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Meet the Cats
Click on an image below to learn about our adoptable, new, resident and alumni cats. Or, for more pictures and videos, go to the Facebook group 'Friends of The Cats of Paint Lake'.
Our adoptable cats change frequently; even if you don't see your 'match' below, contact us to start the conversation about a future adoption.
Adoptable
These cats are ready for their forever home. If you're interested in adopting a cat, please contact us.
Jazz - Adopted Sep 2022
Gender: Male
Age: About 1 year old
Breed / Colour: Black cat
Spayed / Neutered: Y, and vaccinated and micro-chipped
Adoption Summary:
Jazz is ready for adoption, as of August 2022. He is at the rescue, and will go straight to his forever home. He’s a lovely boy, playful and silly, and very friendly. He’s been described as an upside-down hanging, ball chasing bundle of fun. He has lovely green eyes and a cute little spot on his nose. If you're interested in talking to us about Jazz, or maybe coming in to meet him, we'd love to hear from you. He deserves a loving home and people of his own. He has a lot of love to give.
Age: About 1 year old
Breed / Colour: Black cat
Spayed / Neutered: Y, and vaccinated and micro-chipped
Adoption Summary:
Jazz is ready for adoption, as of August 2022. He is at the rescue, and will go straight to his forever home. He’s a lovely boy, playful and silly, and very friendly. He’s been described as an upside-down hanging, ball chasing bundle of fun. He has lovely green eyes and a cute little spot on his nose. If you're interested in talking to us about Jazz, or maybe coming in to meet him, we'd love to hear from you. He deserves a loving home and people of his own. He has a lot of love to give.
Panther - Adopted Sep 2022
Gender: Male
Age: About 2 years old
Breed / Colour: Black cat
Spayed / Neutered: Y, and vaccinated and micro-chipped
Adoption Summary:
Panther is ready for adoption, as of August 2022. He is at the rescue, and will go straight to his forever home. He came from a barn colony, where we rescued 11 cats back in February. Of course, he was quite feral to start, but has responded beautifully to people at the rescue. He is very active, playful and affectionate. He does still need to learn to play more gently with people, as he can be a bit exuberant. He is a beautiful black cat, with a little white on his throat and belly. If you're interested in talking to us about Panther, or maybe coming in to meet him, we'd love to hear from you. He’s looking for a great home, with people who will love his energy.
Age: About 2 years old
Breed / Colour: Black cat
Spayed / Neutered: Y, and vaccinated and micro-chipped
Adoption Summary:
Panther is ready for adoption, as of August 2022. He is at the rescue, and will go straight to his forever home. He came from a barn colony, where we rescued 11 cats back in February. Of course, he was quite feral to start, but has responded beautifully to people at the rescue. He is very active, playful and affectionate. He does still need to learn to play more gently with people, as he can be a bit exuberant. He is a beautiful black cat, with a little white on his throat and belly. If you're interested in talking to us about Panther, or maybe coming in to meet him, we'd love to hear from you. He’s looking for a great home, with people who will love his energy.
Shadow
Gender: Male
Age: About 2 – 3 years old
Breed / Colour: Short-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: To be neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped prior to adoption
Adoption Summary:
Shadow is ready for adoption, as of August 2022. He is at the rescue, and will go straight to his forever home. He’s a sweet boy and gentle, although shy. He’s looking for a quiet home where he can become comfortable. If you're interested in talking to us about Shadow, or maybe coming in to meet him, we'd love to hear from you.
Age: About 2 – 3 years old
Breed / Colour: Short-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: To be neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped prior to adoption
Adoption Summary:
Shadow is ready for adoption, as of August 2022. He is at the rescue, and will go straight to his forever home. He’s a sweet boy and gentle, although shy. He’s looking for a quiet home where he can become comfortable. If you're interested in talking to us about Shadow, or maybe coming in to meet him, we'd love to hear from you.
Birdie - Adopted Sep 2022
Gender: Female
Age: Almost 2 years old
Breed / Colour: Short-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: Y, and vaccinated and micro-chipped
Adoption Summary:
Birdie is almost ready for adoption, as of September 2022. She is at the rescue, and can go straight to her forever home. She came to us in the Fall of 2021, with a litter of three kittens. The kittens have moved on, and it’s now Birdie’s turn. She has beautiful colouring and, while still shy, has an affectionate nature. If you're interested in talking to us about Birdie, or maybe coming in to meet her, we'd love to hear from you. She’s looking for a great home, with people who will love her quiet personality.
Age: Almost 2 years old
Breed / Colour: Short-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: Y, and vaccinated and micro-chipped
Adoption Summary:
Birdie is almost ready for adoption, as of September 2022. She is at the rescue, and can go straight to her forever home. She came to us in the Fall of 2021, with a litter of three kittens. The kittens have moved on, and it’s now Birdie’s turn. She has beautiful colouring and, while still shy, has an affectionate nature. If you're interested in talking to us about Birdie, or maybe coming in to meet her, we'd love to hear from you. She’s looking for a great home, with people who will love her quiet personality.
Freya - Adopted Sep 2022
Gender: Female
Age: Estimated 2 years old as of Sep 2021
Breed / Colour: White with tabby points
Spayed / Neutered: As of November 2021 she has been vaccinated, and spayed and microchipped. Also has been treated for fleas and parasites.
Adoption Summary:
April 2022 - Freya is looking for a home and people of her own. She's shy, but sweet and affectionate - on her own terms. This unique little girl is from Minden. Freya AKA "Stubbs" is unique because she has a funny, stubby little tail. She is not the only cat from this colony with the same genetic trait. She has enormous, almond-shaped eyes, super soft fur, and a pretty little face.
Freya needs a quiet environment, and would do well either on her own, or with another quiet, gentle pet. She does love to play with the other cats from the safety of her crate. She is shy, and will likely need some patience to help her adapt to her new home. But once she feels safe, she is a funny little girl, who loves to play all by herself, tossing toys up in the air and catching them, chasing them around, or batting at a dangling string. She has a lot of love to give, and we suspect she will bond very strongly to 'her' person, when she finds them.
If you are interested in meeting Freya, or learning more about her, we'd like to hear from you. We can be reached on Facebook, or by email at catsofpaintlake@gmail.com. Potential adopters will be asked to complete our adoption questionnaire. An adoption fee applies.
Detailed Log:
April 23, 2022 - Freya is looking for a home and people of her own. She's shy, but sweet and affectionate - on her own terms. This unique little girl is from Minden, where she was being cared for by a small community of people. They knew she deserved better than a life spent outdoors, so they got in touch with us for help.
Freya AKA "Stubbs" is unique because she has a funny, stubby little tail. She is not the only cat from this colony with the same genetic trait. (Her sister Rita is with us too, and she has the same shortened tail.) Her photos don't do her justice. She has enormous, almond-shaped eyes, super soft fur, and a pretty little face.
Freya needs a quiet environment, and would do well either on her own, or with another quiet, gentle pet. She does love to play with the other cats from the safety of her crate - she is frightened of being let out to free roam among all of the others. She is shy, and will likely need some patience to help her adapt to her new home. But once she feels safe, she is a funny little girl, who loves to play all by herself, tossing toys up in the air and catching them, chasing them around, or batting at a dangling string. Her favourite is her pink flamingo, which is now a little the worse for wear!
She has a lot of love to give, and we suspect she will bond very strongly to 'her' person, when she finds them.
Jan 2022 - Freya loves her crate at the rescue; it is her safe space. She is still quite shy, but ready for a forever home, as long as it is a quiet, peaceful one. She is beautiful, and she has a cute little short tail that makes her unique.
Sep 2021 - Freya likes to get pets now, but is still timid. She is at the rescue, and was trapped in Minden, from a small colony, about early June 2021. She was previously called Stubbs, and is a sister of Sonia (now Minnie), who had been trapped earlier and has now been adopted. She will be available for adoption as soon as she is spayed and microchipped.
She was feral, but is now friendly, although shy and with a very mild temperament. She doesn’t much like being picked up, though! Freya is pretty, petite, and mostly white with tabby points.
August 7, 2021 - Another beautiful little baby new cat on the Block, Freya. She came from Minden colony and is a lovely little girl. Quite timid, she's shaping up to want and accept touch and pets just like her sister Minnie / Sonya. She is in need of a spay and shots and then she will be ready for adoption.
Age: Estimated 2 years old as of Sep 2021
Breed / Colour: White with tabby points
Spayed / Neutered: As of November 2021 she has been vaccinated, and spayed and microchipped. Also has been treated for fleas and parasites.
Adoption Summary:
April 2022 - Freya is looking for a home and people of her own. She's shy, but sweet and affectionate - on her own terms. This unique little girl is from Minden. Freya AKA "Stubbs" is unique because she has a funny, stubby little tail. She is not the only cat from this colony with the same genetic trait. She has enormous, almond-shaped eyes, super soft fur, and a pretty little face.
Freya needs a quiet environment, and would do well either on her own, or with another quiet, gentle pet. She does love to play with the other cats from the safety of her crate. She is shy, and will likely need some patience to help her adapt to her new home. But once she feels safe, she is a funny little girl, who loves to play all by herself, tossing toys up in the air and catching them, chasing them around, or batting at a dangling string. She has a lot of love to give, and we suspect she will bond very strongly to 'her' person, when she finds them.
If you are interested in meeting Freya, or learning more about her, we'd like to hear from you. We can be reached on Facebook, or by email at catsofpaintlake@gmail.com. Potential adopters will be asked to complete our adoption questionnaire. An adoption fee applies.
Detailed Log:
April 23, 2022 - Freya is looking for a home and people of her own. She's shy, but sweet and affectionate - on her own terms. This unique little girl is from Minden, where she was being cared for by a small community of people. They knew she deserved better than a life spent outdoors, so they got in touch with us for help.
Freya AKA "Stubbs" is unique because she has a funny, stubby little tail. She is not the only cat from this colony with the same genetic trait. (Her sister Rita is with us too, and she has the same shortened tail.) Her photos don't do her justice. She has enormous, almond-shaped eyes, super soft fur, and a pretty little face.
Freya needs a quiet environment, and would do well either on her own, or with another quiet, gentle pet. She does love to play with the other cats from the safety of her crate - she is frightened of being let out to free roam among all of the others. She is shy, and will likely need some patience to help her adapt to her new home. But once she feels safe, she is a funny little girl, who loves to play all by herself, tossing toys up in the air and catching them, chasing them around, or batting at a dangling string. Her favourite is her pink flamingo, which is now a little the worse for wear!
She has a lot of love to give, and we suspect she will bond very strongly to 'her' person, when she finds them.
Jan 2022 - Freya loves her crate at the rescue; it is her safe space. She is still quite shy, but ready for a forever home, as long as it is a quiet, peaceful one. She is beautiful, and she has a cute little short tail that makes her unique.
Sep 2021 - Freya likes to get pets now, but is still timid. She is at the rescue, and was trapped in Minden, from a small colony, about early June 2021. She was previously called Stubbs, and is a sister of Sonia (now Minnie), who had been trapped earlier and has now been adopted. She will be available for adoption as soon as she is spayed and microchipped.
She was feral, but is now friendly, although shy and with a very mild temperament. She doesn’t much like being picked up, though! Freya is pretty, petite, and mostly white with tabby points.
August 7, 2021 - Another beautiful little baby new cat on the Block, Freya. She came from Minden colony and is a lovely little girl. Quite timid, she's shaping up to want and accept touch and pets just like her sister Minnie / Sonya. She is in need of a spay and shots and then she will be ready for adoption.
Mr Weathers - Adopted Aug 2022
Gender: Male
Age: Estimated over 5 years old
Breed / Colour: Blond long-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: Yes, as of November 2021, and vaccinated and microchipped
Adoption Summary as of July 2022:
Our lovely Mr Weathers is finally up for adoption; from his feral beginnings, he has proved himself to be the most amazing, affectionate cat you could ever imagine. We are taking adoption inquiries now, and will be seeking a home that is the best fit for him and for his adopters. He will have a big part in deciding who he connects with and wants to go home with. Please let us know if you would like to consider this opportunity; contact us via email at catsofpaintlake@gmail.com
He's come from our most feral, back in April 2021, to our most snuggly, now. He needs a quiet home with low stimulation, and lots of human attention.
December 2021 - Mr. Weathers has been at the rescue since late April 2021. He is an older cat, estimated to be between 5 and 7 years old, and had been living outside for a long time, perhaps his entire life. He has needed and will continue to need, for some time, special care at the rescue as he recovers from medical issues and learns to socialize with humans. He was a sad little guy when he first arrived, see the lower right picture in his collage, but he is a big, handsome boy now, and has quite the personality. While he doesn’t hiss at everyone the way he did in the beginning, he can make it clear, with just a look, if he is not happy with you. He has also become a gourmet eater; he turns his nose up at our regular cat food, but loves his higher end Royal Canin food. And, as of November, after his neuter, he has left his crate behind to become a free roaming cat. He is coming along! If you would like to sponsor Mr. Weathers, please make a donation via e-transfer directly to catsofpaintlake@gmail.com, and add a note to specify it is for Mr. Weathers.
Detailed Log:
Mid November 2021 - Mr. Weathers was neutered in early November and is now out of his crate and free roaming.
August 7 - And of course our absolutely beautiful and majestically grumpy lovely baby boy Mr. Weathers. He still has his moments, but he doesn't look sad anymore, he loves his hammock, his food and to play with some of the other cats and with toys. Heather seems to be the only one he likes even though he strikes out at her sometimes. He will be taken in for his neuter and shot shortly cuz he's getting to the point where it could probably happen without a huge amount of stress for him or the people at the Minden animal hospital. He didn't want to at first but he's seeming to really start to enjoy his life and comfort.
June 26 – Mr. Weathers is finally letting us pet him tonight for a long time, and he loved every minute of it, we think he's turning a corner and finally feeling love and accepting it. He has come such a long way. He's a nice cat, he just didn't know it and these are the ones that need love the most because they've gone through the most trauma. This is what the foundation of our organization is about, taking these cats out of their situation and getting them the best love we can for the rest of their lives.
June 5 - Mr. Weathers: A work in progress. This gorgeous, very feral cat has been with us a little while now. It has taken this long to get his digestion working properly. And finally, the effort we have put into this seems to be paying off. (to those of you who have donated high quality veterinary food, and good probiotics, a special thanks. He is especially fond of the Royal Canin "loaf in sauce", thanks Sheila!) He is obviously feeling physically better. He is filling out, his coat is no longer matted ... He's been grooming, which is a very very good sign! And he *sleeps*. Peacefully, bonelessly; I can pass within inches of him without waking him as he sleeps.
Everyone who comes here spends a little bit of time with him. Even when he's grumpy and reactive. Even when he hisses and spits at them for no apparent reason. Everyone seems to just love him, and that's not for nothing. I think all of you can see in him what we see. He's a beautiful mess, and a guy who hasn't had an easy time of it out there. I don't know about you, but I think he deserves a break, and a good life from here forward.
He lets me touch his paw upon occasion, and though he draws it back, he does it slowly, and sometimes he hisses at me but without sound. He is nearly at the point where I can touch his face without him threatening to bite me. He has yet to actually do so, or even to make a really serious attempt at it. He has a lot of bluster. If really pressed, I think he would react swiftly. But slowly, we are working to bring his adrenal system back down to baseline. Slowly, he becomes less and less reactive, more accustomed to the comings and goings of people and animals around him, more used to the sounds and smells of the indoors, with which he had no familiarity prior to his trapping.
One day at a time, we and our fabulous volunteers will continue to work with this incredible, beautiful wild thing. He has an intelligence that anyone who looks into his face can see. He doesn't really want to trust yet. Or rather he does, but he hates that he sort of likes the attention.
We wait for the day when he decides to make the mental shift, from fearful to open, from feral to friendly. It's a weird transformation when it happens, because it usually seems as though it happens overnight.
May 27 – Mr. Weather's in all his glory - we will keep working with this old weathered soul until he feels better and comes out of his shell. His tummy is bothering him which could contribute to the whole thing we're getting him on probiotics and special food to help him out. This guy is a lovely little boy! Who deserves a chance to be loved.
April 27 - Mr. Weathers (Gorgeous George Weathers, if you please!), our newest rescue, is still very frightened and reactive. He is bedraggled and absolutely exhausted. He is quarantined and quiet. We are letting him settle, only opening his crate to clean his litterbox and refill food and water. In between our incursions into his space, he sleeps. He will need time, and patient care, and lots of love. I sometimes take a few minutes to just keep him company and talk to him softly. He just listens and sits quietly. Only if I start messing about inside his space does he bestir himself to defensive behaviour.
We think he is a naturally placid boy, who has been out there trying to survive and on the defensive for far too long. We're going to help him settle, love him up, and see how long it takes him to begin to relax. Cats can have PTSD, just as any human can. And it will take him time to 'come down off the ledge'. But we can see the sweetness behind his fear and aggressive behaviour.
April 25, 2021 - New sweet baby thanks to Dorset Rescue Kittens for facilitating the transfer from the Kinmount colony. Poor Mr. Weathers has probably seen some terrifying times. We'll turn this little sad baby into a happy baby over the next while here. We make sure every cat gets a home.
Age: Estimated over 5 years old
Breed / Colour: Blond long-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: Yes, as of November 2021, and vaccinated and microchipped
Adoption Summary as of July 2022:
Our lovely Mr Weathers is finally up for adoption; from his feral beginnings, he has proved himself to be the most amazing, affectionate cat you could ever imagine. We are taking adoption inquiries now, and will be seeking a home that is the best fit for him and for his adopters. He will have a big part in deciding who he connects with and wants to go home with. Please let us know if you would like to consider this opportunity; contact us via email at catsofpaintlake@gmail.com
He's come from our most feral, back in April 2021, to our most snuggly, now. He needs a quiet home with low stimulation, and lots of human attention.
December 2021 - Mr. Weathers has been at the rescue since late April 2021. He is an older cat, estimated to be between 5 and 7 years old, and had been living outside for a long time, perhaps his entire life. He has needed and will continue to need, for some time, special care at the rescue as he recovers from medical issues and learns to socialize with humans. He was a sad little guy when he first arrived, see the lower right picture in his collage, but he is a big, handsome boy now, and has quite the personality. While he doesn’t hiss at everyone the way he did in the beginning, he can make it clear, with just a look, if he is not happy with you. He has also become a gourmet eater; he turns his nose up at our regular cat food, but loves his higher end Royal Canin food. And, as of November, after his neuter, he has left his crate behind to become a free roaming cat. He is coming along! If you would like to sponsor Mr. Weathers, please make a donation via e-transfer directly to catsofpaintlake@gmail.com, and add a note to specify it is for Mr. Weathers.
Detailed Log:
Mid November 2021 - Mr. Weathers was neutered in early November and is now out of his crate and free roaming.
August 7 - And of course our absolutely beautiful and majestically grumpy lovely baby boy Mr. Weathers. He still has his moments, but he doesn't look sad anymore, he loves his hammock, his food and to play with some of the other cats and with toys. Heather seems to be the only one he likes even though he strikes out at her sometimes. He will be taken in for his neuter and shot shortly cuz he's getting to the point where it could probably happen without a huge amount of stress for him or the people at the Minden animal hospital. He didn't want to at first but he's seeming to really start to enjoy his life and comfort.
June 26 – Mr. Weathers is finally letting us pet him tonight for a long time, and he loved every minute of it, we think he's turning a corner and finally feeling love and accepting it. He has come such a long way. He's a nice cat, he just didn't know it and these are the ones that need love the most because they've gone through the most trauma. This is what the foundation of our organization is about, taking these cats out of their situation and getting them the best love we can for the rest of their lives.
June 5 - Mr. Weathers: A work in progress. This gorgeous, very feral cat has been with us a little while now. It has taken this long to get his digestion working properly. And finally, the effort we have put into this seems to be paying off. (to those of you who have donated high quality veterinary food, and good probiotics, a special thanks. He is especially fond of the Royal Canin "loaf in sauce", thanks Sheila!) He is obviously feeling physically better. He is filling out, his coat is no longer matted ... He's been grooming, which is a very very good sign! And he *sleeps*. Peacefully, bonelessly; I can pass within inches of him without waking him as he sleeps.
Everyone who comes here spends a little bit of time with him. Even when he's grumpy and reactive. Even when he hisses and spits at them for no apparent reason. Everyone seems to just love him, and that's not for nothing. I think all of you can see in him what we see. He's a beautiful mess, and a guy who hasn't had an easy time of it out there. I don't know about you, but I think he deserves a break, and a good life from here forward.
He lets me touch his paw upon occasion, and though he draws it back, he does it slowly, and sometimes he hisses at me but without sound. He is nearly at the point where I can touch his face without him threatening to bite me. He has yet to actually do so, or even to make a really serious attempt at it. He has a lot of bluster. If really pressed, I think he would react swiftly. But slowly, we are working to bring his adrenal system back down to baseline. Slowly, he becomes less and less reactive, more accustomed to the comings and goings of people and animals around him, more used to the sounds and smells of the indoors, with which he had no familiarity prior to his trapping.
One day at a time, we and our fabulous volunteers will continue to work with this incredible, beautiful wild thing. He has an intelligence that anyone who looks into his face can see. He doesn't really want to trust yet. Or rather he does, but he hates that he sort of likes the attention.
We wait for the day when he decides to make the mental shift, from fearful to open, from feral to friendly. It's a weird transformation when it happens, because it usually seems as though it happens overnight.
May 27 – Mr. Weather's in all his glory - we will keep working with this old weathered soul until he feels better and comes out of his shell. His tummy is bothering him which could contribute to the whole thing we're getting him on probiotics and special food to help him out. This guy is a lovely little boy! Who deserves a chance to be loved.
April 27 - Mr. Weathers (Gorgeous George Weathers, if you please!), our newest rescue, is still very frightened and reactive. He is bedraggled and absolutely exhausted. He is quarantined and quiet. We are letting him settle, only opening his crate to clean his litterbox and refill food and water. In between our incursions into his space, he sleeps. He will need time, and patient care, and lots of love. I sometimes take a few minutes to just keep him company and talk to him softly. He just listens and sits quietly. Only if I start messing about inside his space does he bestir himself to defensive behaviour.
We think he is a naturally placid boy, who has been out there trying to survive and on the defensive for far too long. We're going to help him settle, love him up, and see how long it takes him to begin to relax. Cats can have PTSD, just as any human can. And it will take him time to 'come down off the ledge'. But we can see the sweetness behind his fear and aggressive behaviour.
April 25, 2021 - New sweet baby thanks to Dorset Rescue Kittens for facilitating the transfer from the Kinmount colony. Poor Mr. Weathers has probably seen some terrifying times. We'll turn this little sad baby into a happy baby over the next while here. We make sure every cat gets a home.
Luna - In a foster to adopt
Gender: Female
Age: Approximately 3 years old
Breed / Colour: White with black, short hair
Spayed / Neutered: Spayed, fully vaccinated and micro-chipped
Adoption Summary:
As of end of May 2022 – Luna is looking for her forever home! This petite, beautiful girl came to us through an area SPCA. She is a house cat who was surrendered, and was really having trouble adjusting to the shelter.
She is an affectionate and talkative girl, loves to snuggle up in bed with you at night, loves lots of attention and pets, and generally loves people
She is not, however, fond of other cats. Luna needs to go to a home where she would be the only cat, where she can have peace and calm, a nice window to look out of, and to have her need for affection met. We don't know how she would react to dogs, but if her reaction to other cats is any indication...She's probably best on her own. But she is worth it. She's a sweet and loving cat, and doesn't ask for much more than peace, a cozy bed, good food, and the love of her human. She's dying to bond to 'her' person.
If you think you might be Luna's person, please get in touch so we can arrange an opportunity for you to meet her! Much as we would miss her, we would love to see this little beauty in a home of her own. She deserves it.
We can be reached via this website, or by email at catsofpaintlake@gmail.com, or via Facebook. Potential adopters will be asked to complete our adoption questionnaire. An adoption fee applies.
Age: Approximately 3 years old
Breed / Colour: White with black, short hair
Spayed / Neutered: Spayed, fully vaccinated and micro-chipped
Adoption Summary:
As of end of May 2022 – Luna is looking for her forever home! This petite, beautiful girl came to us through an area SPCA. She is a house cat who was surrendered, and was really having trouble adjusting to the shelter.
She is an affectionate and talkative girl, loves to snuggle up in bed with you at night, loves lots of attention and pets, and generally loves people
She is not, however, fond of other cats. Luna needs to go to a home where she would be the only cat, where she can have peace and calm, a nice window to look out of, and to have her need for affection met. We don't know how she would react to dogs, but if her reaction to other cats is any indication...She's probably best on her own. But she is worth it. She's a sweet and loving cat, and doesn't ask for much more than peace, a cozy bed, good food, and the love of her human. She's dying to bond to 'her' person.
If you think you might be Luna's person, please get in touch so we can arrange an opportunity for you to meet her! Much as we would miss her, we would love to see this little beauty in a home of her own. She deserves it.
We can be reached via this website, or by email at catsofpaintlake@gmail.com, or via Facebook. Potential adopters will be asked to complete our adoption questionnaire. An adoption fee applies.
Holly - Transferred
Update Aug 2022 - Holly has been transferred to another rescue where she will be loved and cared for until placed
Gender: 1 male, 2 females
Age: Approx 1 year old
Breed / Colour: Tabbies, Nicholas is a male with white-tipped toes. Vixen is a long-haired female, and Holly is a short-haired female
Spayed / Neutered: Y
Adoption Summary:
Update May 2022 - Holly is available and continues to look for her forever home. Meanwhile, Vixen has been adopted.
Update Jan 2022 - Vixen and Holly remain at the rescue, currently enjoying life with all their cat friends there. Vixen is ready for a permanent home - she is playful and cute, and has a big personality. She will need a friend, another cat companion, wherever she goes. Holly is not quite ready; she is coming along, but is still a little sketchy toward most people. Watch this space for updates on her progress.
Update: Nicholas has been adopted, as of July 2021, by his fosterers, but his sisters are still available. They should be adopted separately.
These summaries have been provided by the foster mom, who has been caring for these kittens for several months.
Nicholas – As of July 2021 – Nicholas is one of the three Christmas kittens. He was rescued around Christmas 2020 and had been hanging around a construction site since that summer.
He needs a forever home with a kitty companion (his sister Vixen would make a great companion) and someone who is willing to spend time with him every day. He will also do best to have toys, a window preferably with a good view of nature, at least one scratching post, and a wand toy to play with you!
He is the SWEETEST kitty; I tell him how lovely he is every day. He enjoys playing. Most importantly, he needs companionship and needs someone to love him and let him love you regularly. He loves his siblings, chasing them, napping with them, and, naturally, grooming them.
I always have favourites and he is mine by a landslide. Every morning and every evening (and almost every time in between) when I come into his room, he comes RUNNING to me, rubs up against my legs, headbutts me, and follows me around. Lately when he wants attention, he will run into the bathroom, meow, and wait for me to come in and pet him - IT'S SO CUTE!
He is: Lovely, Handsome, Soft, Not-so-athletic (lol), A little playful, Curious, And likes lots of cat-naps in the sunshine.
He is neutered, microchipped, and his vaccinations are up to date.
Vixen – As of July 2021. Vixen is one of the Christmas kittens. She was rescued around Christmas 2020 and had been hanging around a construction site since that summer.
She is a brown-black tabby, and has long hair (she has the furriest tail I have ever seen on a cat!). For her forever home, she will do best if she has a smaller area to get comfortable and will probably take a little time to adjust. She has so much love to give and deserves a loving home with a cat companion as well as someone who will give her playful attention every day.
She was extremely feral when she was rescued. She has come a long way in the last 7 months in her foster home, but still is nervous in new areas and hesitant around new people. Right now she feels most comfortable in a small room (a bathroom) where she allows me to pick her up and pet her.
She is very playful – she plays with her siblings every day and definitely needs that entertainment. She also enjoys having enrichment things like climbing towers, toys, and windows to watch the outdoor activities.
Vixen has the most personality of this trio (and maybe of any kitty I’ve cared for!). A few of the cutest things she does: #1 She will sit and tilt her head to the side when she is pensive (SUPER CUTE). #2 When she wants something from me, she will run up to about 1m from me, sits down, and then stare until I figure out what she wants. #3 When she falls asleep, she will keep her head propped up and it looks like she is smiling
She eats well, uses the litter box with no trouble, is a thinner kitty – but extremely healthy.
She is spayed, microchipped, and has all her required vaccinations.
Holly - As of July 2021. Holly is one of the Christmas kittens; she is the tiny one of the litter. She was rescued around Christmas 2020 and had been hanging around a construction site since that summer. She isn’t quite ready for adoption yet, but with some more time she will come around.
She is a brown-black tabby, and has short hair. She was extremely feral when she was rescued. She has come a long way in the last 7 months in her foster home, she likes to be around her foster family, but she mostly does not like being held or pet. Right now she feels comfortable in her room and will allow for some petting and handling in a small room (a bathroom) – once in a while she even purrs!
Holly LOVES playing with springs. They are her FAVOURITE toy! I gather all the Christmas kittens’ toys and put them in one spot almost every day. Holly comes to the pile, picks out her spring, takes it to her desired location, and then plays with it until she loses it under a couch (it’s the CUTEST thing to watch).
She has the prettiest face, she loves her siblings and grooms them every day in nap-time, she definitely needs to play every day, she’s curious and above all is loved.
She is spayed, microchipped, and has all her required vaccinations.
Detailed Log:
Apr 18 - I let the Christmas kittens explore another room yesterday for a couple hours and to no surprise of mine, Vixen was the first one out! And moments later Nicholas and Holly followed. They enjoyed the big window too!
Mar 2 – The kittens have been in their foster home for almost two months. Lately with the Christmas kitties, we have been working on their comfort level with us walking around and not always freaking out and running away. It’s really slow progress and it’s hard to explain the “wins”, but I think every day we are making baby-steps towards it. For example, the kittens don’t always run away every time when I move around the room near them; or if I angle my body a certain way, move slowly towards them, and hold out my finger, they will actually smell it instead of running in fear; and once in a while, Nicholas will stay put and let me pet him!!!!!!!! He is by far the most social in this way; it’s not every time he lets me get close to him in the open, but it’s more frequent for sure. The other two are still making progress in this direction and I’m hoping their brother will pave the way for them.
Jan 6, 2021 – The kittens started out quite frightened, and would almost panic every time someone came near. Over the past days and weeks they have gotten calmer, and their digestive systems are starting to work better after transitioning to their new diet and de-worming treatments.
The past few days, they have begun to get more and more curious about the environment beyond the crate. They watch the other cats play with toys and race around the house. They even engage with them through the bars of the cage! They have begin to tentatively accept touch from us, their caregivers. And after their time of rest and change in diet and environment, they are itching to get active!
I dropped them off at an amazing foster placement today, where they will continue the process of learning to socialize and live among humans. She has a dedicated space, starting with a large clean bathroom to use as their home base, and then when they are more comfortable, they will get “day passes” to move into the other part of a small suite where she will supervise and play with them. She is very excited to have them and help them along this next phase of their journey.
Dec 24 - Our three new arrivals are settling in nicely and interacting with the other cats through the bars of the crate. Next adventure will be weigh-in and gender confirmations. After I don my armour, of course!
Dec 21, 2020 - We had been looking forward to a quiet Christmas holiday, just us and the kids and the few cats that we live with and look after... And then yesterday we got a message from a friend about some cats at her workplace, a local construction company. Three kittens, to be precise. One of the crew members has been feeding them, and even socializing them to a point, they will come and sit on his lap and accept treats and play with toys.
Today we trapped two of the three, beautiful tabbies, one short haired and one long. The third, the smallest, is also the shy one of the bunch, and has not yet decided to enter a trap. (He/she was fed this morning, whereas the other two were ravenous!) Hopefully the final holdout will be reunited with their siblings by this afternoon.
Gender: 1 male, 2 females
Age: Approx 1 year old
Breed / Colour: Tabbies, Nicholas is a male with white-tipped toes. Vixen is a long-haired female, and Holly is a short-haired female
Spayed / Neutered: Y
Adoption Summary:
Update May 2022 - Holly is available and continues to look for her forever home. Meanwhile, Vixen has been adopted.
Update Jan 2022 - Vixen and Holly remain at the rescue, currently enjoying life with all their cat friends there. Vixen is ready for a permanent home - she is playful and cute, and has a big personality. She will need a friend, another cat companion, wherever she goes. Holly is not quite ready; she is coming along, but is still a little sketchy toward most people. Watch this space for updates on her progress.
Update: Nicholas has been adopted, as of July 2021, by his fosterers, but his sisters are still available. They should be adopted separately.
These summaries have been provided by the foster mom, who has been caring for these kittens for several months.
Nicholas – As of July 2021 – Nicholas is one of the three Christmas kittens. He was rescued around Christmas 2020 and had been hanging around a construction site since that summer.
He needs a forever home with a kitty companion (his sister Vixen would make a great companion) and someone who is willing to spend time with him every day. He will also do best to have toys, a window preferably with a good view of nature, at least one scratching post, and a wand toy to play with you!
He is the SWEETEST kitty; I tell him how lovely he is every day. He enjoys playing. Most importantly, he needs companionship and needs someone to love him and let him love you regularly. He loves his siblings, chasing them, napping with them, and, naturally, grooming them.
I always have favourites and he is mine by a landslide. Every morning and every evening (and almost every time in between) when I come into his room, he comes RUNNING to me, rubs up against my legs, headbutts me, and follows me around. Lately when he wants attention, he will run into the bathroom, meow, and wait for me to come in and pet him - IT'S SO CUTE!
He is: Lovely, Handsome, Soft, Not-so-athletic (lol), A little playful, Curious, And likes lots of cat-naps in the sunshine.
He is neutered, microchipped, and his vaccinations are up to date.
Vixen – As of July 2021. Vixen is one of the Christmas kittens. She was rescued around Christmas 2020 and had been hanging around a construction site since that summer.
She is a brown-black tabby, and has long hair (she has the furriest tail I have ever seen on a cat!). For her forever home, she will do best if she has a smaller area to get comfortable and will probably take a little time to adjust. She has so much love to give and deserves a loving home with a cat companion as well as someone who will give her playful attention every day.
She was extremely feral when she was rescued. She has come a long way in the last 7 months in her foster home, but still is nervous in new areas and hesitant around new people. Right now she feels most comfortable in a small room (a bathroom) where she allows me to pick her up and pet her.
She is very playful – she plays with her siblings every day and definitely needs that entertainment. She also enjoys having enrichment things like climbing towers, toys, and windows to watch the outdoor activities.
Vixen has the most personality of this trio (and maybe of any kitty I’ve cared for!). A few of the cutest things she does: #1 She will sit and tilt her head to the side when she is pensive (SUPER CUTE). #2 When she wants something from me, she will run up to about 1m from me, sits down, and then stare until I figure out what she wants. #3 When she falls asleep, she will keep her head propped up and it looks like she is smiling
She eats well, uses the litter box with no trouble, is a thinner kitty – but extremely healthy.
She is spayed, microchipped, and has all her required vaccinations.
Holly - As of July 2021. Holly is one of the Christmas kittens; she is the tiny one of the litter. She was rescued around Christmas 2020 and had been hanging around a construction site since that summer. She isn’t quite ready for adoption yet, but with some more time she will come around.
She is a brown-black tabby, and has short hair. She was extremely feral when she was rescued. She has come a long way in the last 7 months in her foster home, she likes to be around her foster family, but she mostly does not like being held or pet. Right now she feels comfortable in her room and will allow for some petting and handling in a small room (a bathroom) – once in a while she even purrs!
Holly LOVES playing with springs. They are her FAVOURITE toy! I gather all the Christmas kittens’ toys and put them in one spot almost every day. Holly comes to the pile, picks out her spring, takes it to her desired location, and then plays with it until she loses it under a couch (it’s the CUTEST thing to watch).
She has the prettiest face, she loves her siblings and grooms them every day in nap-time, she definitely needs to play every day, she’s curious and above all is loved.
She is spayed, microchipped, and has all her required vaccinations.
Detailed Log:
Apr 18 - I let the Christmas kittens explore another room yesterday for a couple hours and to no surprise of mine, Vixen was the first one out! And moments later Nicholas and Holly followed. They enjoyed the big window too!
Mar 2 – The kittens have been in their foster home for almost two months. Lately with the Christmas kitties, we have been working on their comfort level with us walking around and not always freaking out and running away. It’s really slow progress and it’s hard to explain the “wins”, but I think every day we are making baby-steps towards it. For example, the kittens don’t always run away every time when I move around the room near them; or if I angle my body a certain way, move slowly towards them, and hold out my finger, they will actually smell it instead of running in fear; and once in a while, Nicholas will stay put and let me pet him!!!!!!!! He is by far the most social in this way; it’s not every time he lets me get close to him in the open, but it’s more frequent for sure. The other two are still making progress in this direction and I’m hoping their brother will pave the way for them.
Jan 6, 2021 – The kittens started out quite frightened, and would almost panic every time someone came near. Over the past days and weeks they have gotten calmer, and their digestive systems are starting to work better after transitioning to their new diet and de-worming treatments.
The past few days, they have begun to get more and more curious about the environment beyond the crate. They watch the other cats play with toys and race around the house. They even engage with them through the bars of the cage! They have begin to tentatively accept touch from us, their caregivers. And after their time of rest and change in diet and environment, they are itching to get active!
I dropped them off at an amazing foster placement today, where they will continue the process of learning to socialize and live among humans. She has a dedicated space, starting with a large clean bathroom to use as their home base, and then when they are more comfortable, they will get “day passes” to move into the other part of a small suite where she will supervise and play with them. She is very excited to have them and help them along this next phase of their journey.
Dec 24 - Our three new arrivals are settling in nicely and interacting with the other cats through the bars of the crate. Next adventure will be weigh-in and gender confirmations. After I don my armour, of course!
Dec 21, 2020 - We had been looking forward to a quiet Christmas holiday, just us and the kids and the few cats that we live with and look after... And then yesterday we got a message from a friend about some cats at her workplace, a local construction company. Three kittens, to be precise. One of the crew members has been feeding them, and even socializing them to a point, they will come and sit on his lap and accept treats and play with toys.
Today we trapped two of the three, beautiful tabbies, one short haired and one long. The third, the smallest, is also the shy one of the bunch, and has not yet decided to enter a trap. (He/she was fed this morning, whereas the other two were ravenous!) Hopefully the final holdout will be reunited with their siblings by this afternoon.
Ruby - Adopted
Gender: Female
Age: Ruby is estimated to be between 1 - 2 years old as of mid 2021
Breed / Colour: Ruby is a light brown / blonde short-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: Yes, as of early November 2021, Ruby is spayed, vacc'ed & microchipped
Adoption Summary:
Update May 2022 - Ruby may not be available. She is currently in a foster-to-adopt placement.
Update January 2022 - Ruby continued at her foster placement after her kittens were all placed; she is a beautiful girl, and looks forward to a permanent home.
Update – As of early October 2021, all of Ruby’s kittens and foster kittens have been adopted, and it’s now Ruby’s turn to find her forever home. She should have completed her spay, vaccinations and microchipping by the end of October and will be ready for adoption then. As per Ruby’s foster mom, her babies showed her how to be playful again; she has become loving and actively seeks attention, and would enjoy a quiet home where she can get the love and attention she needs and deserves.
Update - As of early September, Ruby's two 'foster' kittens (Orchid's two girls) picked their people - they gravitated to them immediately on a visit! - and have been adopted.
Also, note that Samson is no longer available for adoption.
Almost ready! - Ruby and her six kittens won’t be ready for adoption until the kittens are weaned, likely sometime late in August. They will then be looking for their permanent homes. We’re still assessing them, to determine when they are ready, if they should go in a pair, or if one may go with the mom … TBD. However, if you are interested in one or more of Ruby and/or the kittens, please contact us.
Ruby was an outdoor cat, fed by but then abandoned by her owner. She was pregnant and fending for herself, and was brought into the rescue in June. She had her kittens at the rescue, and is now in a wonderful foster home, with her six babies. Ruby is a rock star mom – after having her own four kittens (and unfortunately one additional still-birth), Ruby also took on Orchid’s two kittens, born on the same day, when Orchid rejected them. These six kittens are rascals; they are active and playful, and look to be enjoying themselves immensely exploring their foster home.
All of the kittens have spent some time with children and they were great. All are litter trained, and eating both wet and dry food. They all reach out for affection, to be held and cuddled. Note that none have been dog tested.
Update from their foster mom, mid-August 2021:
Ruby – Because of being outside for the beginning of her life, she's had lots of adjustments during her time in foster. Learning how to use a litter box, learning to trust humans and know she will always be fed and loved. Ruby is affectionate by nature and now seeks affection and petting. She also loves being brushed. She knows nothing about cat toys, although she watches her kittens play. She is very food driven and will certainly tell you when she thinks it's time. Ruby would do best in a quiet home, 1 or 2 adults and absolutely no dogs (she sees them as predators). She could be paired with one of her kittens. (Samson would be a good match). Her adopters would need to be patient with her, give her time to explore her new home and get to know, trust and love her new people.
Gentle Ben – he is the largest of Ruby's kittens, with spectacular markings. As he has grown it looks likely he will have his Mom's long legs. He and his brother, Samson, took 2 or 3 days in their foster home to venture out of the crate. Within a week they were active and engaged with their siblings. Gentle Ben has two very distinct parts to his personality. He can mix it up with the rest, tearing around, playing and wrestling hut then is the first to climb up into your lap for a nap. He is a really sweet boy, full of curiosity and affection. He is very protective of his sister Minnie and I often see them napping together and grooming one another. They are a bonded pair and would do well adopted together.
Samson – he is the other of Ruby's two boys. He is a little smaller and darker in colouring than his brother with a stockier build. He is a busy lad, exploring everywhere and everything. Only difference is he often does it on his own. Samson is energetic and curious, he LOVES all the cat toys, even balled up pieces of paper. Samson took a little longer to seek out affection and in the beginning could always be found napping alone or near Mom. But in the last few weeks he has come to my lap for a nap and to be petted.
Minnie – she is the smallest of Ruby's four kittens but she is the feisty one of the group. Always exploring, looking for new places to climb, playing with the cat toys or looking around corners to see what she might be missing. In many ways she's the leader of the pack. She is affectionate by nature and seeks out your lap for pats and a snooze when she has played herself out. Minnie is very bonded to her brother, Gentle Ben. They look out for each other and when it's down time, those two are often napping together. They would do well being adopted together.
Detailed Log:
July 19 – At her foster home, beautiful Ruby is seeking affection more and more, which we are happy to give her.
July 9 – Ruby is taking necessary breaks from her babies. She just hops over the baby gate and can eat alone, has her own litter area and can relax.
July 8 - Ruby and her babies arrived yesterday afternoon at our foster home, and everyone is settling in nicely. Ruby seems to remember this place which makes my heart happy. (Ruby’s foster mom was the one who realized Ruby had been abandoned, and helped to bring her to the rescue.) Comment from the rescue: Ruby is a rock star, and a super protective mama. I am so grateful for you guys, who will love her up and help her get some space and some breaks from this active brood! And those babies will get to stretch those newly-walking little legs!
June 11 – Ruby has accepted the second of Orchid’s babies and we are so delighted!
June 11 later - Orchid shaboon ended up having her first kitten just a moment ago and she rejected it so we cleaned it up a little bit and gave it to Ruby who lost one of her babies this afternoon to stillborn. She seems to have accepted it and hopefully she will foster this kitten as Orchid is 6 or 7 years old and we think does not want to have anything to do with her litter. We are waiting for a second one. It's been one whirlwind of a day.
June 11 later – Given the size of Miss Ruby's pregnant belly, I was surprised when she had only four... She just also gave birth to a stillborn. Rushing her into the vet right now to make sure there are no others in there, and to make sure she's okay. UPDATE: All is well! The vet examined her and x-rayed her and there are no remaining kittens, no internal bleeding, she's just incredibly tired after her last 24 hours. Her four babies are fine. Everyone just needs time to rest and eat and rest. We will be watching them closely.
As always, we are grateful to Minden Animal Hospital for their excellent care, and for squeezing us in on an emergency basis, on a Friday afternoon. You guys are the best!
June 11, 2021, early in the day - Kitten watch Ruby: It’s happening now, everyone. We’ll keep you posted.
Age: Ruby is estimated to be between 1 - 2 years old as of mid 2021
Breed / Colour: Ruby is a light brown / blonde short-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: Yes, as of early November 2021, Ruby is spayed, vacc'ed & microchipped
Adoption Summary:
Update May 2022 - Ruby may not be available. She is currently in a foster-to-adopt placement.
Update January 2022 - Ruby continued at her foster placement after her kittens were all placed; she is a beautiful girl, and looks forward to a permanent home.
Update – As of early October 2021, all of Ruby’s kittens and foster kittens have been adopted, and it’s now Ruby’s turn to find her forever home. She should have completed her spay, vaccinations and microchipping by the end of October and will be ready for adoption then. As per Ruby’s foster mom, her babies showed her how to be playful again; she has become loving and actively seeks attention, and would enjoy a quiet home where she can get the love and attention she needs and deserves.
Update - As of early September, Ruby's two 'foster' kittens (Orchid's two girls) picked their people - they gravitated to them immediately on a visit! - and have been adopted.
Also, note that Samson is no longer available for adoption.
Almost ready! - Ruby and her six kittens won’t be ready for adoption until the kittens are weaned, likely sometime late in August. They will then be looking for their permanent homes. We’re still assessing them, to determine when they are ready, if they should go in a pair, or if one may go with the mom … TBD. However, if you are interested in one or more of Ruby and/or the kittens, please contact us.
Ruby was an outdoor cat, fed by but then abandoned by her owner. She was pregnant and fending for herself, and was brought into the rescue in June. She had her kittens at the rescue, and is now in a wonderful foster home, with her six babies. Ruby is a rock star mom – after having her own four kittens (and unfortunately one additional still-birth), Ruby also took on Orchid’s two kittens, born on the same day, when Orchid rejected them. These six kittens are rascals; they are active and playful, and look to be enjoying themselves immensely exploring their foster home.
All of the kittens have spent some time with children and they were great. All are litter trained, and eating both wet and dry food. They all reach out for affection, to be held and cuddled. Note that none have been dog tested.
Update from their foster mom, mid-August 2021:
Ruby – Because of being outside for the beginning of her life, she's had lots of adjustments during her time in foster. Learning how to use a litter box, learning to trust humans and know she will always be fed and loved. Ruby is affectionate by nature and now seeks affection and petting. She also loves being brushed. She knows nothing about cat toys, although she watches her kittens play. She is very food driven and will certainly tell you when she thinks it's time. Ruby would do best in a quiet home, 1 or 2 adults and absolutely no dogs (she sees them as predators). She could be paired with one of her kittens. (Samson would be a good match). Her adopters would need to be patient with her, give her time to explore her new home and get to know, trust and love her new people.
Gentle Ben – he is the largest of Ruby's kittens, with spectacular markings. As he has grown it looks likely he will have his Mom's long legs. He and his brother, Samson, took 2 or 3 days in their foster home to venture out of the crate. Within a week they were active and engaged with their siblings. Gentle Ben has two very distinct parts to his personality. He can mix it up with the rest, tearing around, playing and wrestling hut then is the first to climb up into your lap for a nap. He is a really sweet boy, full of curiosity and affection. He is very protective of his sister Minnie and I often see them napping together and grooming one another. They are a bonded pair and would do well adopted together.
Samson – he is the other of Ruby's two boys. He is a little smaller and darker in colouring than his brother with a stockier build. He is a busy lad, exploring everywhere and everything. Only difference is he often does it on his own. Samson is energetic and curious, he LOVES all the cat toys, even balled up pieces of paper. Samson took a little longer to seek out affection and in the beginning could always be found napping alone or near Mom. But in the last few weeks he has come to my lap for a nap and to be petted.
Minnie – she is the smallest of Ruby's four kittens but she is the feisty one of the group. Always exploring, looking for new places to climb, playing with the cat toys or looking around corners to see what she might be missing. In many ways she's the leader of the pack. She is affectionate by nature and seeks out your lap for pats and a snooze when she has played herself out. Minnie is very bonded to her brother, Gentle Ben. They look out for each other and when it's down time, those two are often napping together. They would do well being adopted together.
Detailed Log:
July 19 – At her foster home, beautiful Ruby is seeking affection more and more, which we are happy to give her.
July 9 – Ruby is taking necessary breaks from her babies. She just hops over the baby gate and can eat alone, has her own litter area and can relax.
July 8 - Ruby and her babies arrived yesterday afternoon at our foster home, and everyone is settling in nicely. Ruby seems to remember this place which makes my heart happy. (Ruby’s foster mom was the one who realized Ruby had been abandoned, and helped to bring her to the rescue.) Comment from the rescue: Ruby is a rock star, and a super protective mama. I am so grateful for you guys, who will love her up and help her get some space and some breaks from this active brood! And those babies will get to stretch those newly-walking little legs!
June 11 – Ruby has accepted the second of Orchid’s babies and we are so delighted!
June 11 later - Orchid shaboon ended up having her first kitten just a moment ago and she rejected it so we cleaned it up a little bit and gave it to Ruby who lost one of her babies this afternoon to stillborn. She seems to have accepted it and hopefully she will foster this kitten as Orchid is 6 or 7 years old and we think does not want to have anything to do with her litter. We are waiting for a second one. It's been one whirlwind of a day.
June 11 later – Given the size of Miss Ruby's pregnant belly, I was surprised when she had only four... She just also gave birth to a stillborn. Rushing her into the vet right now to make sure there are no others in there, and to make sure she's okay. UPDATE: All is well! The vet examined her and x-rayed her and there are no remaining kittens, no internal bleeding, she's just incredibly tired after her last 24 hours. Her four babies are fine. Everyone just needs time to rest and eat and rest. We will be watching them closely.
As always, we are grateful to Minden Animal Hospital for their excellent care, and for squeezing us in on an emergency basis, on a Friday afternoon. You guys are the best!
June 11, 2021, early in the day - Kitten watch Ruby: It’s happening now, everyone. We’ll keep you posted.
Dolly - Transferred
Update Aug 2022 - Dolly has been transferred to another rescue where she will be loved and cared for until placed
Gender: Female
Age: Estimated to be one year old as of November 2021
Breed / Colour: Short-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: Yes, and vaccinated and micro-chipped
Adoption Summary:
Update May 2022 - Dolly may not be available. She is currently in a foster-to-adopt placement.
Update December 2021 - Dolly has found a new good friend at the rescue, Billy Idol; she even frequently hangs out with him in her crate. It's very sweet to see.
November 2021 - Dolly and her sister, Erin, were trapped and brought into the rescue in January 2021. They were just kittens, and had been taken care of by a nurturing male cat (Alistair, who also came into the rescue). As of November 2021, Dolly is ready for adoption.
She is a very lively cat, and has spent time at the rescue both in a crate and free roaming. She has also spent some time in a foster home. She is now very used to people contact, although can still be skittish. Sometimes she is called ‘parkour’ Dolly as she loves to jump and to explore all the spaces, high and low, in a room.
Dolly should likely be an only cat in her forever home, so that her adopters can focus just on her. If you want to adopt a beautiful and lively young cat, and give Dolly the calm space and attention she deserves, please contact us.
Detailed Log:
July 3, 2021 - Wednesday night to Thursday morning was very rough (post-spay). Dolly was deeply angry and took it out entirely on her sister Erin. She relentlessly stomped up to Erin and hissed and growled at her, and both kittens were not happy about the situation. 7am Dolly pulled her onesie down to her hips and I had to rescue her from the tangle. Add to that Dolly had a seroma that was worrying to us with her activity level. After a lot of talking with Heather Deveaux (thank you for all your time!), we sadly decided the two sisters would have to be separated and we took Dolly to the The Cats of Paint Lake rescue to rejoin all her friends, especially Katniss. Alex donated a stuffie so Dolly could have a Timmy replacement (thanks Alex!!!). Today we had Dolly to the @mindenanimalhospital as she wasn’t eating and she checked out fabulously! Seroma is gone, and she is healing very well. I miss Dolly terribly, but we had to do what’s best for both girls. Erin is recovering extremely well, happy in her jammies, and allowing more pets every day.
April 8 - Erin & Dolly the 2 feral kittens who are in foster care discovered that they could offer a whole lot of closeness in exchange for Sardines I Was Hungry treats! Thanks for the high value kitten treats The Granville Island Pet Treatery
March 14 - Erin & Dolly two rescued feral kittens who were being looked after by feral male cat, Alistair, who we originally thought was their mom! These two are getting comfortable enough to play with a feather wand with their foster humans, as well as bounce around their room. Amazing change in just one short week of fostering, that just warms our hearts. Welcome inside to where it's safe and warm you two wonderful sisters.
March 9 - From the evening of the first full day of foster home, to late last night, 2nd full day, curled up on the bed. A very successful couple of days and nights. Erin & Dolly you are cute little heartbreakers
March 7 - First full day of foster care, with the crate door open. There was some exploring, but eventually Dolly decided she felt best in her carrier and Erin chose to hang out between the crate and the wall. They are happily napping even though foster mom is on the floor a few feet away.
March 6 - Erin and Dolly newly transferred to our foster care. Taking their time to decide if they are comfortable to come out. Understandable, it’s been a tough morning.
February 26 - Dolly & Erin love their Cat Hammock. (Leave it to kittens to figure it out first). See the name change? I turns out that Aaron (male) is really an Erin (female)!
January 19 - Dolly and Aaron Purr, chillaxin’ and being photogenic. They chat a lot with the other cats, and are starting to play with toys. Slowly coming down off the ledge after being trapped and out there in the cold scary big world.
January 15 - Good morning, babies! Aaron Purr and Dolly were finally reunited last night, and apparently passed a peaceful night together. The night before, Aaron had spent much of the evening meowing and meowing...poor laddie, he must have been scared and lonely. Last night, with his sister to snuggle with (on a soft memory foam mat!)...silence. This morning they were both perky and alert, interested in their environment, and looked a lot less fearful. Time to start getting to know these little ones.
January 14, 2021 – Hello Dolly! After several days of trying, we finally managed to trap the second kitten who has been out there all by herself since yesterday. Welcome, little one! We will tuck her in with her brother for tonight so that neither one of them will be alone anymore.
Gender: Female
Age: Estimated to be one year old as of November 2021
Breed / Colour: Short-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: Yes, and vaccinated and micro-chipped
Adoption Summary:
Update May 2022 - Dolly may not be available. She is currently in a foster-to-adopt placement.
Update December 2021 - Dolly has found a new good friend at the rescue, Billy Idol; she even frequently hangs out with him in her crate. It's very sweet to see.
November 2021 - Dolly and her sister, Erin, were trapped and brought into the rescue in January 2021. They were just kittens, and had been taken care of by a nurturing male cat (Alistair, who also came into the rescue). As of November 2021, Dolly is ready for adoption.
She is a very lively cat, and has spent time at the rescue both in a crate and free roaming. She has also spent some time in a foster home. She is now very used to people contact, although can still be skittish. Sometimes she is called ‘parkour’ Dolly as she loves to jump and to explore all the spaces, high and low, in a room.
Dolly should likely be an only cat in her forever home, so that her adopters can focus just on her. If you want to adopt a beautiful and lively young cat, and give Dolly the calm space and attention she deserves, please contact us.
Detailed Log:
July 3, 2021 - Wednesday night to Thursday morning was very rough (post-spay). Dolly was deeply angry and took it out entirely on her sister Erin. She relentlessly stomped up to Erin and hissed and growled at her, and both kittens were not happy about the situation. 7am Dolly pulled her onesie down to her hips and I had to rescue her from the tangle. Add to that Dolly had a seroma that was worrying to us with her activity level. After a lot of talking with Heather Deveaux (thank you for all your time!), we sadly decided the two sisters would have to be separated and we took Dolly to the The Cats of Paint Lake rescue to rejoin all her friends, especially Katniss. Alex donated a stuffie so Dolly could have a Timmy replacement (thanks Alex!!!). Today we had Dolly to the @mindenanimalhospital as she wasn’t eating and she checked out fabulously! Seroma is gone, and she is healing very well. I miss Dolly terribly, but we had to do what’s best for both girls. Erin is recovering extremely well, happy in her jammies, and allowing more pets every day.
April 8 - Erin & Dolly the 2 feral kittens who are in foster care discovered that they could offer a whole lot of closeness in exchange for Sardines I Was Hungry treats! Thanks for the high value kitten treats The Granville Island Pet Treatery
March 14 - Erin & Dolly two rescued feral kittens who were being looked after by feral male cat, Alistair, who we originally thought was their mom! These two are getting comfortable enough to play with a feather wand with their foster humans, as well as bounce around their room. Amazing change in just one short week of fostering, that just warms our hearts. Welcome inside to where it's safe and warm you two wonderful sisters.
March 9 - From the evening of the first full day of foster home, to late last night, 2nd full day, curled up on the bed. A very successful couple of days and nights. Erin & Dolly you are cute little heartbreakers
March 7 - First full day of foster care, with the crate door open. There was some exploring, but eventually Dolly decided she felt best in her carrier and Erin chose to hang out between the crate and the wall. They are happily napping even though foster mom is on the floor a few feet away.
March 6 - Erin and Dolly newly transferred to our foster care. Taking their time to decide if they are comfortable to come out. Understandable, it’s been a tough morning.
February 26 - Dolly & Erin love their Cat Hammock. (Leave it to kittens to figure it out first). See the name change? I turns out that Aaron (male) is really an Erin (female)!
January 19 - Dolly and Aaron Purr, chillaxin’ and being photogenic. They chat a lot with the other cats, and are starting to play with toys. Slowly coming down off the ledge after being trapped and out there in the cold scary big world.
January 15 - Good morning, babies! Aaron Purr and Dolly were finally reunited last night, and apparently passed a peaceful night together. The night before, Aaron had spent much of the evening meowing and meowing...poor laddie, he must have been scared and lonely. Last night, with his sister to snuggle with (on a soft memory foam mat!)...silence. This morning they were both perky and alert, interested in their environment, and looked a lot less fearful. Time to start getting to know these little ones.
January 14, 2021 – Hello Dolly! After several days of trying, we finally managed to trap the second kitten who has been out there all by herself since yesterday. Welcome, little one! We will tuck her in with her brother for tonight so that neither one of them will be alone anymore.
Resident Cats
These cats live with us at the Rescue. You may see them hanging around if you visit! If you'd like to sponsor one of these sweet cats, please contact us.
ShyAnne
Daughter of MamaCat, Shy was the sole survivor of a winter litter, and came to our porch at the age of about 5 weeks with her mother. Her story is told in full here: https://www.thecatsofpaintlake.ca/post/shyanne
Katniss and Peeta
Katniss and Peeta were found with two other litter mates in June 2020, at four days old, sweltering at the top of our woodshed. They came into our rescue and we bottle fed and hand raised them. They are a joy, an adventure, a nuisance, and two of the most wonderful beings we know. On June 15, 2021 we celebrated their first birthdays. We fell in love with these two and so they have stayed with us. Peeta is our #1 Therapy Cat here at The Cats of Paint Lake. He and his sister Katniss welcome all comers to the rescue, human and feline.
Earlier in July 2021, unfortunately, Peeta became very ill – more details are below, in Their Story, but he did have to spend time at the vets, and undergo many tests – he is recovering, although we still don’t know what made him ill. All our wishes are with Peeta for a full recovery.
Should you wish, you may sponsor Katniss and/or Peeta on a one-time or ongoing basis. Contact us, or make a donation directly via e-transfer to catsofpaintlake@gmail.com; you may include details if you wish to make your donation, for example, specific to either cat, or to medical bills, or to feeding and care.
Their Story:
Found at four days old, in June 2020, sweltering at the top of our woodshed, Katniss and Peeta, along with their litter mates, Mork and Mindy, came into the rescue and were bottle fed and hand raised. When two weeks old, their eyes were open, they were starting to play, and Peeta started purring … and hasn’t stopped since! Even at the vet’s he purrs; the vet has to hold an alcohol swab under his nose to get him to stop purring in order to listen to his heartbeat. We know that their mother is ShyAnne, and her mother is MamaCat, part of the original feral colony that we cared for, and why we started our rescue. Katniss and Peeta have a very strong bond; they’ve been loving and taking care of each other since the day they were born. We love it when we get to watch their unwavering affection for each other, in adorable action. And they work too, here at the rescue, welcoming and playing with the other cats as they arrive. Peeta is usually the welcoming committee. And Katniss loves to play with the younger ones, and also, when being held by Kyal, she purrs and shows the others that being held by a person is kinda nice!
By mid-summer 2020: Katniss is an active, friendly, playful, funny girl. She likes to scamper faster than you would think is possible for such a little creature. And she’s quite well socialized, loves to snuggle, and purrs the moment you pick her up. Litter trained and starting to eat solid food. Peeta loves long naps, preferably in your lap. He’s a big boy, will probably be a good sized silver tabby. He’s a gentle spirited, friendly guy, loves to cuddle, has the best purr ever, he’s litter trained - and so far he’s resisting eating solid foods. A bit of a mama’s boy.
By September of 2020, we knew that Katniss and Peeta would remain with us at the rescue as resident cats. They are wonderful as therapy cats for all the new ones joining us. Peeta especially loves kittens, and mothered our sweet Floof when she was deathly ill as a tiny kitten. He also insists on greeting each of the young ones by entering their cages while I feed, change water and clean litters. I lock him into each crate, one by one, and he hangs out with the occupant(s). Then I let him out, or drag him out, as the case may be!
Happy first birthday to Katniss and Peeta, on June 15, 2021!
On July 15, 2021, Peeta really scared us when he became very ill. He spent all day at Minden Animal Hospital today, for a lot of really non-specific symptoms that all add up to he is not ok. Lethargy, dehydration, lack of appetite and fever. Blood work has so far been inconclusive and vague, and very confusing. Diagnostic imaging showed nothing of concern. IV fluids and antibiotics have perked him up, but only slightly. $1,300 plus in testing and care, and we still don't really know what's wrong with him. He's home again so we can observe him over night (the clinic is not staffed at night), and get an apparently disgusting-tasting broad spectrum antibiotic into him. He is still sleeping, eating very little, and generally worrying us so much. We will take him in again in the morning for a reassessment, and a decision as to whether he needs to have another day of IV fluids and antibiotics. So for tonight...we wait. Peeta is special. Everyone thinks their pet is special, but Peeta is love, just pure love, and he gives it out freely, to one and all. He needs our love tonight.
As of July 19, good news, Peeta appears to be holding his own now. We still don't know what is/was wrong with him. He lost a lot of weight, and is still not his energetic, goofy self. We've been keeping him close by and observing him. He is slowly returning to us after two days of intravenous fluids and medications, a lot of inconclusive and confusing test results, and a broad-spectrum antibiotic which he hated. There is still one test that we are awaiting results from, which may or may not shed light on what that was all about. Meanwhile, we keep watch over him to see if any of his previous symptoms return. So far, so good. He's eating and sleeping, seems to like being crated at night so he can rest undisturbed in his squishy bed, and is moving around under his own power in the daytime. All good signs. Hoping this healing trend will continue into this week.
Earlier in July 2021, unfortunately, Peeta became very ill – more details are below, in Their Story, but he did have to spend time at the vets, and undergo many tests – he is recovering, although we still don’t know what made him ill. All our wishes are with Peeta for a full recovery.
Should you wish, you may sponsor Katniss and/or Peeta on a one-time or ongoing basis. Contact us, or make a donation directly via e-transfer to catsofpaintlake@gmail.com; you may include details if you wish to make your donation, for example, specific to either cat, or to medical bills, or to feeding and care.
Their Story:
Found at four days old, in June 2020, sweltering at the top of our woodshed, Katniss and Peeta, along with their litter mates, Mork and Mindy, came into the rescue and were bottle fed and hand raised. When two weeks old, their eyes were open, they were starting to play, and Peeta started purring … and hasn’t stopped since! Even at the vet’s he purrs; the vet has to hold an alcohol swab under his nose to get him to stop purring in order to listen to his heartbeat. We know that their mother is ShyAnne, and her mother is MamaCat, part of the original feral colony that we cared for, and why we started our rescue. Katniss and Peeta have a very strong bond; they’ve been loving and taking care of each other since the day they were born. We love it when we get to watch their unwavering affection for each other, in adorable action. And they work too, here at the rescue, welcoming and playing with the other cats as they arrive. Peeta is usually the welcoming committee. And Katniss loves to play with the younger ones, and also, when being held by Kyal, she purrs and shows the others that being held by a person is kinda nice!
By mid-summer 2020: Katniss is an active, friendly, playful, funny girl. She likes to scamper faster than you would think is possible for such a little creature. And she’s quite well socialized, loves to snuggle, and purrs the moment you pick her up. Litter trained and starting to eat solid food. Peeta loves long naps, preferably in your lap. He’s a big boy, will probably be a good sized silver tabby. He’s a gentle spirited, friendly guy, loves to cuddle, has the best purr ever, he’s litter trained - and so far he’s resisting eating solid foods. A bit of a mama’s boy.
By September of 2020, we knew that Katniss and Peeta would remain with us at the rescue as resident cats. They are wonderful as therapy cats for all the new ones joining us. Peeta especially loves kittens, and mothered our sweet Floof when she was deathly ill as a tiny kitten. He also insists on greeting each of the young ones by entering their cages while I feed, change water and clean litters. I lock him into each crate, one by one, and he hangs out with the occupant(s). Then I let him out, or drag him out, as the case may be!
Happy first birthday to Katniss and Peeta, on June 15, 2021!
On July 15, 2021, Peeta really scared us when he became very ill. He spent all day at Minden Animal Hospital today, for a lot of really non-specific symptoms that all add up to he is not ok. Lethargy, dehydration, lack of appetite and fever. Blood work has so far been inconclusive and vague, and very confusing. Diagnostic imaging showed nothing of concern. IV fluids and antibiotics have perked him up, but only slightly. $1,300 plus in testing and care, and we still don't really know what's wrong with him. He's home again so we can observe him over night (the clinic is not staffed at night), and get an apparently disgusting-tasting broad spectrum antibiotic into him. He is still sleeping, eating very little, and generally worrying us so much. We will take him in again in the morning for a reassessment, and a decision as to whether he needs to have another day of IV fluids and antibiotics. So for tonight...we wait. Peeta is special. Everyone thinks their pet is special, but Peeta is love, just pure love, and he gives it out freely, to one and all. He needs our love tonight.
As of July 19, good news, Peeta appears to be holding his own now. We still don't know what is/was wrong with him. He lost a lot of weight, and is still not his energetic, goofy self. We've been keeping him close by and observing him. He is slowly returning to us after two days of intravenous fluids and medications, a lot of inconclusive and confusing test results, and a broad-spectrum antibiotic which he hated. There is still one test that we are awaiting results from, which may or may not shed light on what that was all about. Meanwhile, we keep watch over him to see if any of his previous symptoms return. So far, so good. He's eating and sleeping, seems to like being crated at night so he can rest undisturbed in his squishy bed, and is moving around under his own power in the daytime. All good signs. Hoping this healing trend will continue into this week.
Floof
Anyone who has been following the adventures of The Cats of Paint Lake will remember sweet Floofie, who came to us as a very tiny kitten with her mama, Callie.
Floof is special. In addition to being the smallest kitten of her litter of three, she also had difficulties with her digestive system, culminating in a severe case of prolapsed bowel. This required surgery to correct, and it was touch-and-go at the time as to whether or not she would survive. Luckily she did, and the support of our amazing donors paid the bill for her surgery within 24 hours!
Floof's recovery was long, but she had the support of her buddies Katniss and Peeta, who nurtured her and cuddled her, bathed her and loved her up.
Floof still has a heart condition that needs to be monitored, along with recurring bouts of eosinophilic granuloma.
She went from the teensiest of kittens to one of the largest cats! We aren't sure if this has something to do with her heart condition, or if it's just pure genetics, though her mama Callie, is a tiny little cat.
She is still terribly shy, and rarely seen by anyone she does not already know. Though she does have a great relationship of trust with her caregivers.
Floof is special. In addition to being the smallest kitten of her litter of three, she also had difficulties with her digestive system, culminating in a severe case of prolapsed bowel. This required surgery to correct, and it was touch-and-go at the time as to whether or not she would survive. Luckily she did, and the support of our amazing donors paid the bill for her surgery within 24 hours!
Floof's recovery was long, but she had the support of her buddies Katniss and Peeta, who nurtured her and cuddled her, bathed her and loved her up.
Floof still has a heart condition that needs to be monitored, along with recurring bouts of eosinophilic granuloma.
She went from the teensiest of kittens to one of the largest cats! We aren't sure if this has something to do with her heart condition, or if it's just pure genetics, though her mama Callie, is a tiny little cat.
She is still terribly shy, and rarely seen by anyone she does not already know. Though she does have a great relationship of trust with her caregivers.
Callie
Marigold (aka "Wigglet")
This little sweetheart is Marigold. She has balance problems, but does just fine playing on her back.
She and her siblings arrived here with her mom some time back. A community member found them under their porch, and contacted us.
Marigold's mother had an illness when she arrived, and soon passed it to her kittens. Panleukopenia is a tough one. Most adult cats can recover from it on their own, or with a little support. But panleukopenia targets developing cells, so kittens are much more susceptible.
One by one, each of the kittens became ill, and required some serious supportive care to pull them through. With proper medications and lots of fluids, dropper feeding, supplements and round-the-clock monitoring, all of them survived. But Marigold, being the smallest, got the worst of it. She also had it for the longest duration, and needed the most care to keep her body going long enough for her immune system to do its work.
The ones who nursed on their mom the most seemed to do better, or have lesser symptoms. We think this might have a lot to do with getting some of their mom's antibodies through her milk. One kitten, the one who nursed the most, had the shortest duration of symptoms, and this little gal, who was pretty much ignored by her mother, had it the worst. Several times we thought for sure we would lose her. But we were stubborn, and so is she.
These photos don't show her disability. She has trouble keeping her back end upright, and keeping her balance.
Her condition is called Cerebellar Hyperplasia, or CH. People call them "wobble cats"; they have trouble keeping their balance. Everything I've read says that, aside from being accident-prone, most live normal lifespans.
While Marigold will probably never regain much of her balance or mobility, she has learned to compensate as best she can, and ignores most of her difficulties. She is very much enjoying being alive, and inspires us every day.
This is one of the many things we see in rescue. But mostly what we see is the determination and will to survive that cats all seem to have. They really are such amazing creatures.
Special volunteer shout-outs to Jane & Grant for emergency vet trips, Aaffien for kitten cuddling services and messy feeding sessions. And all of our awesome morning cleaning and feeding crew who stepped up to make sure we had time to care for these guys.
She and her siblings arrived here with her mom some time back. A community member found them under their porch, and contacted us.
Marigold's mother had an illness when she arrived, and soon passed it to her kittens. Panleukopenia is a tough one. Most adult cats can recover from it on their own, or with a little support. But panleukopenia targets developing cells, so kittens are much more susceptible.
One by one, each of the kittens became ill, and required some serious supportive care to pull them through. With proper medications and lots of fluids, dropper feeding, supplements and round-the-clock monitoring, all of them survived. But Marigold, being the smallest, got the worst of it. She also had it for the longest duration, and needed the most care to keep her body going long enough for her immune system to do its work.
The ones who nursed on their mom the most seemed to do better, or have lesser symptoms. We think this might have a lot to do with getting some of their mom's antibodies through her milk. One kitten, the one who nursed the most, had the shortest duration of symptoms, and this little gal, who was pretty much ignored by her mother, had it the worst. Several times we thought for sure we would lose her. But we were stubborn, and so is she.
These photos don't show her disability. She has trouble keeping her back end upright, and keeping her balance.
Her condition is called Cerebellar Hyperplasia, or CH. People call them "wobble cats"; they have trouble keeping their balance. Everything I've read says that, aside from being accident-prone, most live normal lifespans.
While Marigold will probably never regain much of her balance or mobility, she has learned to compensate as best she can, and ignores most of her difficulties. She is very much enjoying being alive, and inspires us every day.
This is one of the many things we see in rescue. But mostly what we see is the determination and will to survive that cats all seem to have. They really are such amazing creatures.
Special volunteer shout-outs to Jane & Grant for emergency vet trips, Aaffien for kitten cuddling services and messy feeding sessions. And all of our awesome morning cleaning and feeding crew who stepped up to make sure we had time to care for these guys.
Amara
Amara came to us with four gorgeous kittens, including Marigold (Wigglet) who is pictured in this section. She was sick, and passed her deadly illness along to her kittens. We spent long days and weeks nursing all of them back to health. Amara has been sick off and on since she came to us...depleted immune system? Though she seems to be doing well enough now, we are monitoring her closely.
Alumni
These cats have either moved on to their adoptive families, or gone missing from our original feral colony group. You're welcome to read their stories!
MamaCat
The alpha, the first of our ferals, mother to ShyAnne and Fuzzy, among many others...her story is told here: https://www.thecatsofpaintlake.ca/post/the-beginning