Booty

Booty  (MW)

Booty arrived at the Sanctuary in company with Paula and Celeste, who were recently featured in this series.  They were all cats who had come to the City Shelter in the days that RAPS was running it, and were transferred to our care when it was becoming obvious that they would not be adopted – mostly because of extreme shyness, which makes it hard for an adopter to guess how they might work out in a home. When they came to us in 2016, Pen 2 was separated from Pen 1, and this new colony of sixteen cats had time to work their own relationships out before they moved out into the wider community.

Out and about  (BC)

Some of them ended up remaining based in the Pen 2 cabin: the torties and calicos, tabbies Calvin and Chase, and the two shy blacks. Sassy Sophie relocated to the Tea Room, and so did Booty, though not from any attachment to Sophie – she dislikes other cats!  Somehow the two of them manage to coexist with no contact, which suits Sophie well.  In contrast to her, Booty is a social boy;  he was an active participant in the Pen 1 Boys Club, when Zivko (also originally from Pen 2) headed it up, and could often be found visiting with his buddy Chase.

Approaching for pets  (BC)

According to the sketchy notes, Booty was a stray picked up on Beckwith Road – that locates in him in an area we’ve been trapping stray cats for some years; an area with green space and good hunting for hungry cats, but also one where we believe cats get dumped. Whether a stray or a dumpee, Booty was initially very shy and wary of interaction with humans, but over nine years of Sanctuary living, he has relaxed and learned to enjoy the good things of life. He is often mistaken for the younger and more athletic Cassidy.  Booty now counts as a senior, at about 14 years old, and is no longer quite as energetic as he used to be.  He now has a little skin-cancer mark (monitored by the med staff) on his muzzle that differentiates him from the youngster.

Lord of all he surveys  (KN)

He can often be found on top of a cat-tree, with a view over his bit of the world. An approach from a volunteer or a visitor is taken calmly, and he enjoys being petted and groomed.  His purr becomes increasingly enthusiastic – less a normal purr, and more of a croon, like a pigeon; once he gets going, you can hear him from one side of the room to the other. 

Ringo with Booty  (KN)

Though Zivko is gone, and the Boys Club is no longer such a unit, Booty will hang out with some of the other seniors. Shy Ringo, who loved Zivko and grieved when he passed, has come out of hiding and established himself in the cat-social crowd, and he and Booty can often be found together.  Unfortunately, this often shows itself in Booty demonstrating his dominance over the submissive Ringo, by mounting him.  Ringo doesn’t appear to mind too much, but I’m thankful that he doesn’t come out often when visitors are around; we can do without the PG activities!

Exploring  (MW)

Actually, Booty also does not appear much around visitors, but it’s well worth looking for him in the Tea-Room, and getting that wonderful purr going.  When Booty is crooning like that, all is right with the world.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

Celeste

Celeste in a reflective mood (MK)

Pretty tabby Celeste is another cat-graduate of the Pen 2 colony.  Originally there were five tabbies who came to the Sanctuary in 2017, identified as unadoptable (generally because of shyness). Calvin and Chase preferred to remain in their Pen 2 cabin;  Zivko migrated next door to Pen 1, and became the ringleader of the Back Courtyard Boys Club until his passing. Sassy Sophie moved to the Tea Room, and Celeste opted for the warmth and comfort of the DoubleWide.

Those innocent eyes!   (MW)

Celeste and Sophie have remained in their chosen surroundings, and nowadays they have very little to do with each other.  Celeste is easily picked out from the other tabbies by her pretty face and expressive eyes. She has learned that people gravitate towards her when she presents herself, and at the weekends she moves out of the indoor comfort of the Laundry Room to her place in the Breezeway, ready to welcome the visitors.  

Posed to receive tidbits   (BC)

Other cats may crowd closer to the gates, looking for the first pets and attention, but she stands at chest-level where she can’t be missed, and proves an immediate magnet for people looking for strokable cats. We do have to warn a number of visitors about the reactivity of our collared felines, and to find a cat that is clearly saying “Pet me!” is a welcome treat.

In the box is always best  (KN)

She has also learned that visitors carry little cups of kibble, and if she gets to them soonest, she gets first choice. Our cat-treats are not usually all empty-calorie Temptations, but are a mixture of donated cat-kibbles, usually higher-value than the standard treats. Celeste is not afraid to turn up her nose at something she likes less, and demand an alternative. She loves to preen and pose and have attention given to her.

Celeste knows that all the volunteers listed on the board
are there to serve her!  (BC)

Typically, someone will ask if she’s adoptable. At first glance, that would be an obvious “Yes!” - but adoptability is not always just about how friendly the cat is, and Celeste has a couple of quirks that put her firmly on the permanent-Sanctuary-resident list. Under the shelf of towels and folded bedding in the Laundry room are two of the litter boxes for the local cats.  And first thing in the morning (and other times as well) we will always find a little cat-poop deposit outside the litter box.  This is usually Celeste;  she can be observed using the litter box for urination, and then popping outside to leave a solid deposit.  She’s not the only one – but she’s probably the most consistent!

Celeste  (MW)

Her other quirk is one she had in common with Calvin. The Pen 2 water-bowl used to have to stand inside its own box, because Calvin used his paws in drinking – and Celeste does the same thing.  The Breezeway water-bowl has to get changed more frequently than all the others because she will stand in the bowl, and lick at her paws, or splash at the water to get it moving.  And on a muddy day, or after visiting the litter-box, that’s pretty messy!

you put your left paw in.... and you shake it all about   (BC)

A very cute, dainty cat, on the surface, but probably not one to have as a house resident. Celeste has the best of both worlds – lots of human attention and petting, plus the ability to indulge in her own bad habits, and have volunteers mop up after her, morning and evening.  She knows that we know she does it – but those big innocent eyes say, “Who? Me?” and she is immediately forgiven.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Mike Kossey, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright.

Paula

 

Paula  (MW)

Paula is one of two long-term residents of the Pen 2 cabin;  a slim little calico who can usually be found in one of the upper-level beds.  She arrived with us in 2016, part of a clear-out from the City Shelter of the cats that were considered likely to be unadoptable for one reason or another. They were introduced in a series of three blogs in 2017: the blacks & black/whites, the tabbies, and the calico/tortie/orange cats.

Watching a worm!  (MW)

All were already adults when they arrived, and many of them have passed in the last nine years: tabbies Calvin, Chase and Zivko, lookalikes Kevin & Palma, Tubby, Salina and others. Others have relocated:  Celeste (watch for her upcoming blog) and Sophie the diva; Booty is either tucked in the TeaRoom or bossing Ringo around; peach-coloured Taffy is snug in the DoubleWide.

Paula's home, the Pen 2 cabin   (MW)

Whether indoors or outside, Paula prefers to stay in her own space – a preference she shares with tortie Barbie, on a lower shelf. Both ladies are now seniors, and their original shyness has given way to a tolerance for humans that becomes enthusiasm when we come bearing gifts.

Paula, with her tabby brothers Chase & Calvin  (KN)

When I clean in the back pens on Fridays, pen 2 is my third stop, and the cats have learned that business is the first order of the day – scoop the litter-boxes, check the bedding and shake it out where needed, sweep the floor, refill the bowls.  Delayed gratification is not their favourite thing, though, and there’s some pretty impatient pacing going on before I’m done. Paula and Barbie are always in place – Paula on “her” top shelf, and Barbie snugly in a box one level down.  Company for Paula will vary; for years it was shy Pavel; more recently Chumley has deserted Pen 1, and his brother Siskel, to move in with her.  Sweet tabby Cadbury often shares space; he is less outgoing than his late brother Skittles, but when you catch him in the right mood, he enjoys attention.

Paula knows how to pose!  (MW)

Chicken is definitely the tidbit of choice for Paula, and she is quick to claim her share, especially with all the local interlopers moving in on Pen 2 – Pumpkin, Odin, Cornelius and their buddies all know that I carry handouts.  Cadbury is not a chicken fan, and he gets a few Temptations – which are quickly stolen by Paula if she gets a chance.

Paula  (BC)

On her shelf inside the cabin, Paula is the miniature queen; in the last couple of years she has been venturing out with increasing confidence, but also with a certain lack of tolerance for other cats.  When there is a courtyard gathering of cats looking for handouts, it is noticeable that they leave a clear space around Paula, and that she is not slow to smack an encroaching paw when it comes too close to a tidbit to which she is laying claim.  

Lounging outside - but almost always solo   (MW)

A warning growl is enough to have most of the hopefuls backing off. It’s clear that indoors, where she feels secure, she can be sweet and snuggly with her cabin-mates, but in a more open arena, she is more defensive, and every good former feral knows that looking scary is the best defence.  She’s small, but everything about her says to the other cats, “Don’t mess with me!”

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

DoubleWide Divas - Act 1

JJ - looking remarkably like the Dowager, in Downton Abbey (KN)

The DoubleWide trailer is the practical HQ for the Sanctuary, being the centre of the med-staff’s activities and one of the two laundry areas.  On Saturdays and Sundays, when we have visitors on site, the DoubleWide is kept closed, because there are generally cats caged for medical care who will do much better without people outside their cages. However, that also means that there are uncaged cats who rarely brave the cat-door, and prefer to remain inside when the main door is closed.  Sometimes that’s a good thing – a number of those cats are temperamental, and not always good about people-contact. And when we have a report of a visitor being scratched, it’s quite often one of these collared cats who is maintaining an invisible don’t-touch-me barrier.

Cleaning the murder-mittens  (KN)

The majority of these are spicy ladies; the only male that approaches their level of reactivity is grey Gizmo, who does his thing in his own way.  Three of them don’t (yet) venture out at all, and remain uncollared; the others all carry the visible warning for unwary humans.  

Jade holding court in the laundry room (KN)

The two all-black cats are Jade and Darcy – Jade wearing a red collar, and Darcy a green one. Jade, who has beautiful green eyes, usually hangs out in the laundry room beside the fridge. You approach Jade on her terms, which means that sometimes she comes and solicits petting, and is quite charming, and sometimes she smacks hard! My usual advice to visitors is “let the cat pet YOU”, and this usually suits Jade well. She can be surprisingly nice, placing herself next to the entry gate and asking for treats and attention – and then she’ll suddenly smack a treat away, and retreat to the laundry room. Jade’s behaviour has improved a lot since she first came to us five years ago, but she is not a cat that can easily be trusted. 

Darcy out for a walk  (KN)

Darcy is most often found trying to talk her way into the med-staff’s area; she is convinced that she should be taste-tester for all the best treats, and is an expert at gate-busting. Luckily, she is also better about allowing the med-staff to pick her up and eject her without shedding too much blood; she will lie on the floor outside the door and writhe dramatically, demonstrating the urgency with which she requires access.  She occasionally ventures outside while there are visitors, but usually stalks through with an “out of my way, peasants!” attitude which generally makes people leave her alone.  We believe that Darcy is the daughter of sweet tortie Dazzle – she didn’t inherit Dazzle’s love for attention and petting, but at least she’s learned that attacking humans doesn’t really get her anywhere.

JJ indulging her passion for beard-snuggling  (BC)

JJ divides her time between the laundry room and the TeaRoom. This elegant tuxedo lady looks as if she disapproves of everyone, and it is necessary to be careful with her – but a lot of it is a facade.  JJ is missing her favourite staff person, Kasha, who has moved, and with whom she loved to cuddle;  she misses the cuddles enough that she has established a select group of people who are favourite substitute cuddlers. She prefers the men: Mike, Justin, Braden and Nick are “her guys”. Beards are particularly favoured – but she will come up on other laps too.  In a particularly trusting mood, she puts her paws up on the chest and butts her head below the cuddler’s jaw; it can be unnerving, knowing how reactive she can be, but there’s also a vulnerability to her that is very appealing.  I find that like many of the touch-sensitive cats, she is more comfortable being petted above the collar – and when she’s had enough, she will just hop down. 

Sophie says, "I'm so cute - NOT!"  (KN)

Sophie is another one who’s a migrant between TeaRoom and laundry room. The former was very much her turf at one time, but is now dominated by floofy orange cats, so she can usually be found sleeping on the laundry room shelf or on the cat-tree by the TeaRoom door. Sophie really dislikes other cats, and has a very extensive personal bubble that tolerates no adjacent felines within it. She is vocal about her dislike – but she also likes to be where the activity is, so she walks a fine line!  Like JJ, she will sometime hop up on a lap, or walk from the table towards a seated volunteer; if you see someone sitting with a tabby in the lap and hands in the air, that’s probably Sophie you’re looking at.  Light head pets are sometimes acceptable; but you take your life in your hands to pet down her back.  She never stays very long in a lap - her reactivity doesn't allow her to feel comfortable with either people or cats.

She looks so sweet - but you can't trust her!  (KN)

More divas next week....

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by BC & Karen Nicholson

Benji

Me? A biter...?   (KN)

Most of our behaviourally challenged cats are with us because of “inappropriate urination” - meaning, they pee anywhere except the litter box!  Sometimes they do it because they feel under stress in their home, sometimes it‘s a medical problem, mostly it’s just become a bad habit.

Handle with Care! - Eli (MW) Jobie (CP) Sophie (MW)

A few of them have come to us with aggression issues – usually their people have tried to pick them up when they didn’t want to be picked up, and a bite or two later, they’re surrendered to our care.  Many of these cats actually do fairly well with us, because staff and volunteers know that we have to let the cats make the decisions about touching.  Beautiful Eli really just needs someone who will not expect him to be a lap-cat until he’s really ready.  Jobie, who came to us with a bad reputation, has her favourite people now.  Feisty Sophie in the TeaRoom loves to jump on laps and have her head petted – you just need to make sure not to go any further down her body.

Benji   (MW

Benji came to us last year with warnings about aggression.  He is such a handsome boy, and he was obviously unhappy during his cage time – but he was a hard cat to visit because as soon as he felt you were leaving him, he would bite – whether to hold on to you, or in punishment, we don’t know. When he was released we resorted to a past Sanctuary tradition and put a collar on him to indicate his tendency to bite. In Sophie’s case, a collar doesn’t last long and she quickly manages to lose it;  Benji, on the other hand, wears his collar with pride.

Benji (LBF)

We’re still working out the parameters of his aggression. He is definitely super-sensitive to touch and a petting session that would have any other cat purring quickly has him indicating “too much!” But at the same time, he’s quick to ask for attention. We don’t know how much human interaction he had before coming to us, and if he’s just never learned to “play nicely”.  

Watching out for other cats  (KN)

The right person and endless patience are working wonders for grey Smokey in the Moore House, and JJ from the DoubleWide;  both have found “their people” among the volunteers and JJ has gone to her new home, while Smokey will soon be going. Neither one has changed overnight, but they have both found people who are ready to wait for the cat to make the move. In common with Benji, neither particularly likes other cats.  

Tabbies with 'tude - Jasper & Benji  (KN/LBF)

Much the same can be said for Jasper, who, like Benji, can be a trouble-maker, and need an occasional time-out. But we have seen significant progress with Jasper (mostly thanks to Karen’s patience) and he has learned that humans are more inclined to play with him when he is not aggressive. We hope that Benji will learn too.  Wand toys and things at arms-length are key for many cats; fingers are just too tempting.  It would be lovely if someone can take Benji on as a project and help him learn that he does not always need to react with his teeth.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Karen Nicholson, Carol Porteus, Michele Wright

Senior Love

Jamie & Calista  - CT

So many Sanctuary cats living together quite happily is something that surprises people.  Many of us will have had the experience of bringing a new cat into our home, to have all the feline relationships go sideways, and cats have a reputation for being picky about their company.

Jasper & Sophie: tabbies with 'tude  -  KN

Somehow at the Sanctuary, that’s rarely a factor. We have the occasional trouble-maker (are you listening, Jasper?) who wants to throw his weight around, and we have several “don’t get in my space!” cats (yes, I mean you, Sophie!). But for the most part, there is enough space that cats who don’t get on are able to avoid each other.

Three Romeos: Mario, Salty, Daniel    (CF/MW/MD)

The ones we love to see are the cats who draw other cats to them. You will have read about our gentle giant, Mario, who had a harem of feral boys and girls – and of Salty, who inherited Mario’s mantle, and made the Double-Wide couch his cuddle-puddle. In the front courtyard, the cat-magnet, until the year before last, was orange Daniel, and his passing left quite a space among the ferals.

Jamie - CT

It seems that Jamie has stepped into Daniel’s place.  When I first met Jamie, he was a wary feral, spending most of his time in the covered yard named “The Old Rabbit Area”. This is a favourite space for the ferals, with covered shelves, hidden baskets, a heat-lamp, and the security of knowing they are rarely bothered by humans.

Jamie - MW

There’s a window between this area and the adjacent Hill House, and depending on how secure cats are feeling, they may come through and visit in comfort. For quite some time, Jamie was a window cat, and the more time he spent in the Hill House, the more comfortable he became with attention.

Calista - sleeping beauty - CT

Calista based herself next door in the shed with the yellow door. But she’s an old lady nowadays, and getting frail, and the attraction of the heat lamp drew her to the “O.R.A” and then into the Hill House. She and Jamie found themselves sharing space quite frequently, and have become very much an item – sometimes just snuggling together, but often grooming each other and bunting together.

Jamie & Calista - CT

Other cats are part of the menage -Jamie is a cat who draws rubs and bunts from all his buddies.  But when Calista is out and about, you’ll probably find her with Jamie.  Both of them are getting up there; At at least 12 years of age, Jamie counts as a senior, and Calista is a good three years older, having come to us with her sister Renee around 2005. But the years don’t diminish the affection, and we love to see the two of them purring and snuggling together.

Jamie & Calista - CT

Blog by Brigid Coult (with thanks to Cheryl Townsend)

Photos by Melanie Draper, Claire Fossey, Karen Nicholson, 

Cheryl Townsend & Michele Wright

Cattitude!

HoneyBear is known for his wonderful eyes and his neurological problems
- but he has social problems too, with other cats - MW

Most of our Sanctuary cats are ferals, semi-ferals, owner-surrenders and health problems.
The third category – the owner-surrenders – are often surrendered for their bad bathroom habits (which are sometimes a result of human-caused stress), but we also have several cats who have come to us with an “aggressive” label on them. In fact it’s rare to find a truly aggressive cat – we see it more as “cattitude”, resulting from the owner’s unwillingness to let the cat set the pace in being handled - and many of these quirky felines are very truly loved at the Sanctuary.

Bentley looks cute - but is not entirely to be trusted! - LP

We probably all know a person who shies away from much in the way of physical contact, who pulls away from hugs. Cats can be like that – though unfortunately many people tend to expect them to conform to “cute and cuddly” norms of behaviour.

Licorice's "cattitude" is mostly with other cats - CF

Once a cat has been returned to the Shelter for “aggression”, it is not easily re-adoptable. It comes to the Sanctuary where the staff and voluteers around it know that we need to allow it to move at its own speed in interacting, and where, if there is to be any hope of a final home, we can take our time to make sure that a potential owner is truly cat-savvy and understands the quirks of the cat they’re choosing.
When an "aggressive" cat comes to the Sanctuary, we will give it the time it needs to feel safe – fear is often the primary cause of a cat lashing out.  We allow the cat to choose its time to come for petting or to jump up in a lap – and we warn Sunday visitors that picking up a cat is never a good idea.

Jobie can appear very suspicious of a visitor! - MW

Jobie is our resident Grouchy cat – she never got the memo about how cats should (theoretically) be cute and cuddly, and her initial time with us was punctuated with growls and swats.  We let Jobie know that she could have time alone, or she could be near humans, as she pleased; she has discovered that she has favourite people who let her sit with them, and let her go with no pressure; when she’s in a good mood she will reach out for petting, and when she isn’t, she’ll go and hide somewhere until she's ready to cuddle again.

What IS it about cross-eyed cats?  - MW

Eli was surrendered for aggression – like Jobie, he is very beautiful, and it’s easy to see that people might have reached out to pet him or pick him up when he wasn’t ready for it. He lounges around elegantly, with a “you will worship me” attitude, and he’s not afraid to let other cats know that he’s boss.  We’ve actually seen very little real aggression from him.

Puffin is king! - MD

Puffin is a cat that we always have to warn Sunday visitors about. In fact, in the right mood, he can be very affectionate (especially if the cat-fan is a female teen!) but when he hasn’t asked for petting, he’s not slow to say “Stop! Now!” He is exactly the sort of cat that is behind our closing the gates to under-six children and requiring careful supervision of older ones – he’s not nasty, but he’s quick to react when he’s not ready for contact. Like many of our reactive cats, he actually has quite a fan-club!

Cher - KN

The same is true for pretty Cher, who loves attention, and then gets overwhelmed by it. Cher’s favourite people know that to allow her to sit on a lap, with moderate touch, also requires an awareness of her body language, so that you know when she’s about to be overcome by sensation and has to react.

Sophie - MW

In recognition of her extreme cattitude, Sophie wears a collar. She is another girl who will be affectionate with her chosen people, but can suddenly feel she’s had too much. Gentle petting around the head and ears is often appreciated, and she will leap into laps when she’s in the mood, but you will also sometimes encounter Sophie in serious grumble mode.

Gizmo in ambush - MD

Grey Gizmo has kept the attack aspects of his feral origins.  We tend to think about Gizmo as a brattish teen, because he’s so small, but he is actually a mature adult, and just likes acting the brat – both with humans and with other cats. He has recently come up against another cat as sparky as he is – Jasper has been moved from the front courtyard into the back, where he has more room to roam, and more cats that will stand up to his bullying ways. He’s discovering that he is no longer the big fish in a small pool.  Jasper likes human attention and has his fan-club – but we all know that teeth and claws are only a whisker away.

Jasper - looking for trouble - KN

These are all cats who would not show well at the Shelter, and who would need someone who was very cat-savvy, and ready to make them The Only Cat. Sadly, most of our experienced adopters have established cat-families already, and these furry over-reacters just have to learn to make their own space at the Sanctuary. Most of them are so full of purrr-sonality that their cattitude only endears them to us even more!

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Melanie Draper, Chelzea Freeman, 

Karen Nicholson, Lisa Parker, Michele Wright,