Hill House Haven

Handsome Mango  (MW)

It was just the way my Kitty Comforter shift worked out last week – I ended up spending a lot more time in the Hill House than I usually do, and renewed all sorts of friendships with cats who were choosing a cosy corner on a not-very-nice day.

Inside the Hill House  (BC)

The Hill House is the Front Courtyard cabin that lies between the Val Jones pen and the Old Rabbit Area (ORA), both of which I’ve written about before. It gets its name from cat-lover Stanley Hill, whose family made its refurbishing possible as a memorial, and he would have loved the bunch of cats who were making themselves at home in it when I visited.

Solar, sitting by the ORA window   (MW)

As I wrote last week, many cats are territorial – they like to be in a familiar space, and can sometimes be a little hissy when a feline stranger intrudes. The Hill House is actually a space in which intrusions are frequent, and most of the residents shrug them off. The covered courtyard known as the Old Rabbit Area has many very shy residents, and the permanently open window between the two areas makes it possible for the ferals to venture out into a safe space with (mostly) friendly cats. 

Tamale, who lives mostly in the ORA  (LBF)

While I was there, handsome Tamale ventured through the window, and though he clearly didn’t want physical contact, he was ready to let me talk to him, and to see that there were tidbits on offer, when he felt brave enough.  We think Tamale may be the brother of short-haired tuxedo Boston in New Aids; Boston accepts belly rubs now, and thinks humans are a Good Thing, when they approach gently.

Kia's look clearly says "Leave me alone!"  (BC)

Many of the Hill House regular residents, are exactly that - regular: this is where to go to find grey Solar or friendly Kahlua.  Kia will be found in her open cage – this grumpy girl was not happy about coming into our care, and she is one of the cats that has claimed her cage, refusing to move.  The two big Hill House cages are prime real estate because of their size, and it may well be that she has to be evicted to make room for a pair of cats who need to room together (Benjamin and Olivia once had this cage), in which case she will be forced to find another corner in which to indulge her Garbo-cat tendencies. Kia doesn’t encourage either feline or human sociability; minimal petting is tolerated, and then you can see her planning where to deliver the go-away smack.

TicTac with her boyfriend Mozart   (BC)

At the other end of the spectrum I could also find Mozart and TicTac cuddled together in a very small bed.  Handsome Mozart is one of a group we called The Teens; cats who came to us past the easy socializing stage, and who have taken their own sweet time about making human friends. Pretty Pistachio from that group got adopted, but Benny, Leo, and Caleb are still with us. Mozart’s striking looks always draw attention, but he’s actually pretty shy around people, and the Hill House is his favourite hideout.  TicTac came to us from the Adoption Centre last year as one of the cats with cage aggression, who was not showing well to potential adopters.  Once out of her cage and in the company of other cats she calmed down – and all the more so when she met Mozart, who she adores. He tolerates her attention and consents to share his bed, but I think the relationship is a little one-sided.

Sam - as content as he can be, surrounded by other cats  (BC)

I am interested in the fact that Sam also chooses to make the Hill House his base.  Most of us love Sam – but warily;  Sam desperately needs a cat-savvy human who is prepared to have Sam be a one-and-only, and he is incapable of demonstrating that to a visitor without getting distracted by other cats – at which point (much of the time) he gets really reactive.  Sam has never recovered from losing his owner, and he does NOT like this place – but most cat-savvy people already have cats. Still, Sam chooses to claim a corner of the Hill House, and as long as other felines don’t get too close, he enjoys the warmth and the proximity to treats.

Pretty Speckle  (MW)

Lots of beds and shelves mean that this is a popular place for sleeping, snuggles and socializing.  Speckle can almost always be coaxed off the trolley shelves to accept tidbits and treats. She has really blossomed from the wary girl she used to be when she first arrived.

Jenny - wary, but interested  (BC)

The big table on the left hides the litter boxes, but also provides a surface for cats who prefer to hide on the higher shelving, and occasionally venture down to try a little flirting with a human visitor.  Newcomer Jenny has joined the many black cats in the front courtyard;  it’s nice to have her be so identifiable by her white markings, and even nicer to see her starting to accept attention from us.

Toes - taking shelter in the porch area   (BC)

Even on the way out, there are cats who prefer the shelter of the porch to the more open courtyard. Tortie Toes and newcomer Frank had both decided that they would opt for cover;  Toes is often in the Yellow Shed when not sitting on the box-pile, but was happy to have a little attention from her corner in the Hill House porch; newbieFrank is still working out which corner he will claim as home, and I hope he will eventually come inside and join the Hill House Club.

Frank likes to tuck himself away in a box   (BC)

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Garrus

Garrus  (KN)

Garrus came to us earlier this summer as a stray, to be homed at the Sanctuary. Initially he was pretty well-behaved, and we moved him to the Adoption Centre, hoping to find him a home. However, once he had fully decompressed and settled down there, his true colours came out, and we discovered that  the Sanctuary was the right place for him after all. 

Garrus (LBF)

We don’t know if he’d been turned out by his original owners for peeing, or if he was an indoor-outdoor cat who took his outside habits indoors – but it was very apparent that he was not happy about being caged, because though he (mostly) used his litterbox, he also got himself a reputation for unprovoked attacks on staff and volunteers.  This is not uncommon – cage aggression is an issue that the Adoption Centre often sees, and cats who show it can be very grateful they are at RAPS. Other shelters cannot always afford the time or space to deal with an aggressive animal, and adopters are wary when they hear that a cat may be reactive. 

Garrus being wary  (BC)

Thankfully, no-kill is at the heart of RAPS philosophy, and stressed cats who show aggression are able to be transferred to the Sanctuary. With us, they will sometimes remain reactive and bite-y, and they will sometimes calm down and become friendly and approachable.  Transfers in the last year include cats like Peaches and Sam, who have spent their summer wearing collars as a warning to visitors that they are better not touched, and who have learned that they don’t need to be constantly on their guard. Collars have been removed now that visiting hours have ended, and both cats are more relaxed.

Peaches & Sam (KN)

Garrus spent his first couple of weeks with us in the Tea-Room cage, and earned his warning-collar; he’s a handsome boy and it’s tempting to offer caresses, but approaches were not appreciated.  When he was released, he moved into the back pens, and can usually be found in the back area of Pen 5, where he encounters fewer cats and fewer humans.  He doesn’t exhibit feral behaviour, but he doesn’t appreciate much attention, and though he will occasionally do a little finger-sniffing and allow neck- and ear-rubs, his patience is limited, and he signals the end of a session with a smart swat.

Not too close, please!  (KN)

Sadly, he’s also something of a loner, and doesn’t appreciate the close presence of other cats; he’s not actively aggressive with them (as Gizmo is), but his body language is pretty clear when he tells them to leave him alone.

Garrus - playful (LBF)

But it's still early days – he’s only been with us a few months, and perhaps as the days grow colder he will learn that warmth and company in the cabins is not altogether a bad thing.  Take your time, Garrus – even though you don’t much love anyone yet, you’ll find that there’s a lot of love to be found at the Sanctuary!

Blog by Brigid Coult

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

Sam-I-Am

Sam  (BC)

Meet Sam...

Sam’s only been with us a short while, but much personality has emerged!  His elderly owners had to move to senior care, and were able to take him with them, but when first one and then the other began to be unwell and unable to care for him, the family arranged to have him come to RAPS. 

Slightly suspicious  (BC)

In the Adoption Centre, Sam was not a happy camper.  For a cat who had obviously been the centre of the household, with free rein to get to into anything he wanted, it was a shock.  Other cats?  Horrors!  A cage?  How dare they!  Sam was alternately closed down, and very angry. It doesn’t help that he’s not a small cat, and the Adoption Centre cages must have felt a bit claustrophobic.  The staff decided to move him across to the Sanctuary, where the cages are much larger, and though there are more cats, there is also more space.

Worth showing the belly?   (KN)

After a short stay in a Sanctuary cage, we were able to release Sam into the Front Courtyard – usually one of the delays in releasing a cat is in order to make sure that they are fully vaccinated, and since we had Sam’s records, that wasn’t an issue.  We left him with his collar on as a signal to weekend visitors that he’s a bit temperamental, though we’re already seeing that he is calmer than when he came in.

LBF

Orange tabbies usually have golden or green eyes – it’s unusual to have a blue-eyed-boy with that colouring. His ears are often flat, but that’s more suspicion of other cats than anything – when he’s relaxed and happy they perk right up.  He likes human attention in a limited way;  we need to watch him around visitors because he tends to roll over and show his belly – and, as with many cats, it’s a trap! But he’s also discovered that when he’s had enough, he can go and chill out in the Hill House, which is off-limits to visitors.

Happiness is a head-rub   (LBF)

Sam is not an unadoptable cat, like so many of the other Sanctuary residents. But we won’t let him go to just anybody – he needs to be a one-and-only cat, he needs a cat-savvy adopter who will read his body language and react accordingly, and he needs someone that he can love.

We won’t offer you green eggs and ham, sweet boy, but much love until it’s time for you to move on to your own home. For the pleasure of your company, thank you, thank you, Sam-I-am!

Blog by Brigid Coult

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