Randy

We've got our share of classically beautiful, photogenic cats at the sanctuary. And, while I just don't feel right calling any cat ugly, there are some who could safely be described, not without affection, as kind of goofy looking.

Meet Randy.

This senior cat is FIV positive and lives in the New AIDS building. His right eye has a blown out pupil and he's had enough tooth extractions over time that his tongue tends to slide out between his gums and loll to one side. Add to this a purring, lightly drooling look of love and the result is an endearingly goofy expression.

Interestingly, Randy only turned into a purring love seeker after coming to the sanctuary. Before that, he'd been living at a RAPS feeding site for years, first fed by Carol and then by a volunteer named Louise. When Louise passed away a number of years ago, Carol had Randy brought to the sanctuary to be looked after.

Having spent most of his life living in the bushes and having only limited contact with humans, Randy was not used to being touched and initially wasn't comfortable with people getting too close to him. Over time, though, staff and volunteers got him used to human contact. Now, he can be quite disappointed if visitors to the New AIDS don't include him in their visit list.

Garrity

Garrity is a senior semi-feral cat who I got to meet because she's been given a cage in the doublewide where she's under observation following some weight loss.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I first went in her cage to give her dinner and refresh her water, but was pleasantly surprised to find she's quite a sweetie. She's a little nervous when first approached, but soon gives herself over to being softed and even start up a pretty decent purr.

On Monday, when famous med cage interloper and med staff leg-clawer Spike had been confined to a another cage by a frustrated Leslie, he found himself bunking with Garrity. Interestingly (and rather endearingly), both cats decided to embrace the arrangement and were soon contently sharing a blanket and allowing me to stroke them both at once.

I was interested in the origins of the name "Garrity," as it's an unusual one. Marianne remembers when the little cat arrived at the sanctuary several years ago, she would get sometimes get referred to as "that ugly dark tortie." Thinking this hardly seemed right, she gave her the name of someone she used to know who had been so-named "because her last name was Smith and her parents wanted her to have a distinctive first name." Marianne says she always thought it was a great name and "somehow suited the little cat."

Garrity used to hiss when approached, but Marianne agrees she's turned into a sweetie who's "still a bit shy but fast on the purr when given some gentle pats."


Updated April 18, 2011: Her health finally failing her, Garrity left us today. She was a sweetheart and will be missed.

Tiaz

I was introduced to Tiaz as a cat who may be almost as big as Rita was when she came in last summer.

Tia arrived at the sanctuary last week, brought in by people who said she was a stray they'd been feeding but couldn't anymore.

I'm suspecting she must have had some bad matts in her fur that needed taking care of when RAPS took over her care, as when she stood up from her bed to get a little further away from my scary big camera and the accompanying flash, this is the view I was treated to:

Even without having a camera pointed at her, Tiaz is still pretty uncertain about her new surroundings and the humans that come with them. If I approached very quietly and gently, she did let me present a finger tip for a brief sniff. But there ended the interview.

For now, anyway.

Kaslo

Debbie has just introduced me to a cat she's fallen in love with. And no wonder - Kaslo is both lovable and loving.

What is a cause for wonder is why Kaslo is friendly at all, let along a little lovebug that will sit in a stranger's lap more readily than my own cats will sit in mine.

Kaslo is thought to be around seven months old and grew up under a bush at a feeding site that Debbie visits. She's known Debbie since she was around six weeks old. Recognizing Debbie's voice, she'd appear at the promise of food only to run away again if approached.

Trapped and spayed and brought to the sanctuary, most cats (tame strays as well as ferals) would want to hide for as long as permitted in the carrier left in the cage with them. For Kaslo, before long she was out of the carrier and sitting next to it, trying to get a look at any cats to be seen through the cage door.

She allows herself to be stroked, not just by Debbie, but by anyone at the sanctuary. She likes playing with her toys. She's interested in the other cats and still spends time sitting on the floor by the door of her cage for some cat-watching.

She was a little uncertain about Debbie picking her up, but trusted her enough to let herself be held without the mad flailing that a lot of older, tamer cats engage in while they get used to the idea of this whole being cuddled business. I got a similar reaction when I scooped her up and set her in my lap. She started by looking up at me with big wide "?" eyes and finished stretched out and happily kneading the air.

All this from a young [semi]feral who lived under a bush.

Debbie says Kaslo should be quite adoptable, but recommends her to people who have experience with feral cats and who will be certain to keep her indoors.

Patterson

This big orange stray inherited his name from Patterson Road where he was found.

A couple had been feeding him in their yard for a number of months. They even asked RAPS to neuter him with the idea that he could continue living around their house.

When an unfortunate appearance by a raccoon caused Patterson to take fright and scratch the woman, she promptly rethought the arrangement and decided she would prefer RAPS to take him.

And we love him already. Tough to photograph when I visited him earlier this week because of a strong tendency to stand on or near my feet and purr, Patterson went on to celebrate our meeting with a little dance punctuated by a headbutt or two.

Sasha

Sasha is such a pretty girl that her picture is featured on the cat sanctuary home page.

photo provided by RAPS

Many who see her feel an urge to snap a picture or two, a burden she accepts most gracefully. Sometimes she even seems to put some thought into striking the prettiest pose.

 photo by Barbara Doduk

But the deal ends there. There is to be no touching of the cat, thank you very much.

Sasha came to RAPS as a kitten, but she never really lost her skittishness around people. She is the sister of Riley from the front courtyard, who, in contrast to Sasha, is tame and friendly enough that he was able to go and live with one of our former volunteers... at least until he developed an unfortunate habit of peeing where he shouldn't and had to be returned to the sanctuary.

Sasha has remained, for me anyway, a look-but-don't-touch kitty. Has anyone else had luck getting more than a fingertip to nosetip before she scoots off to a safer distance?

Katie

Katie was found with her kittens hear Alfred's farm, says the sign on the door of her cage in the doublewide.

She's tame, but was scared enough when she first came in at the end of September that she could have been mistaken by some for a feral. By now, she's settled in enough that it doesn't take much more than a smile and a few soft words to bring out a solid purr and get her rubbing her face against her blanket in anticipation of being stroked.

Give her the love she asks for, and she's a very happy girl.

Updated November 2010: Katie has gone to the No. 5 Road shelter to give her a chance to be adopted.