Double-Wide Kramer

Kramer  (BC)

In the last few months, volunteers have been asking “who is that beautiful cat in the DoubleWide?” - and the cat in question usually turns out to be our handsome Kramer.

Showing off the tail floof   (DJ)

Kramer is the second cat by that name – his predecessor was also tabby and fluffy, but preferred the outdoor life in Pen 5; this boy likes the comforts of warmth and cosy beds and food at hand.  He’s a big handsome boy with a magnificent floof of a tail, and he reminds me very much of big tabby Zander, who was a resident of the Sanctuary when I first came here.

He likes to be by the door, where he can get a little attention  (BC)

We don’t know a lot about Kramer’s background; he’s about 8-9 years old, and has been surrendered twice, for no fault of his own.  The first time was in 2021, when his human family moved and couldn’t take their cats, so Kramer and his housemates came into our care.  He was adopted again at the end of December 2021 and went to a household where he was living with a younger cat, Riker.  In the early summer of 2023, both cats returned to us because of some sort of family crisis, and they took up residence in semi-detatched cages in the DW.  Gradually it became clear that though the two tolerated each other, they were not bonded, and Riker was really a people-cat – looking for laps, enjoying belly-rubs – so he was transferred out for adoption, and Kramer remained with us.

Kramer with younger "bro" Riker   (BC)

What was obvious was that once he was out of the cage, Kramer just bloomed – he was very comfortable in new surroundings, and is disdainfully tolerant of other cats.  He’s not anti-people in any way – there’s no aggression in him and he’s quite willing to accept a little petting. But it’s usually just a little petting, and then he turns away and says “enough, already!”  He has a bit of asthma, and tolerates the med-staff giving him a dose from the puffer.

Waiting for the door to be opened  (BC)

Interestingly, for a cat with such confidence, until recently he opted not to go outside at all. In fact, for a while he rarely negotiated the swinging door into the laundry room, preferring to wait for a human doorkeeper to open it for him. Most of the other cats have learned to push through, or to hook with a paw and pull the other way – Kramer would rather call for a butler.  But recent sunny days, with everyone deserting the DoubleWide, led him to braving both the door and the cat-door, and exploring the back courtyard. 

Not so sure about this outside exploring thing...  (BC)

He stopped to have a drink at a newly-filled waterbowl, and have a little face-off with Jasper – interestingly, it was Jasper who backed down without much fuss. A side-trip into the Tea-Room presented him with a lot of orange floof around the dinner-plate, and he avoided them and explored outside the side-door. A trip up the stairs and into Newcomers gave him a quiet encounter with Ollie, before he retraced his steps and crossed over to Pen 6. He ignored all the other cats around – very much The Cat Who Walks By Himself – but finally decided that he needed to return to the quiet of his own space in the DoubleWide.

Doing a little cat-yoga in comfort  (LBF)

Aspects of Kramer’s personality remind me of my own boy, who’s not a clingy cat, liking his own space and his own schedule, and who has only recently progressed to being on the lap, rather than beside the lap. Kramer has his favourite beds, his usual turf, and a few people that he tolerates – most of the other cats might as well not exist for him. He’s not an assertively “Garbo-cat” resident, but would probably do well in a quiet home where he’s the only cat, and can establish his territory without feline interference.  And if it never happens? - well, he’s already showing that he can settle to a comfortable life in the Sanctuary.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, Daphne Jorgenson

Encountering Figaro

Figaro  (MW)

This handsome boy with the distinctive markings has been with us about seven years, and has established himself as a central figure in the front courtyard.

...tucked away safely  (MD)

He came from a Sunshine Coast shelter that had to close, and when he arrived he was wary and not ready to come for coaxing. Arm’s-length was tolerated, tossing treats was appreciated, but petting was not something he was ready for. What he did enjoy was the company of other cats.  

Figaro and Reefer snuggle together  (KN)

There were several others who came from the same place, and many of the older ones have now passed: Wickem, Gidget and HunnyBun all lived in the front courtyard;  old-lady SweetPea is still with us. She too is a semi-feral, but on the shyer end of the spectrum.  Figaro’s friend Reefer likes to play, but he also is not much into being petted.

The favourite wall pose  (MW)

Figaro, though, has become very social. He’s always been part of the Boys Club in the front area, and can be found with a variety of feline buddies, but he’s also settled to being handled by humans.  He likes best to be up a level, and mooches shamelessly from the coping around the small trees, dancing in place to attract attention.  He will hop up on the benches and beg for treats, occasionally settling in a lap, though he prefers to be snuggled beside the volunteer or visitor in question.

Playing "king" in the gazebo   (KN)

He roams the whole front courtyard area, and may be found in any of the shelters, though recently I’ve been finding him with the papasan chair crowd at the top of the stairs. If there are handouts, Figaro will be out there – getting hyped on cat-nip, nibbling on cat-grass, chasing a rolling dental treat and playing with it before crunching down. 

pensive...   (KN)

Figaro is the perfect example of a cat that might be adoptable, but who is definitely happier where he is – feline friends, room to roam safely, treats and attention – but not ready to bond with anyone or to give up all the advantages of what I’m sure he feels is the ideal life at the Sanctuary.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Melanie Draper, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

Adopted - adoptable...

Smithy is the quintessential non-adoptable cat!  KN

For many years, visitors to the Cat Sanctuary have had the cats introduced as “unadoptable” – and for many of them, that’s just what they are:  scared ferals, cats with bad habits like aggression or litter-box avoidance, and cats with a variety of medical problems. When I first came to volunteer, we did minimal adoptions – perhaps ten in a year – and most of those went to volunteers who had bonded with the cats in question.

Both Twinks (formerly Peony) and Scooter (formerly Larkin)
came from the Sanctuary  (BJ)

But we’ve always had a number of what I would call stage-two ferals – cats who had come in wild and unsociable, and who had gradually eased into loving relationship with staff and volunteers. A great deal of the wariness about adopting out these semi-ferals came out of experiences where cats (Esme & Jenny, for instance) were adopted out, and then totally freaked out in their new homes, cramming themselves into inaccessible corners, and reverting to their former feral behaviour. In those situations, staff from RAPS went out to re-rescue the fearful cats, who were returned to the Sanctuary, to remain there for the rest of their lives.

The formerly feral Horatio became Louise's lap-cat (MW)

Looking back, it is easy to see that a number of steps were missed – there was not enough time given for the cats in question to bond with the adopter, there was no education about the adoption process, and there was no remedial action other than retrieving the cats. The mindset was on rescue and not on other possibilities.  Thanks to the work that has been done by cat behaviorists in the last decade, and experts like Jackson Galaxy and Pam Johnson-Bennett, we know much more about the processes that will work, from both ends of the adoption process.

75% of feral kittens don't survive to 6 months;
these babies will live, thanks to Lisa & Ken    (LBW)

The Adoption Centre deals primarily with the outcome of our rescue work; any time the team brings in a colony, there are practically always pregnant moms and kittens. We are lucky to have several wonderful fosterers who will watch over births, help new moms, and teach kittens that humans are to be trusted. When the kittens are old enough for adoption, they are brought to the Adoption Centre, where they can be visited; their adoption fees cover the cost of all their vaccinations and spay/neutering, for which their families bring them back to the RAPS Hospital.

Ernie, missing his Bert   (KN)

But though kittens are the biggest draw for visitors, they’re not the only inhabitants. We also take in surrendered cats, coming to us for a variety of reasons – usually humans who are no longer able to care for them. A senior pair, called Bert and Ernie, came in to us recently – very loveable and very unhappy about the change in their situation. They were checked over – there were some concerns about Ernie’s health – and caged together, with a request to the Kitty Comforters that they should be visited. Sadly, it was Bert whose health suddenly failed, and poor Ernie was left alone. Thankfully, someone stepped up, and Ernie has happily gone to a foster home where he will be well-loved for the rest of his life.

Benjamin & Olivia - gone to their new home  (BC)

While saying goodbye to Ernie, I heard that Benjamin and Olivia had also been adopted, which is wonderful news after all they’ve been through. The next cat in the Adoption Centre that we’ll all be rooting for is Greyson, discovered to have an infected eye probably caused in a fight; Greyson’s now one-eyed, but once recovered, will be someone’s beloved feline – he’s very chatty and friendly.

Greyson is loving the chance to explore, as he recovers  (ML)

Busy as the Adoption Centre is, some of the adoptable Sanctuary cats remain in the Sanctuary itself.  We are still hoping for homes for Whiskers and his brother Jinx, though the presence of other cats is starting to lead to some "stress pee-ing". But weekend visitors from the end of March will also encounter a variety of cats wearing “adoption bandanas”. These are not cats that we want anyone to point at, and say “I want that one!”, but they are cats that we hope visitors will sit down with, and get to know – preferably with repeated visits to give the cat a chance to bond with the human.  Sometimes we can ID the perfect cat for you – I still smile to think about how Strike “claimed” his new person last year, and how happy Elvis is with his family.

We miss our handsome Strike - but we know
he's happy in his new home   (KN)

Some of the potentially adoptable cats are still new to us, and finding their way – Truffle, Malibu and their crowd; some are part of the FIV cat community, and are not seen by all the visitors, but just love attention – Biggie, Simon, Billy Ray...  Even a couple of the FIV cats are adoptable by someone who can give them the special care they need.

Biggie loves nothing better than a good cuddle (BH)

What they all have in common is that any potential adoption needs a great deal of patience and time; most of them will not go home with you and settle in as if nothing has happened. The 3-3-3 rule is a really good one to bear in mind:
    • In the first three days: mostly in a quiet small space, with litterbox, bed and toys; let them approach you
    • In the first three weeks: allowing exploration at the cat’s pace, establishing a routine, finding a vet
    • by three months: comfortable with their space and their people, starting training

Some cats will adjust faster, but the failures usually happen when they are expected to do so more quickly, as with sweet Holly last year – her family returned her without giving her time to acclimate to a new environment – they wanted the relationship to be “right now”, and she was still scared. 

Holly's happier back with her cat-family  (KN)

The volunteers remain in prime position to bond with adoptable cats. I’ve not had a chance to blog about sweet Mortimer (mostly because he’s a black cat, and they’re notoriously difficult to get good photographs of!), but he came to us recently as a pretty reactive and sassy tom-cat, has had his neuter, and blossomed into a lap-cat (and an under-the-feet cat); he’s being adopted by a volunteer who fell in love with him while working in the DoubleWide. 

Chubby-cheeks Mortimer  (BC)

So if you’re coming to visit the Sanctuary from Easter weekend onwards and are thinking about adopting, think also about the personality that would attract you – do you want shy and gentle? active and inquisitive? a lap-sitter or a little aloof? a loner or cat-sociable? And then take your time to allow the cat to learn that you can be trusted to give them all they need to feel loved for the rest of their life.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Lisa Brill-Friesen, Brigid Coult, Brielle Hutchison,
 Bev Johnston, Mandy Lichtmann, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright

Boston

Boston - "it's a lovely day, and I'm in a grumpy mood"  (KN)

Last fall our cat-trapping team had their attention seriously divided between a hoarding situation in Surrey and another cat-colony that appeared in Richmond in an industrial area. The hoarding situation was solved with the involvement of the SPCA and other rescue organizations; RAPS took in at least half a dozen cats who were semi-tame, are now well settled into Sanctuary life and might even graduate to eventual adoption.  

The Christmas kittens - always cute!

The group from the industrial area were a very mixed bunch. There were several unneutered males, and inevitably pregnant moms and kittens to deal with. Many of the latter are up for adoption now – the Christmas kittens, named for Santa’s reindeer, and the Weather kittens – Storm, Lightning & Thunder Life in the Adoption Centre is busy! Some of the adults were easy with being handled; others were wary, so it’s hard to tell who might be a stray, with previous experience of humans, and who might be a true feral. 

Cheech has settled; mostly in the Connor House (BC)

Tamale still spends most of his time hiding  (KN)
He just HAS to be Boston's brother!

As is our custom, all new cats are snap-tested when they come to us, and with unneutered males, it was not surprising to find that at least one was FIV+ - FIV is passed on through bite wounds, which are common with cats who may fight over territory or potential mates. Chicharron and Tamale got a clean bill of health and were eventually released into the front courtyard, but Boston found himself living in the New Aids pen. Initially he was caged while he had his neuter surgery, and then of course he had the joy of wearing a “cone of shame”. First clue that this was not a typical feral – med-staff Molly tells me that when it came time to remove his collar, it had stuck and she had to take scissors to it. Removing a plastic collar from a feral cat is not a fun activity, but Boston was pretty calm (not happy, but calm!)

Boston's early "don't come too close" days  (KC)

On release from a cage our New Aids newbies either go up on the top of the cages to be out of reach, or they go to the back of the pen, to the Prince of Wales enclosure (named for the school that donated it, not for HRH!). Boston was a back-of-the-pen boy, and could often be found in company with black Drake and orange Rocket. Rocket (brother to Sprocket in the back pens, and probably cousin to Mercury next door) has progressed from a frightened feral to a pet-me-pet-me boy – though you have to move quietly. Drake does NOT like human company, as you can see by his flattened ears – but he does seem to like Boston’s company, and can often be found near his buddy.

Boston, with Drake in the background  (BC)

In the finer fall weather, Boston could often be found up on the roof of one of the cabins – whether getting away from things, or bird-watching, who knows...  Once it was colder he took possession of a cat-tree in P-of-W, and there he held court, establishing the centre for claiming his human worshippers.

An elegant gentleman in a tux  (BC)

Katy Cobb is the volunteer who works in New Aids on Tuesday evenings, and this boy has become a very special project for her.  She writes:
When I first met Boston in the summer he was a pretty typical feral guy. He would often hiss at me from the roof of the shed, and take off running if I got too close. When the weather got cooler, he traded the roof for an indoor cat post but he was still quite shy and never seemed too happy to see me. 

Seriously? You want to be my friend?  (KC)

I started giving him treats, and eventually cautiously tried petting him. He was initially skeptical and even whacked my hand a couple of times but I sensed he wanted to be friendly and just didn’t know how yet.  After several more weeks of consistent treat offerings, he started to accept cheek rubs. And the floodgates opened. He can’t get enough! He loves being brushed, and even likes belly rubs. He leans his whole body against me while purring and headbutting me for even more attention. 

Shy, but hopeful  (KC)

Lately I’ve been seeing if he’d like to become a truly snuggly lap cat. He’s definitely interested and I’m slowly winning his trust. So far he has committed to putting his front two paws on my lap while leaving his back paws on the floor. Fingers crossed he’ll be a full lap cat soon! 

Yes, I like this...   (KC)

Some cats are affectionate right away, and those cats are lovely. But once in a while there’s a hidden gem with a rough exterior who needs some patience and understanding to come out of their shell. Boston has so much love to give, and I can’t wait to see him fully embrace it.     (KC)

Blog by Brigid Coult and Katy Cobb (thank you, Katy!)

Photos by Katy Cobb, Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson

KCs At Work

Raisin - a pen 4 feral girl   (KN)

Visitors who come to the Sanctuary at the weekend are often astonished and delighted by the number of cats who come to greet them.  What they will not see are the cats who are hidden away – either by their own choice as ferals, or because they are caged. Cages are not what the Sanctuary is about – but they are occasionally a tool to lead to something better for the cats. Most of our felines are here either because they are feral or because they have been surrendered. If they are immediately adoptable, then they will go to the Adoption Centre – but many of them are not ready for that when they come to us. 

When Creampuff came to us, she spent most
of her time hiding behind a drape   (BC)

Because a new cat needs to be assessed, and have all its vaccinations current before it is released into the general population, it will often spend 4-6 weeks in a cage. There is always a drape or a carrier or somewhere that they can hide.  Some cats are happy to be hidden away in a quiet dark place – but that doesn’t help them when they finally emerge. So there is a team of volunteers who will happily spend time sitting quietly in a cage, allowing the cats to learn that humans are not always scary.

Marianne & friends - by Selena Marchetti

The team of Kitty Comforters was the creation of the late Marianne Moore, a longtime Sanctuary volunteer, who passed in 2018. Six years before that, she established a group of “cat-whisperers”, volunteers who had proved themselves to be calm and patient and occasionally willing to be scratched or bitten by a scared cat. The team is still operating under the leadership of Anne Marchetti, and they appear faithfully each afternoon to spend time with cats who are receiving medical care, cats who are new to the Sanctuary, and some of our shyer inhabitants. 

Food bribery   (LBF)

Sometimes kitty-comforting time involves food bribery, or gentle grooming; sometimes it may be no more than a quiet voice. We learn which are the cats that are aggressive in their fear, and which are the ones who will only hide. Most of our time is spent with caged cats, but we also look for the shyer cats who live in the open pens, and connect with them as much as we can. Kitty Comforting is about much more than just having fun with your favourite cats; it’s about searching out the ones who need us, and establishing trust by whatever means we can.  Most of the KC’s have done their share of cleaning and feeding, and are known by Anne to be really patient and persistent in reaching out to scared cats.

Shy Tibby hid in her cage for weeks;
now she's out, and much more confident  (AA)

My recent KC session began with a visit to the Adoption Centre, where Benjamin and Olivia are still awaiting someone to offer them a home. Benjamin came out for a visit and some cuddling; Olivia has a bit of a cold, and stayed in her bed. From there, I paid a visit to the SingleWide offices, which are much quieter than usual, with a lot of the admin transferred to the Adoption Centre. Mojo and Licorice like the quiet, but they also need some stimulation and love. They have been joined recently by pretty Tibby, surrendered for inappropriate urination, and, like Oscar and Winston, on a diet to see if there is a physical basis to her problem. Licorice believes firmly that all visitors come to see him, and took exception to my paying attention to Tibby by backing up and peeing on my leg – sometimes a penalty of being around our cats!

Li'l Bit outside the DW deck   (KN)

A quick visit with Oscar and Winston and a check in to compare notes with fellow KC Catherine, on her own rounds, and then I moved to the back pens for a bit, checking in there with Lisa who is one of the “magic people” with ferals. She has been working with shy Raisin in Pen 4, who still hides away from everyone else.  We are watching for a gradual relocation of some of the Cranbrook College cats who base themselves on the high shelves on the DoubleWide deck, but who have also discovered the cat-door and the potential for visits to the back pens. We will occasionally see Li'l Bit and Foster exploring in Pen 3 – though their explorations tend to be around sunrise or sunset, when there are fewer humans around. 

Sweet Audi is beginning to be curious about us  (BC)

There are more caged cats in the DW because it’s closest to the med-staff. Some of the cages still bear “Staff Access Only” signs; in a few of those cases, Anne may let us know that the KCs do have access to start the familiarization process. Sometimes we’ll barely see the cats in question, who have places to hide and prefer to use them with strangers – sometimes the offer of a treat will be met with a well-placed claw, or with warning hisses. With these cats, little and often is the key; they need to discover that humans may feel scary, but don’t intend them any harm.

Sylar enjoying petting  (BC)

From visiting with shy Audi, I move next door to visit with an old friend. Sylar has been my sponsor cat for years. He’s a very wary feral who loves his chicken, and has progressed to occasionally accepting it from the hand, though he prefers to have it tossed to him. Currently he’s in for observation; he’s lost some weight and has become pretty matted, so I hope blood tests will show the problem. As always, there is fierce hissing as I enter his cage. Because I know that he knows me, I loop his drape back so that he has nowhere to hide; I offer his favourite chicken and he accepts it without biting my fingers. Very carefully I hold tidbits in my right hand and pet him with my left; he allows it without protest, and the bum comes up as I pet down his body. By the time I leave him, he’s allowing petting (but not grooming) without hissing. I suspect, though, that once he’s out, he’ll be back to not permitting touch!

Sometimes the best Kitty Comforter is another cat -
Denzel is being visited by his buddy Luke    (BC)

I visit with sweet Denzel, who’s had dental surgery and is caged so that he only eats wet catfood for a while, and with Mortimer, who’s just out of a cage; Mortimer came to us as an unneutered tomcat and was a little reactive while he waited for release. Now the hormones are under control and he has his freedom, he’s become one of the cuddle-bugs on the DW couch.

Espoir is listening, but doesn't want to interact  (BC)

One more scared cat to visit, and I return to the front courtyard to be with Espoir in the Hill House. She pretends I’m not there and hides behind her cat-tree; it’s too soon to push her for contact, so I just sit and talk with her for a bit. There’s a series of interested visitors at the door; many of the Hill House cats enjoy company, both human and feline, and Espoir will not be a total stranger to them by the time she’s finally allowed out.

Magnus (front) and Jim  (GA)

My shift is finally over as the evening feeders-and-scoopers start to appear – I stretch my time with a short visit to my buddies in the Val Jones pen. The porch chair is vacant, and as soon as I sit down, Magnus and Jim occupy my lap. These guys don’t need the work we put into the more scared cats, but they do need us to spend some time with them because the Val Jones is closed off as an FIV pen – they just need to know they’re not forgotten, and most of the regular volunteers will happily spend time with them as well.

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Graham Akira, Alicia Almeida, Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson

Fuzzy Bros

Oscar & Winston   (BC)

What can you do with a couple of British Shorthair and Longhair cats other than give them the very British names of Oscar and Winston?

Oscar and Winston when they arrived at the Sanctuary - 
skinny and shorn...    (BC)

These two came into our care before Christmas. Both came to us having had a short haircut to help deal with a case of fleas, but their fur is growing again, and Winston will soon be the Longhair that originally came to us. They’re probably not purebred – they both have the pushed-in face of a Persian (Winston more than Oscar), but that may be accidental genetics, since the British Longhair is a mix of British Shorthair and Persian. The Persian element may explain the haircut – Persians usually need daily brushing to maintain their fur and discourage matting, and once they mat, all you can do it shave it out!

Oscar is serious, but no grouch....  (KN)

Initially these boys were surrendered to the Adoption Centre in 2022 when their owner passed away, and they were adopted out a month later. Sadly, Oscar started peeing outside the litter box, and with a new baby imminent, the family decided that they couldn’t deal with the problem, and the pair were returned to us. In fact, Oscar was probably in pain and avoiding the litterbox, where he felt the most pain. This is why the experts tell us to get the cat to the vet when there’s a pee-ing-outside-the-box problem – sometimes the reason is physical or situational, and not just the cat being “bad”.

Enjoying outside-cage time   (MW)

Oscar has idiopathic cystitis. “Idiopathic” just means that we don’t know what causes the cystitis flare-up, but low-mineral prescription food will help to prevent formation of crystals or stones, which can increase inflammation. Since they came to us, both Winston and Oscar have been on a prescription diet, and seem to be doing really well.

Winston has amazing poofy feet   (KN)

Oscar is the “blue” brother; he likes to come for petting, but he’s also one of those cats for whom petting leads to “I gotta eat!”, and he heads for the food bowl. Winston is the silver boy; he likes a little lap-time, but prefers to sit beside you to be petted. They're around 9 years old, definitely a bonded pair, and we’re thankful that their former owners recognized the bond and didn’t try to split them up, returning both of them to our care. The two of them were caged in the Single-Wide office initially, but were then moved into one of larger Single-Wide cages, giving them much more room, and more human company.

... and is showing himself to be playful,
now they're out of the cage   (MW)

These sweet boys are very people-friendly. Their breed is known for their easy-going, tolerant nature, stocky bodies and poofy feet! Though Winston is a “Longhair”, in fact the coat is only semi-longhair, but dense; he will need regular grooming to keep the part-Persian coat in good condition. 

Winston's original admission picture;
we can see there's still lots of hair to grow!

Our staff are now working out what will be best for them. They could probably manage on the regular cat food shared by the other Single-Wide cats, but the prescription food is more likely to prevent a recurrence of the cystitis. However, that means keeping them separated from the other cats. Currently they are having out-of-cage visiting time with the other cats, and we’ll see if the evening feed can be kept apart. 

"Don't look now, but she's taking a picture..."  (BC)

What they really need is a home with a cat-savvy owner who can feed them the special diet, and who knows to watch for the signs of trouble and react quickly. That may mean a fosterage situation, or a foster-to-adopt one. If you know anyone looking to bring some feline British aristocracy into their home, please contact our Shelter Manager!

Bonded brothers   (BC)

Blog by Brigid Coult

Photos by Brigid Coult, Karen Nicholson, Michele Wright