Settled in for a Long Winter Nap...

I thought I'd give you an update on some of the kitties. I have not been able to get any pictures of Foxy, although she is comfortable with me seeing her now. I still get a little hiss from her when I put her meal down but a few mornings she has let a little meow slip out as well! She has less of a grumpy face too. Could be Stockholm syndrome, or maybe she is starting to like the set-up here?

Bunny, who is a perfect cat but sadly remained overlooked at the shelter because of her age, is still doing great. She cuddles with the other kitties and allo-grooms me and the kitties. Sara is out and about in the room and the Catio all the time, unless there are people other than me around. She has discovered a toy that gets her to push a ball around a ring and really gets into it. She doesn't like me to see her doing that but I love watching how happy she is when she plays. 

As the year winds down, I am thinking about all the people who have helped and supported us on our mission to create Flower Feline Sanctuary. All of these "cat people" love to see cats who haven't had the best of luck so far learn and grow to be happy, healthy and playing just like I do. Sanctuaries can only house a very small fraction of the animals who need a safe haven, but hopefully we send the message to society that these animals matter and inspire other caring people to continue to care. 

Thank you to everyone who has contributed in whatever way to help Flower Feline Sanctuary help kitties. We hope to see you in 2019!

Bunny will hypnotize you with her eyes!

Adian, Cole and Bunny enjoy a heated bed on a very comfortable sofa

Sara in one of her favorite beds (heated and near a heat vent)

What a Fun Day!

Thanks to everyone who came up to the island for our recent event! While some of the kitties hid because they are only used to their caretakers, others enjoyed the attention. Riley especially loved meeting new people, being admired, and having his picture taken. He is our most outgoing personality here, although he can be somewhat aggressive with people.

It's good for the kitties to see new people so they have less anxiety when they have to see people, such as during a vet visit. Bramwell and Christina likely didn't have adequate handling and socialization when they were kittens but were still around people, so they are shy but not feral. Ellie simply prefers some people over others and to do her thing. Foxy, our newest kitty, is a true feral and is finally allowing me to see her after being here for 6 weeks now. She still lets out a big hiss when I put her food down for her! I know it will be a long time before Foxy lets her guard down and feels comfortable with me being even remotely close by. I realize it literally could be years before she allows me to touch her. Sara, in the senior room of the house, is "letting her hair down" - I caught her playing with a toy when she thought I wasn't looking. So each kitty settles in at their own pace and hopefully, eventually, finds some joy in life. 

Riley is mesmerized by a toy

Ellie with a sanctuary guest

Next Event at FFS Dec.1st

Flower Feline Sanctuary is hosting a casual chili dinner on December 1st, 11am-4pm
(chili served at noon). $25 suggested donation. Come and meet other kitty lovers, take a tour of the sanctuary, play Cat Trivia, and enjoy a full vegan meal. Lunch will be served inside but if weather permits we will make s'mores outside!

Please RSVP to diane@kittystarservices.com

Sweet Bramwell

Sara

Sara is out newest resident to Flower Feline Sanctuary. This beautiful seal point Siamese was available for adoption at a large area shelter for several months after being surrendered from the same home our kitty Bunny lived in.  My guess is that the stress of confinement and lack of social engagement made Sara act unfriendly towards people and also given that she's 10 years old, potential adopters passed over her. Sara is clearly traumatized by her change in living situation and spends her days in a cupboard. She even eats her meals in the cupboard, which is fine because she is on a weight loss plan and this allows for strict portion control. At night she comes out to sit in a "safe spot" like the tall kitty condo in the photo above. She will accept treats but will not allow touching (yet). I am confident that taking the slow and steady approach will win Sara's heart eventually and she will tolerate (and enjoy) pets and brushing. I would love to be able to take some more photos of this gorgeous girl too. I will keep you all posted!

A Lovely Fall Day

The kitties are enjoying the clear, sunny skies as of late. They are settled in as plans are being made for a few more kitties to join them. Feliway plug-in Comfort Zone and flower remedies help them adjust to newcomers.

What is a typical day like for them at Flower Feline Sanctuary? The day starts with breakfast fairly early. There is no free feeding here so everyone has their own bowl of canned/Rad Cat raw/maybe a few crunches for texture. After breakfast, the humans do the tidying up while the kitties maybe nibble grass. We make sure the bird feeder is filled for them to watch birdies. Bunnies, deer and coyotes also frequently wander through the property. Later during the day we have play time outside if its not too wet. Afterward the kitties get a treat - usually a freeze-dried salmon or chicken piece. Then Riley and I might have a cuddle on the settee. As difficult as Riley can be, he is a very affectionate guy. Dinner is around 5 PM, the same routine, which the kitties appreciate. Some evenings they have a special treat of poached salmon. Depending on the weather, the kitties may hang out outside and catch bugs or go up in their loft if it's chilly. (If they have visitors most of the kitties will retreat to the loft.) I'm happy to report that it's a pretty sweet deal here for these kitties!

Christina in her fall colors

Ellie and Christina

Riley in a rare relaxed moment

Waiting for the toy action...

Yes, Riley is a very large cat!

Meet Riley!

Handsome Riley has come to live at the sanctuary after spending 5 months in a shelter. He is a poor candidate for a barn home because he is an completely domesticated kitty who likely lived a strictly indoor life for his first nine years of life. Riley is a special needs kitty in that he becomes highly charged and gets over exuberant with any social exchanges and with other cats. He will hiss, growl, swat and possibly bite if people do not respect his limits and allow him to control the touching. He will not allow his nails to be trimmed and his veterinary exam (which I was not involved in) had to be undertaken while he was sedated. Sadly, his dominant attitude has not made him any feline friends. 

Riley is physically healthy, has no special diet requirements and is very affectionate in his own way. Even though the mission of Flower Feline Sanctuary is not to rehome cats, I would love to place him in a "real" home if the right person or family appeared. He would need to be an only pet, not be allowed to freely roam outside, and not be around kids or anyone who cannot accurately read his behavior and appreciate his extreme sensitivity. Most people who understand cats to this extent already have multiple cats or a cat who needs to be an "only," so finding this fantasy home is probably like winning the lottery. But I am positing the possibility to the universe because truthfully, he creates some tension for the other cats. Riley can act like a jerk but he is also lovable and adorable. One person has speculated that Riley was probably raised as an only kitten and didn't develop proper feline social skills. He may have been abused or treated roughly. All we really know is that his guardian shrugged off responsibility and deposited him at a shelter, which fortunately is a no-kill facility. Every cat has a history we cannot know; all we can give them is some autonomy to be who they are (while being safe) while providing comfort and reassurance that we will always be there for them.

Happily Ever Esther, Two Men, A Wonder Pig, and their Life-Changing Mission to Give Animals a Home is a darling story that made me both cry and laugh. The authors, Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter, move from a small house in the city to a dilapidated farm in the country to give Esther more space and also start a sanctuary for other farmed animals. I moved from my small house in the city to acreage in the county to start a cat sanctuary and experienced many of the same "challenges" my first year in. Snowed in with a stuck car on a hill and no AWD? Check! Freezing temps and a broken furnace? Check! No pizza delivery within miles? Check! "People often think about giving it all up and just moving to a farm. It's an old cliche. Everything will be wonderful, they think. And in theory, sure - it sounds great... The realities of actually closing up shop on the life you've always known and moving to a farm - when, by the way, you have actually never been a farmer - are frantic, crazy, and potentially insane," the authors point out. So true.

Since I am not a big social media user, I wasn't aware of Esther's fame and how wildly popular she is. This is an interesting phenomena given that many people in the U.S. still eat pigs. (Over 100 million pigs are killed for food in this country each year; see Humane Society of the United States.) Only nine states have legislation regarding sow crates, which completely inhibit movement of mother pigs while they have nursing piglets. None of these nine states are the high pork production states and not all of the states have phased in the industry changes yet. In contrast, the European Union phased out sow crates, routine tail docking, tethering and sought to improve floor surfaces over a period of years by 2013. Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary, like most sanctuaries for animals traditionally farmed for food, allows Esther to act as a diplomat for her species to help people see these animals as individuals. While some folks say that developing a relationship with their dog or cat forced them to evaluate their relationships with other animals (those they eat, hunt, or support the exploitation of at a zoo or circus for example), others feel a shift after meeting a famed animal.

The mission of Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary is simple: To inspire kindness and compassion for farmed animals everywhere. This is such a lovely goal to work towards while also literally saving animal lives. Even if you can't pack up and move to devote your life to the daily care taking of animals, hopefully you can make choices that make a difference and inspire others around you to care as well.

Happy pigs at Pigs Peace Sanctuary in Arlington, WA