Lucius

Lucius is on the prowl  (KN)

The Pen 3 cats who came to us from Alberta more than three years ago have remained a cohesive family unit.  Many of them have become adventurers who roam the length of the Back Courtyard, but they prefer to be together, and they always return to mutual snuggles in their own cabin at night. 

Summer snooze with his shy buddy Reinhardt  (KN)

Since they arrived their personalities have become clearly defined. There are several quiet ones, like Reinhardt, who prefers not to encounter us too much, and there are the social butterflies like Cornelius. Up at the top end of that happily social spectrum is Lucius.

Handsome boy  (MW)

Lucius is a tubby-tabby – dark tabby with classic markings – who is more than happy to play rough (though not nastily) with other cats.  He’s a people-positive boy who has made himself a favourite with staff and volunteers, and is always ready to make nice for visitors – happy to jump up on a lap for a cuddle and actively seeking out petting for as long as the petter will indulge him. Despite his size, he’s not strongly treat-motivated – touch is the best treat for him.

Enjoying the winter with his buddy Cornelius  (LBF)

Many of the Pen 3 cats would probably be adoptable – but they are really dependent upon each other, and even Lucius, self-confident as he is, would do better in adoption with another of his family to bring comfort. Most of them are also used to being able to roam freely within the bounds of the Sanctuary, and might need access to an enclosed garden, or to a catio for "safe freedom".

The outdoor kennels are good summer resting places  (KN)

Lucius’s self-confidence took a hit recently. He is used to being the big guy, and the easy winner in a playful rough-and-tumble. Unfortunately, he encountered Root Beer.  Root Beer carries a very sensitive personal bubble around him and is not a fan of other cats. We moved him from the Front to the Back Courtyard so that he could have more space to roam, and he spent some time in a DoubleWide cage getting his meds adjusted so that he could feel calmer.  Lucius obviously said the wrong thing, and Root Beer decided that only one of them could be Boss Cat.  Luckily there were people around, water was deployed and Lucius finally escaped, a warier but wiser cat.  He’s sticking closer to home in Pen 3, these days, and has learned a lesson about not messing with the older guys.

Posing   (BC)

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Mindfulness in Motion

This week's blog comes to you from volunteer Laura Funay, who is one of our devoted Kitty Comforters.

Bugle says "GO AWAY!- unless you have something tasty!"  (KN)

Every so often, an acquaintance will ask me: "ooh, what did you do to your hands?" If bandaged, they may expect to hear about a cooking incident, or a hike in deep bush country.

The answer is always: "I volunteer with cats."

And this is what Bugle looks like when we treat her right...   (KN)

No, I'm not a masochist. There's also a second part to my answer, and it's always "I just wasn't paying proper attention."

Approaching RootBeer with caution (LF)

People without cat experience often say that they don't know how I can keep doing this. It is, 95 % of the time, entirely preventable, so it's down to me to keep scratches from happening. I consider it part of life-long learning. Any red marks I do receive are notes from my furry teachers, reading "much room for improvement." It brings to mind the expression "That which hurts, also instructs".

Beautiful Malibu  (KN)

Having ADHD means that the moment I step through the sanctuary gates I'm monitoring where I put my feet, the level of my voice, and where I rest my gaze. My inner Agnes from Despicable Me is squealing "they're so fluffy I'm gonna die!" She's hard to keep down. A new gorgeous floof like Malibu can make me gasp in surprise and awe. Unfortunately, it sent him running, and put us on the slow road to friendship. I'm still working on turning that gasp into a long breath and slow blinks.

Sweet Pea (MW) is a beloved old friend

Moment to moment, as I walk slowly through the front courtyard, I greet old friends like Sweet Pea by name and give scritches and knuckle rubs. In cat etiquette, looking away during a greeting is rude, so I focus my eyes on each friend in turn; my usual impulse is to look EVERYWHERE.

Cher (AG) loves attention on her own terms
but can become over-stimulated

The moving meditation continues. The kitties in need of attention are waiting in their cages or in their hidey holes, so I must be brief with the friendlies, and leave with a "love you, see you later." Time-blindness must be kept in check. It's incredibly hard to do, but I'm prepared with my list of KC kitties, and that helps. Somewhat...

Benji (MW) wears a collar to remind us he's reactive

Caged cats, whether new or receiving treatments, have sheets explaining their personalities, plus advice on how to approach them. I read them very thoroughly now, having learned a valuable lesson from Benji a while back. In my excitement to meet this friendly fellow, already purring through the cage, I skipped the line about overstimulation leading him to bite, which he did. Later, when a much-younger nurse practitioner questioned my life choices while prescribing antibiotics, well, that also helped with my reading comprehension a great deal.

Little Cat's expression tells me to approach carefully  (KN)

Awareness of the environment and remaining in the present, as in seated meditation, are absolutely necessary for me. A wandering mind while petting can lead to hurt feelings and an indignant swat, Eyes on kitty, hands on kitty, mind on kitty. Do your shopping list on your own time, human! New cats, known divas like Little Cat, Jobie and Jade, even longtime friends have their peculiarities when injured or startled. Focus and attention are impaired in an ADHD brain; kitty comforting exercises these skills, with immediate rewards. 

Sweet shy Sprint came to trust me   (LF)

For me, getting slow blinks, rumbling purrs, or piles of floof from five minutes of brushing reinforces my "training". Old friends like Zimmer, Snotty Bobby, and Sprint, eventually recognized my voice and approached me for cuddles and treats. It's a big win for the KC team and staff, having a former cage-topper come down to the floor to mix and mingle and get their share of treats. 

Sam is approachable if there are no other cats around  (KN)

I'm currently working on handsome new tabby Root Beer who likes to hang around Hill House and needs a lot of brushing, but group living seems to stress him out, so it's slow going. Orange Sam now waits for visitors in the Single Wide foyer and is an absolute darling when no other cats are around. It will take time for them to tolerate other cats, so for now I must be patient and alert. I must be improving: I haven't come home with any red notes for the past month.

Blog by Laura Funay

Photos by Laura Funay, Akira Graham, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright