Kittens and cats in Duncan, British Columbia

*** Adopt-a-pet requires that the fields for breed, sex, colour, and hair length be filled in on this ad, although in reality our barn cats are not all ivory shorthaired females. Also, corresponding photos to this ad are of feral cats that have come through our system. That particular cat may or may not be available now. Generally, suitable placements receive barn cats of whatever colour we have available. Colour requests can be made, but can't usually be met quickly, if at all. *** We operate a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program for feral cats in the Cowichan Valley, and the 'R' part of that process is very important. We cannot take feral cats away from property owners who don't want to be bothered with looking after them. We fix hundreds of ferals every year, we have no head office or shelter, we are simply a network of volunteers who work out of our own homes, and so all ferals (aside from tiny kittens) must be returned to where they came from, with an agreement with the property owner that he/she will feed them after we have 'fixed' and returned them. That being said, there are rare circumstances where a feral cat cannot go back to where it came from. For example, in 2013 we removed a champagne coloured cat from a construction site where she was living and raising kittens. She was at risk of injury if she stayed there, and after the construction company left there would be no one to continue feeding her. In this way, we are always looking for 'barn homes' where we can place a pair of feral cats to save their lives. All barn cats are spayed or neutered and have received their first shots. We always send them out in pairs so that they have a friend (and this also helps reduce the chance that they will run away later). Barn cats can be placed on a farm, acreage, vineyard, warehouse, or even a backyard. We place them free of charge, but we need to make sure of a few things first. The property owner must agree to give the cat one meal of cat food every day and fresh water, forever. The cats will still take care of the rodents in your yard as you want them to. Starving cats are so desperate for a meal that they don't make good mousers. So a meal a day is essential. The cats must be able to get out of the wind and the rain. We can provide you with a Styrofoam cat shelter so that they stay snug. We also need to make sure that the home is not located on a busy road where it is likely that the cats will be run over. We always ask about dogs, as it is upsetting when we hear that barn cats ran away from their new home on account of a dog's presence (not necessarily because the dog was badly behaved, but simply because feral cats are scared of dogs). Generally, dogs are not suitable to have on the same property as barn cats. A very mellow, sluggish-type dog that is disinterested in cats can be okay. The cats must be in lockdown in an escape-proof holding space for one month so that they get used to you, their new feeder, and learn that this is their new home and food comes from you. This space can be a workshop, tack room, garage, outbuilding, etc., and if you don't have something along those lines then we can loan you an extra large wire dog kennel to keep the cats in for the month. If the shed or similar space is quite small and the cats are at risk of bolting past when the door is open, the wire kennel will be needed. After the month of lockdown, the cats can be released outside, and they should stick around. Barn homes are very, very useful to our work. If you can meet the requirements outlined above and are willing to take on a couple of barn cats who will provide you with environmentally friendly, non-toxic rodent control, we would love to hear from you.

Jester is a sweet boy who is looking for a special home. For his entire life (Jester is now 8 years old) he has lived in a house with one person and a large number of cats. Since there were rarely any visitors to Jester's home, he is a shy boy who is extremely nervous of strangers. He lived a very quiet & sheltered life where change was very rare so until Jester came into our care, he hadn't learned how to adjust to anything new. Once Jester gets to know you he's a real love bug, but it takes him time to be comfortable in new environments and around different people. Jester has lived his whole life in a home with a lot of other cats so he will likely do fine in a home with other felines. However, this boy is large and in charge. Weighing in at 23lbs, Jester can throw his weight around. He's typically good with other cats but sometimes he can be pushy with them without really meaning to be; he's just so much bigger than they are. Although he lived with many other cats, Jester hasn't had to meet a new cat in over 6 years so it may take him a while to get used to a new feline. He has never met a dog. Jester will sometimes keep to himself if the other cats in the house are getting attention from their human but when he's in the mood for cuddles, he'll push himself to the front of the line and take over. He loves to be combed and rubbed frequently and isn't shy about rubbing himself on you aggressively once he decides that you're trust worthy. He has the biggest purr you've ever heard and once he trusts you, you'll never hear the end of it. Jester isn't a fan of being picked up, so prefers pets when he's in his happy place (which is usually up high on top of a scratch post or book shelf.) When Jester first came to VPAS, it took his foster mom a few weeks before he'd allow her to touch him, and almost a month before we would willingly approach her for attention. He relied on watching the other, more forward cats to learn who he could trust. Jester will likely do best in a home with other friendly felines, but it will take him a bit of time to get to know them. It is important that Jester's adopter be a cat savvy person who has previous experience working with shy cats. An adopter who can read Jester's body language and help him to come out of his shell will be important for him. A quiet, adult-only home with a single person or couple will be ideal for Jester. He is an indoor-only cat. If you'd like to learn more about Jester, please contact us at victoriapets@gmail.com and tell us a little bit about your home and your previous experience working with shy cats.

Ferti is a handsome orange kitty who is looking for a very special home with an experienced care giver. He grew up in a quiet home with a single, senior woman. Unfortunately, Ferti's mom passed away and no one in her family was able to keep him. Ferti is a very shy boy and adjusting to life in a new environment and with new people as been difficult for him. He needs a quiet home with a very patient person who has experience working with undersocialized cats. Ferti is about 4 years old and is a sweet boy once he gets to know you, although he's still very shy. He likes to spend most of his day hiding in his safe space, but comes out when the house is quiet. They key to Ferti's heart is food, so using tasty treats is a good way to bond with him. He is a big, solid cat (not yet fat) but it will be important to watch Ferti's waistline since he's so food motivated. He is the not the type of cat that will do well with free-feeding; he will need to have regular feeding times with measured amounts. It took Ferti's foster family several weeks to gain his trust, but now he enjoys coming out from hiding for a treat and pets. Interestingly, we have discovered that unlike most cats, Ferti LOVES belly rubs! He drools when he's happy and just wants more and more pets (and looks sad when you stop petting him.) As you can imagine, Ferti is scared of loud noises and sudden movements, so you have to go slow with him. He will not be comfortable in a busy household or around children. We haven't had the chance to see him around other cats or dogs since he's been with us. Fert is an indoor cat but enjoys the sights and sounds of outside. He would be happy to live in a home where there is a catio that he can hang out in. If you'd like to learn more about Ferti, please contact us at victoriapets@gmail.com and tell us a bit about your previous experience working with undersocialzied cats. Ferti is part of our foster-to-adopt program.

Meet Domino. This guy is a super laid-back kitty who will make a wonderful addition to his new family. Domino was much-loved by his owner who had to move overseas. The long trip and required quarantine would have been too much to put Domino through so he had to stay behind. Now he is looking for a family who will love him as much as his previous one did. Domino is a gentle giant. Weighing in at 20lbs, he seems happy to spend his days lazing around. Not much phases him and he has taken all of the recent changes in stride. His favourite activities seem to be napping on the bed, playing with his toys, and watching the birds outside the window. Domino is used to having outdoor access and enjoys spending time outside in a safe space, but during the winter months he is happy to relax indoors. He has lived with both dogs and other cats before. Domino has a fairly strong personality and he's a big boy so he can be intimidating to other cats but he's gotten along well with a few dogs. That said, Domino would be quite happy in a family where he's the only pet. He tends to like to use his mouth a lot when he's playing, and to tell you when he's finished getting attention. He doesn't bite or break skin, but because of his size and his mouthing behaviour, Domino will not be a good fit for a home with small children. Although Domino is a big-boned cat, he is also overweight. He's on a diet right now and is hoping to shed some pounds in time for spring. Other than his weight, Domino is in good health for a 9 year old cat. He has a mild heart murmur, but he's had it since he was born and it has always been stable. If you'd like to learn more about Domino, please contact us at victoriapets@gmail.com and tell us about your family. He will make a great friend for someone who likes to spend lots of time at home and needs a buddy to relax with.

Introducing Jessalyn! This kitty is a lovely girl who will make a wonderful addition to her new home. We don't know much about her, except that she came to us from the pound after being picked up as a stray and never claimed. The vet estimates that she's about 5-6 years old and says that she's in good health. Jessa is a lovable girl and seems happy to finally be back in a home environment (foster home) instead of at the pound. Jessa loves attention and will follow you around when she wants it. As soon as you sit on the floor with her, she collapses and rolls around wanting to be pet. She enjoys sitting on laps, but not always being pet while she's on your lap. Most of the time she likes getting head scratches, but once in a while she’ll nip to let you know she doesn’t want to be pet anymore. Jessa enjoys playing with feathers on a string or a bouncy rod. She loves stretching out on pillows and sleeping in bed with her people. We have not seen Jessa around children but because she will use her mouth to let you know when she's had enough attention, she will not be suitable for a home with young kids. A home with teenagers would likely be OK. Jessa has a wonderful purr and isn't afraid to use it. She also drools profusely when she's happy and getting love. Make sure you've got a towel handy when petting her! She's just a happy girl who enjoys attention. Therefore, we think she'd be happiest in a home with someone who is around much of the time (perhaps retired or works from home) rather than being left alone 8-10 hours a day. When Jessa was living at the pound, we were told that she wasn't great with the other cats there. She wasn't aggressive toward them, she just hid when other cats were around. We think this girl would be happiest in a home of her own, but she might do Ok with another cat that gave her space and wasn't trying to play with her. We have no information regarding Jessa and dogs at this point. If you'd like to learn more about Jessa, please visit http://victoriapets.ca/?q=node/1196 to learn about our adoption process.

Logan is hoping to find a home all his own. He would love a home where he can have some space to curl up in a cozy bed or watch what's happening outside. Logan would prefer to be the solo feline in the home. No other cats please. He is best suited for an adult home or with children over 12. Primary Color: Black Secondary Color: White Weight: 6.1 Age: 5yrs 0mths 2wks