Lost and Found

Miller (KN)

After the celebrations of Christmas, we start anticipating the prospect of a New Year – and inevitably that includes some retrospection as we remember what we’ve been through in the past twelve months, and, particularly at the Cat Sanctuary, who we’ve lost in that time.

HoneyBear  (KN)

In fact, 2022 has been a year in which fewer cats have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but there have been some notable personalities among them. The list has to be led by HoneyBear, our blue-eyed charmer, whose neurological quirks caused both his incontinence and his “Ministry of Funny Walks” gait. Once visitors encountered our boy, we could be sure they would always ask after him again.

Marty, our love-bug  (LBF)

Lovers of the Single-Wide cats were particularly hard-hit in the summer, when we lost seven cats in less than three months. First was Bluebell, the Dowager who was transferred when the Moore House was closed; a week later we lost Siamese Presley. Little Marty put up a brave fight with a tumour, and was a central figure for some loving from both cats and humans; less than a month later we lost Mr Pink, another especially loving boy.  All too often cats hide their illness until it’s too late for any treatment.

Mr Pink (JS)

Cats with feline leukemia are almost always more prone to having something that seems small become fatal; their systems don’t have the resiliency needed to combat an infection. Since August we have said farewell to Nandor, Catalano, Banff, Brian and sweet Jane (who features in the 2023 Calendar which went to press just before her sudden passing).

Jane (LBF)

Rudolph & Salish (KN)

Bonded pair Rudolph and Salish in pen 5 have both gone. Rudolph had an anaesthetic reaction to dental surgery in January; Salish passed in June – she missed him so much.  Most of the Old Boys club in Newcomers has also gone; Albi and Woody passed on the same day, and Moxie less than a month later.

Ruff (KN)

We remember sweet Ruff with fondness – his extreme shyness when he arrived, his amazing floof, the way he bonded with Karen – and I still find myself looking for OJ when I enter Pen 4:  he was another feral boy who finally decided that humans were not so bad after all.  Onyx was one of our dowagers, at least 20 years old. Having been largely an indoor cat for years, she moved out to Pen 5 this summer, and then wouldn’t move back in when the weather turned. Med-staff Catherine took her home to fosterage for her last few weeks of comfort and loving.

Puck (BC)

And two other front-courtyard senior tuxedos have passed in the last month: little Puck was our beloved Marianne Moore's cat, and she has crossed the Bridge to be with Marianne again, and sweet Miller (at top) was beginning to age early in the fall, and became very frail and tottery in his last few weeks.

Oscar (LBF) and Gypsy (DW) - gone to new homes!

So we grieve their passing, even as we give thanks that the lives they lived were made possible by the love and care they received at the Sanctuary.  There are never enough homes for all the cats we take in – especially in a year like this one with a prolonged kitten season.  We are grateful to the people who have taken in Sanctuary cats like Oscar and Gypsy and given them hope for a new life, and also to all the supporters whose help allows us to give lifelong home-space to otherwise unadoptable cats like incontinent Jasmine or moody Jade or JJ, to the cats who come with Feline Leukemia, or the shy ferals who want nothing to do with us. Every life is precious, and RAPS will continue to offer Sanctuary to cats who have no other options.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, 

Karen Nicholson, Justin Saint, Debbie Wolanski

Live Long and Prospurr – the SuperSeniors

The RAPS Sanctuary has been situated here for more than 20 years, and many, many cats have come into our care.

Sara Lee (19) - KN

Because most of them were deemed unadoptable, and yet get the best care we can offer them, there are a considerable number of inhabitants who have lived with us most of their lives, and are now in their senior years.

There are various measurements of age, but most generally accepted are

    • birth to 6 months  - Kitten 
    • 7 months to 2 years – Junior 
    • 2 to 6 years – Prime
    • 7 to 10 years – Mature – equivalent of human mid-40s/50s
    • 11 to 14 years – Senior – takes the cat up to the equivalent of 70 human years
    • 15 years and older – SuperSenior – and like some senior humans, cats can just keep going!

Little Debbie (nearly 17) - MW

Most of the Moore House cats have come in to us as seniors, and in a warm quiet place, they are doing well. Earl Grey is around 19 years old; Rufus, who was adopted out, is about the same age.  Just as some senior humans remain fit and active well into old age, so for some cats; other younger cats may be visibly frailer as they appear to age earlier.

Jolene wears her 17+ years well - KN

Many of our cats have grown into their senior years in different areas of the Sanctuary, and we will not be moving them into the Moore House just because of age. We notice them slowing down a bit, often sleeping more, or seeking out the warm places, but most of them have their own territories and their cat-friends, and they are comfortable in their home. 

Onyx (nearly 20) - KN - misses her sister Topaz

Occasionally we will notice that an older cat appears confused about where it is or what is happening; it may begin yowling for attention, and needing more comfort. Senile dementia is a feline as well as a human condition. And as with humans, we find it’s usually best to allow the cat to remain in its comfort-zone, even if that is one of the outdoor pens. Sweet Gabby, who we lost a few years ago, was a cat like this, and we're now hearing it in his girlfriend Tara.

Princess (17.5) - KN

Other cats suddenly become more vocal, and the pitch of the voice changes. We think that this is often because hearing loss has set in, and the cat is not aware of the sound of its own voice. Old Kiko, who lived in pen 6, had a particularly penetrating voice in the months before she passed, and we're hearing something of the same in Tugboat's demands to be picked up and cuddled.

Tugboat (18) - JC

Greying hair is also noticeable, especially among the darker cats. Little SaraLee – formerly black with a smoke undercoat, has now become flecked with white fur. In spite of her 19+ years, she is able to jump up for lap-cuddles, or for quality control of gravy at mealtimes. Former feral Ruff has always had grey in his fur, but it has become more grey than black, giving him an elder-statesman aura.

Ruff (14) - KN - doesn't quite qualify as a SuperSenior
but his years as a feral cat have been hard

As cats get older, we have to watch them more carefully for all the things that affect senior humans as well – digestion and bathroom habits, mobility, weight loss and grooming. The Med staff have a list of cats who are checked every day, and both staff and volunteers may draw attention to a cat whose behaviour has changed. Often, a cat will be more demanding of attention – though it’s never a hardship to sit down and give extra cuddle time to cats like Tugboat.

Earl Grey (19) - KN

Because these cats have aged in our care, they don’t have the trauma of being surrendered into a new situation if they become incontinent, or noisy because of deafness. Sweet Earl Grey is happy now, but was depressed when he came to us. For him, it was like putting Grandpa into Assisted Living – he didn’t want a new place or new people (and cats) and it took a while for him to realise that it was actually a pretty good deal.  None of our resident seniors will be traumatized in this way – they can choose to go on living wherever they want.  And happy cats with good health care can live long lives – we have many who are SuperSeniors, and several who enjoy life into their twenties – the equivalent of reaching their century!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Jackie Chappell, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

Note: having written this, we have learned that the Moore House is showing extreme wear, and we are probably going to have to move the Moore cats while it is being replaced. If you can give an old cat some love in his SuperSenior years, please contact Valerie Wilson, our Assistant Manager.

Quarantine Coiffures

During this time of social distancing, we have had fewer people around at the Sanctuary.

Big floofy Ruff needs careful grooming - MW

Many of the regular volunteers are obeying the stay-home instructions, and in the interests of everyone’s safety, there are clear instructions about staying in one area at a time. The med-staff, of course, have to bustle around everywhere, but the other staff and volunteers no longer visit as freely as we used to, and the Kitty Comforters were put on hiatus, to keep everyone safe.

Dell The Lion Sleeps Tonight - LBF

A lot of Kitty-Comforting is about working with new caged cats, or in the pens with the shyer ones. And most of the KCs carry little tidbits around with them to tempt wary cats a little closer.  But many of them also carry grooming tools, and they take the opportunity while visiting to tease out some of the mats that inevitably form on some long-haired and older cats.

Smithy having (another) bad hair day - BC

The mat-King is Smithy. Smithy is part of the feral bunch from Pen 8, and although many of the Pen 8 cats have tamed down quite a bit, Smithy still hisses when he sees us.  He’s also curious about us, though – he will quite often hang around while I’m scooping, and listen while I talk to him.  Smithy has never been good at grooming himself, but, to be fair, he is the stocky sort of cat who would probably find it very hard to get at the back bits.

That was quite a mat! good work, Smithy!  - BC

Some weeks ago we noticed that Smithy was developing a major dreadlock on his chest – the hair had matted solidly and was hanging down in front of him, attached only by a few clumps. Smithy had tried to be his own barber, but the chest beard he’d created left much to be desired. Had he been a tame cat, it would have involved a simple fix, but Smithy defied every attempt by volunteers and staff to help get it off. Several days later, much to our amusement, the dreadlock was found, lying on the ground like a strange, furry creature.

Lying in the sun is OJ's favourite thing.  Grooming? not so much....  KN

Mr Mat in Pen 4 is OJ.  OJ is definitely getting on these days, and with his stubby little legs and stocky body, self-grooming is not in his vocabulary – and he doesn’t much enjoy it when delivered by humans either.  The only time OJ makes a real effort to do anything, is when he bites the hand holding a brush.

Dell in last summer's haircut - MW

Dell, in the pen opposite, is not a fan of grooming either, though he’s pretty good-natured about tolerating it for just a little while.  Dell’s problem is that he has very fine fur that mats very easily – and because he’s had fewer visitors than usual, his grooming has definitely got behind (in more ways than one!)
Once the hot summer weather finally settles in, some of these cats will be treated to a professional lion cut (or some approximation of it), and they will appreciate not carrying a weighty coat around with them.  Like them, I can’t wait to get rid of some of my shaggy (but not matted) fur!

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Ruff - Living Rough No More

Back in April I blogged about a cat who had come to us early in the year, having lived his life as an outdoors feral.

Ruff living rough - WR

Ruff had gone to ground in his cage in the Double-Wide, and though accepting visitors, and gentle petting, was making it quite clear to us that now he was safe, he was going to stay in that safe corner!
The Kitty Comforters continued their efforts, sometimes doing no more than sitting and talking to him, sometimes grooming him gently or offering a little play, sometimes getting in belly-rubs when he felt particularly comfortable.

Watching the action - KN

And then we started to find him in the corridor between the cages – not looking particularly anxious, not looking for a way out, just curious about what was going on. He might poke his nose around a bit, but often he would just sit in the crossroads and look around, mostly ignoring other cats, but enjoying attention and admiration from volunteers.  When he’d had enough, he would take himself back to his cage and back onto his shelf.

The excitement of feather play - KN

Gradually, the visits became longer and longer, and the cage he returned to became the opposite one, also open, but a bit lighter.  Occasionally he would venture onto the Double-Wide deck, which homes many of the semi-ferals;  his “buddy” Hamlet, with whom he arrived, was not pleased to see him, and threw something of a hissy-fit.  The explorations in the rest of the area continued; he was not intrusive with other cats – he just wanted to know where things were.

Venturing out the door - KN

And then calmly he made his way out of the main door and into the back courtyard; not very far the first few times, but as nothing fearful happened, and all his humans cheered him on, he moved further and further. Now he is mainly based just outside the Newcomers area, and has found a comfy shelf to sleep on. Better yet, there is a heat lamp on the Newcomers deck, and as long as he gets there before Blue, he can doze in blissful warmth.

Enjoying the sun  - KN

Using Newcomers as his base, he’s exploring further afield – making his way to the east end of the back pens, and climbing some of the small shrubs there. His original human “mom” has visited him and is so excited to see how he has settled, becoming the placid, quietly confident cat he never felt safe in becoming before.

LBF

His interactions with other cats are on his own terms; he tunes out the more aggressive cats like Jasper, Gizmo and Chester, and just gets on with doing what cats do - investigating, snoozing, occasionally playing. With the chilly fall, all his "floof" is serving him well, and he pokes around at the far end of the courtyard, exploring a little tree-climbing - not from any need to escape, but because he likes to do it (and to have someone admiring him!)

LBF

Ruff is a fulfilment of the dream many of us have at the Sanctuary - to encounter a feral, scared cat, and be part of helping it grow into a relaxed and comfortable feline that knows it's in a place of safety, and that every human here is a potential friend. And Ruff knows who he has to thank for his place of safety - his original caretaker, who knew that we were that sanctuary for him, and his best friend Karen, cat-whisperer extraordinary, who convinced him that here he would know nothing but love.

Kisses for Karen

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Karen Nicholson & Wendy Roberts