had to be amputated that it was decided that she needed to remain with us rather than return to her colony.

Marilee (MW)

Haematoma ear is seen in a number of cats. An infection or a bruise can cause painful swelling between the skin and cartilage of the ear. Untreated, it fills with blood and then easily bursts, causing the ear to crumple. If it can be caught early enough, it is possible to minimize the damage.

Little Orange (MW)

Little Orange’s ear swelling was discovered early enough that just the top of the ear flap was affected. He was not the most cooperative of patients!

Bossanova (MW)

Bossanova came to us as a feral with his ear already well crumpled. Left to itself the haematoma will heal, but unevenly, leaving the feline equivalent of a “cauliflower ear”

Cara (CF)

Long-time volunteers will remember double-haematoma cat Cara, who had both ears affected – it never seemed to bother her!

Especially among the formerly unneutered male cats (many of them inhabitants of the New Aids pen) we see evidence of a life that involved fighting for their lives – and battered ears are definitely a common casualty.

Sweet battered Zimmer  (MW)

It is interesting that ear-hair, something that is SO aesthetically displeasing in humans, can be so pretty in cats.
Here are some of our feather-iest ears!

OJ  (MW)

Holland (MW)

Princess Diva (MW)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Claire Fossey, Phaedra Hardman, 
Ari Lioznyansky, Michele Wright