Legs

In the many blogs to date, we’ve already seen a variety of body shapes, eyes, and colours in which the Sanctuary cats come.  Volunteer Pauline Chin decided to look at some feline legs.

HoneyBear curls his long legs for sleep - MW

Firstly, don’t let the appearance of the cat’s legs or their funny walks fool you.  HoneyBear and the late Terry have defied many expectations.  Despite his  neurological problems, which affect his back legs, HoneyBear is one of the top climbers.  He can run like a horse and stalk toys like a tiger.

Having climbed to one of the walk-ways,
HoneyBear wants to know what's down there  -  LP

HoneyBear is constantly on the move on Sundays.  His seal-point colouration, snowshoe feet, and jewel-blue eyes are reasons why people follow him around for a photo-op.

Akiva's built like a racehorse! - MW

Newcomer and tall boy Akiva is probably the leggiest cat on site.  He’s mostly grey with white socks. With his lean body, you can really see his long legs without any primordial pouch or extra fat hiding them. Akiva enjoys his freedom to investigate the back courtyard and to meet new people.  He uses a slow, quiet approach.  With his height, you won’t overlook this senior gentleman (he’s about 13).

This is MY cage, Akiva says,,,   - KN

He’s very much a loner, not enjoying the company of other cats, and could really do with having a home of his own.

Debo on his throne - MW

Debo is another leggy senior, and  he loves to get his white mittens on you.  He uses his legs mainly for climbing on and hugging people. Debo spends at least 90% of the time on “his” chair in the Single-Wide.  When he wants attention, he’ll hop off and slowly chase you.  Pursuing people for affection is how he gets his exercise. He may be an old guy, but there's still a lot of spring in those legs!

Jack Sparrow curls his disable rear end around - TV

Pops and Jack Sparrow both arrived with 4 legs but can only use two.  Sparrow loves to climb on the cat trees and asks for lap time now and then. He moves on his front legs like a human walking on their hands.  He has the advantage since his back legs have no bones.  He actually walks faster than most 2-legged creatures I know.

Pops loves attention - KN

Pops prefers the ground.  He drags his remaining back leg as he walks.  It seems awkward, but he manages himself well and never lets it bother him.  Sometimes, he craves cuddles and plops himself by a chair, waiting to be picked up.  Watch Pops practically teleport over when there’s delicious chicken plated out!

Chonky Lorelei has stubby little legs - MW

Lorelei the rotund cat has some short-looking legs beneath all that fur.  You’ll probably see her watching from a distance.  Unless you’ve befriended her, she’ll take off quickly.  You’d think her large body and fluff would slow her down.  Not at all!  Her little legs are so swift that she can vanish into the feral area within seconds.  If you’re one of her friends, she’ll stand still for petting, even giving leg rubs.  Take this chance to feel those muscles!

Leggy Hannah loves her cat-tree - and doesn't much like other cats - MW

Orange & white Hannah (fans call her Hannah-Banana) can perform a unique trick with her legs.  She’ll grab onto a pole of a cat tree and swing, dance, and roll around it.  Other cats are not amused, especially if they’re in the same tree, but it’s great entertainment for human visitors.  Her monkey dance performances are limited, so watch her while you can.

Bella's baleful stare reminds us that she's not always a fan of humans - KN

One of the springiest sets of legs belongs to Bella - the third Bella that's lived with us.  She enjoys her me-time and seeks out the highest shelves, or the tops of outside pens.  Visitors can spot her leaping across cagetops, while they marvel at her dilute calico colouration.  Sometimes, she naps on the cardboard atop the food cupboard, or walks over for pets.  Bella was a frequent target for rapscallion boy, Jasper and had to become fleet of feet.  When the chase was on, she fled to the tallest platforms, even wedging herself behind a barrier.  Bella’s agile legs always kept her ahead of Jasper!

Pretty Parker supervising the laundry room - and ready to swat!  - MW

Many cats - especially the shy ones -  enjoy being up high, and all the buildings are set up so that cats can choose their preferred level, and give those legs a workout!

Blog by Pauline Chin (with Brigid Coult)

Photos by Karen Nicholson, Lisa Peters, Tanisha Vincent, Michele Wright

Remembering Friends

Back Pens - everyone loved  Chatter - MW

At the end of each December, we wish each other a Happy New Year – but we also look back at the year just past and remember the triumphs we've won and the trials we’ve survived.  And especially at the Cat Sanctuary, we’ll remember the cats we’ve lost.

SW - Georgie & her Christmas Mouse - MW

We actually memorialize them in the summer at a pot-luck event held at the Sanctuary and attended by humans and cats alike (it can be a little hard to keep them off the tables!)  And part of the event always includes the reading of the names of the cats who have passed in the previous year – a moment that is named for raggedy Chance who got a second chance of life when he came to us. We are reminded of the legend of the Rainbow Bridge, and the cats who are waiting for us to cross as well – and there are always tears and fond memories.

Front - Gilbert, much loved - MW

But remembering Big Personalities who have passed is more common in the media at the turn of the year – so here are just a few of the beloved cats who have been in our care, and have gone on to the Rainbow Bridge.

Moore - Spicer, missed by her buddy Shaggy - MW

In the Moore House, established by and named for our beloved Marianne Moore, most of the cats are seniors (it’s affectionately known as “geriCATrics”), and though we grieve their passing, we know that these are cats who have had their final days with much love from us

Moore - PomPom (BC) & Fluffy (MW) -   both came to us
when they were already seniors

Moore - Jack went from being a cranky aggressive cat
to one who loved being petted - MW

Our FIV+ cats may not ever develop full-blown AIDS, but many of them have lived feral, rough lives before they came to us, and their bodies are more fragile than in the general population

NewAids - Mr Moochie - BC

NewAids - Achilles - MW

The FeLV (feline leukemia) cats’ fragile immune systems mean that we tend them with great care for cleanliness. Of the cats we’ve lost this year, two stand out for me:

OA - Zanda loved to come and cuddle - PH

OA - Cleo was disabled, but gutsy! - MW

Those of us who work in the SingleWide quickly develop our favourites

SW - Zoe was a member of the Dryer Gang - MW

SW - Tammy hated other cats - but loved Shelter Manager Lisa - MW

Some really significant cats in the front courtyard have passed

Brothers Tommy & Pogo were well-loved by everyone - MW

We lost Daniel in 2018; Cloverleaf has gone to be with his buddy - MW

Many of the Double-wide cats who have gone are either seniors (Binky, Deenie) or the cage-top shy ferals (Pixie, Peanut, Mary). The cat that I still subconciously look for is Sativa, whose Manx-Syndrome incontinence brought her to us, and whose human family faithfully visited her every Sunday.

DW - we all got used to cleaning up after Sativa - MW

So many big personalities in small furry bodies in the back courtyard have passed.

PawPaw happily made the transition from an outside pen
to live inside with his buddy Chimo - MW

B/w WobblyBob and his grey buddy Yogi went
within weeks of each other - VL

Terry never let his disability stop him! - PH

And I can’t pass up the chance to memorialize the two I adopted from the Moore house, and had in my care for all too short a time – much loved and not forgotten.

Mr Bojangles and Madame Hooch - MW

Many of these cats came in to us as ferals, and as ferals they would have had short, hard lives. In our care they were loved by staff, volunteers and visitors. Their passing was grieved – but it also left space to accept other homeless cats – ferals, strays, rejects – all of whom are now discovering that life can be good at the Cat Sanctuary.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Phaedra Hardman, Vicki Lo, Michele Wright

Up Is Best

Emery surveys the world - PH

As all good cat-owners know, one of the keys to a happy cat-home is offering your cat a choice of levels on which to rest. Whether that means clearing shelves, installing steps on a wall, or just bringing in a good-sized cat tree, your cat will probably enjoy being above ground-level. For many cats, climbing behaviour is instinctive – it gives them a vantage point to watch for potential danger, and often offers a warmer place to rest.

Towels are warm - so Cole ignores the sign - TV

At the Sanctuary, it’s also one of the means of keeping the peace – cats who might not get on with each other can find different levels on which to co-exist, and the feral cats, in particular, like to stay well out of the way.

Even our handicapped Terry likes to go climbing - MD

All the space is set up with this in mind. In each of the main areas, cages are built with an extensive cage-top surface, well-equipped with bedding – and part of the morning clean-up involves volunteers and staff climbing up to check and change bedding as necessary. Every area has at least one cat-tree – often more than one – and we are most grateful to the donors who bring new ones in. Uninhabited cages are left open and provided with boxes and beds so that shyer cats have upper levels where they can hide.

Comet ready to launch from one cage-top to another - MW

In both the Double and Single-Wide, runs are set up around the room so that cats can choose to stay off the ground if they prefer. Some of the more feral ones may rarely venture down; food and water, litter-boxes and bedding are all within their reach.

exploring on the gazebo roof - BC

When the gazebo was installed in the front courtyard, it didn’t take long before some adventurous souls made their way up through the central lantern and onto the roof; that access has now been blocked

KitKat likes to be on a shoulder - TV

Some cats don’t wait for shelves or cat-trees – KitKat is one of our gate-greeters, and is quite ready to do a vertical take-off to land on an unsuspecting shoulder; she likes to be higher up than all the humans around her. If someone taller comes into range, she’s quite ready to transfer to the higher vantage point.

Skittles loves to show off on his shelf - MW

In all the pens at the back, the cabins contain several sets of shelves, well-equipped with bedding, so that cats can choose their preferred level. And out in the open there are also places where they can climb, and look out over the area with a greater sense of security.

Magnus, Duke and Max sunning outside New Aids - KN

One of the other functions of a cat-tree, of course, is to offer a surface for scratching – both to exercise the claws and to give the cat a chance to stretch their leg and back muscles. In many places around the Sanctuary untreated wood is used for stair and door posts, and there are a few places where there are signs that it will soon need to be replaced.

Albi gets in a good scratch - MW

The best scratching post, of course, is the tree in the back courtyard, and it is well-used both for that purpose and as a vantage-point by a variety of cats.

For a big cat, Leo is an agile climber - MW

Yma feels safer up high - MW

Pico loves to explore heights - MW

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Melanie Draper, Phaedra Hardman,
Tanisha Vincent, Michele Wright

Nothing Stops Terry

Terry came into our care a few months ago, and has walked straight into everyone’s hearts.

MW

This is the second ginger Terry to come our way – Terry (I) was a long-term resident who passed only a few years ago; he was one of those ferals who became half-way tame in his last years.  Terry (II) came to us a couple of months ago as one of many cats who arrived with us because the place he was living couldn’t manage his problems any longer. With some cats, like Ollie, peeing problems occurred because that’s what Ollie wanted to do; with other cats, the peeing is symptomatic of a stress situation at home – a new baby, a barking dog, loud arguments...  Terry’s problem is entirely involuntary: he was hit by a car several years ago. For whatever reason, his injury was not treated properly and his pelvis and legs “healed” in a twisted position that left them entirely stiff. Not surprisingly, he has no control over his bladder and bowels.

DW

I talked to Leslie about him and discovered that Terry is actually an immigrant!  He was picked up  following his accident on a road in some middle eastern country – Leslie wasn’t sure where.  His owner had him for some years, but when she moved, her partner said “Him or me!” She was obviously concerned that surrendering him to a regular shelter would mean he would be put down, and she found a private shelter that was willing to take him on.  The shelter had him well vet-checked and was told that there was nothing to be done now in the way of rehab or corrective surgery. He was much loved there, but living with a cat that has no control is very hard on a home.  So Terry came to us.

JR

For the first while he lived in a cage in the SingleWide.  Immediately he endeared himself to all his visitors, enjoying attention from humans (in his cage) and from cats (sniffing through the mesh).

Terry with visitor - DW

Because of his disability he was set up with a small staircase so he could access the upper level as well as the floor. It’s astonishing to watch him climb – he obviously has developed front-body strength, and effectively he walks on his front paws, using his back legs just to help balance.

The higher, the better! - MD

It was decided that he would probably do better where he had more space to roam; the Single-Wide is limited in area, and though it appeared that the other cats were going to accept him, it would be very difficult for him to get away if another cat took against him.  He was relocated to the Double-Wide, and then released, under a degree of cautious supervision.

Terry exploring with Honey Bear,
who is also disabled - DW

Terry loved being out again. He has no fear of exploring, and can be found roaming the back pens quite happily.

On walkabout - DW

Our concern for the behaviour of other cats was, to some extent, justified. Cats, like people, are not always kind to those who are disabled or different in any way. However, Terry is not afraid of a scrap and is quite ready to defend himself! Unfortunately, two other recent newcomers – Licorice and Digby – seem to have taken him in dislike, and Terry is usually caged at night for his own safety. Currently he’s recovering from an injury inflicted by Licorice;  as a recently-neutered male, the latter is probably reacting to the smell of Terry’s pee, which he perceives as a territorial challenge.

MW

Terry is getting lots of love and attention from the med staff and from the Kitty Comforters – but he’s obviously longing to be out and about the back pens again, or mountaineering his way to the top of the cages.

Blog by Brigid Coult
Photos by Melanie Draper, Jenny Reid, Debbie Wolanski, Michele Wright