Date departed: 2026-05-21

Written by Giselle’s wonderful foster, Rianna Jade

Gisèle came to the rescue 8 months ago. She was surrendered to a pound when her owner passed away. At 14-years-old, she deserved a calm and happy place to live out what time she had left.

Beautiful Gisèle stole her foster parents’ hearts immediately. The sweetest girl with the loudest purr, she walked with such elegance that they often referred to her as “Lady G”, and she soon became affectionately known as “Giselly” and “Gigi”. Gisèle was always happy to see you, and was always at the door to welcome you home. She was full of love and loved nothing more than showing it. She loved to curl up in a warm lap, or cuddle beside you on the couch. Despite being mostly deaf and losing her vision, nothing quelled her adventurous spirit. Her favourite activities were sitting amongst her foster’s spider plants (which also got her the nickname “Gisèle of the Jungle”) and looking out the windows and watching the world go by.

This is how Gisèle spent her last moments: gazing out the window before drifting peacefully to sleep in the arms of the foster parents who loved her so much. She passed peacefully across the rainbow bridge on May 21st while being cuddled and told how loved she was. We like to think that now, Gisèle and her owner have been reunited on the other side, catching up after 8 months of lost time.

While Gisèle has passed on, her light and legacy continues. The night Gisèle died, a new kitten was born in the care of the rescue and named Gigi in her honour.

Fly high, Giselly. We love you always. ❤️

Date departed: 2026-01-23

Bam was a beautiful senior kitty, adopted back in October of 2019, who was at the time 14 years old.

He knew nothing but love from his adopters and sister, Snooky, until his very last breath.

Here are some beautiful words from his wonderful adopters, Devon Reid & Elizabeth Sandor:

“It is with great sadness that I must once again write to tell you of the passing of a most cherished friend. On January 23rd 2026 our beloved cat Bam passed away peacefully surrounded by family. We are grateful for the time we shared with him during his long and full life. He will be missed immensely by his family Devon, Elizabeth, Wyatt, and Maverick. He is now once again reunited with his soul mate Snooky, who pre-deceased him nearly four years ago. Until we meet again my friend, rest in peace.

We would like to thank Furry Tales Cat Rescue who arranged for us to adopt Bam and Snooky in October of 2019. They were 14 years old at that time and we are blessed to have been chosen to share with them, their forever home.

We would also like to thank Dr. Sherri Dennett and her team at Riverside South Animal Hospital for providing excellent health care over the years as well as end of life care for both of our magnificent cats.

Thank you to everyone who took part in making this wonderful journey possible.

Warm Regards,
Devon Reid & Elizabeth Sandor“

Date departed: 2026-01-21

Written by her wonderful foster, Mia Brabyn-Jones:

“A sad update on Emilie. I still don’t really have the words to do her or her life justice, so for now, I made a little slideshow of some of my favourite Emilie photos and videos.

Last Wednesday, Emilie tragically and unexpectedly passed away. Emilie was a very fearful cat who until being brought in by Furry Tales, likely had a very difficult start in life. Despite this, she was a sweet and quiet girl with a gentle soul and a kind heart, who just wanted to feel safe, secure, and seen. After spending about a month at the cattery, with amazing, loving care from Donna and Sheldon, she came home with me to continue her socialization journey & pathway to becoming a pampered house kitty.

While I’m sure she wasn’t my biggest fan, she was and is so loved, and I’m so proud of her for being so brave ! During her time here, Emilie began to accept more pets, accepted Churu treats from me, ate in front of me, and occasionally fell asleep on or under my desk while I was working. It may not seem like much, but every baby step was a huge milestone ❤️.

Without getting into all the details, Emilie’s sudden passing, to my understanding, was not something that could have been foreseen or prevented. Regardless, I’m profoundly grateful to all of the wonderful ladies (plus Sheldon) in the foster and admin team who have been so kind, patient, and supportive every step of the way for both Emilie and I.

Emilie and I may not have had a long time together, but she was loved and cherished while she was here—it is such a privilege to love cats like her, however long they are here for.

I think she is in cat heaven watching over all of the other shy babies, and probably grumbling about her Churus being the wrong flavour ❤️.“ Emilie's foster was also kind enough to put up a beautiful slideshow to remember this lovely lady. Please join us in getting to know her story and celebrating her life.

Date departed: 2025-12-13

Kitkat was a sweet and beautiful lady who came in palliative care with Furry Tales. When she was taken in, she was given an estimate of only nine months to live due to a cancer diagnosis, but thanks to one of our wonderful fosters, she now spent her last days being loved and pampered.

These are the words of her wonderful foster, Lauren Clark

“On December 13 2025, we said goodbye to sweet Kitkat. At only 8 years old she was taken far too soon!

Kitkat was such a sweet girl, always waiting to be in our presence. She would be waiting at the door for me when I came home from work and would always jump up on my lap for her daily cuddles before settling in to her chair (yes she claimed one of our living room chairs as her own) contently for the night.

I wish we could’ve had more time together, but I am so grateful to Furry Tales for doing everything they could to help Kitkat right to the end. Thank you Furry Tales for letting Kitkats last few months be spent in peace: playing, people watching from the window, and course lots of cuddling!

Rest in peace Kitkat 💗”

Date departed: 2026-01-06

On the evening of January 6th, we had to say a heartbreaking goodbye to Loretta.

Loretta was found dumped in a box on farmland, left to fend for herself. To the person who left her there: this is the reality of your choice. Indoor cats do not "figure it out" in the wild. They don't just "become barn cats." They suffer, and they die.

The kind souls who found her on their property did everything right—they brought her into the warmth and tried to feed her—but the damage was already done. By the time she reached us, she was unable to eat enough to save herself. It was already too late.

Loretta arrived in care severely dehydrated and dangerously anemic. Because she had been without food for so long, her body began breaking down its own fat stores too quickly, leading to Hepatic Lipidosis (Fatty Liver Disease). Essentially, her liver was overwhelmed and failing. She was only four points away from needing a blood transfusion, but we were caught in a cruel medical paradox: if we corrected her dehydration, her anemia would have worsened to a fatal level. Her body was simply too far gone to be saved. This didn't happen because of a "natural" illness—it happened because she was abandoned.

This is a living, breathing being. You cannot simply dump a cat outside and hope for the best. Even when they are found by kind people, the physical toll of starvation and exposure is often too much for their small bodies to overcome.

Loretta knew only love, soft blankets, and warmth in her final moments with us, but her story should have been so much longer. It didn't have to end this way.

Rest in peace beautiful Loretta.

Date departed: 2025-11-24

Xena arrived in our care as an emergency: a young kitten who had survived something unimaginable. She had been brutally attacked, and her injuries were severe.

Upon further diagnostics, we learned that Xena’s injuries were far more severe than we had hoped. She had a skull fracture, her mandible was torn open, and one eye was ruptured. Repairing these injuries would have required multiple complex surgeries with a very high risk of serious infection.

Because of this, the veterinary team at Alta Vista recommended humane euthanasia as the kindest option, and agreed to proceed. We were absolutely heartbroken. Xena's final moments were spent resting comfortably on pain medication and surrounded by care and love. Her comfort and dignity remained our priority.

Despite everything she endured, Xena remained kind and gentle until the very end. She was so brave through it all, truly living up to her name as our warrior princess.

Date departed: 2025-11-23

Written by her wonderful foster, Mia Brabyn-Jones:

“This past weekend, sweet baby Swiffer joined her big sister Arabella across the rainbow bridge.

On Saturday evening, her breathing seemed a bit fast, so I stayed up with her to make sure that she was ok—but by Sunday morning, a trip to Alta Vista was warranted. They revealed that poor Swiffer had a few displaced/broken ribs, as well as mild pneumothorax & pulmonary contusions 😞.

She spent the day in the special oxygen tank and was later able to come home with pain medication to keep her comfortable while she rested and healed. Upon returning home, Swiffer seemed like her usual active, outgoing, and loving self; coming out immediately and climbing into my lap for purrs, pets, and treats 🩷. Later that evening, her irregular breathing returned worse than before, and she had an accident all over herself, so we went back to Alta Vista immediately. Although she was admitted to critical care overnight, her prognosis seemed good; she was stable, and the veterinary team advised that flare-ups could occur, which was a relief given the circumstances.

By morning, we learned that little Swiffer had quickly deteriorated overnight, with a bad fever, back in the oxygen tank, and not doing well. Given the extent of testing and the amount of pain and discomfort that this sweet little girl was in, humane euthanasia was determined to be the kindest option 💔.

Thanks to Donna, April, Marta, Muriel, and the rest of the incredible foster team, and the wonderful staff at Alta Vista, I was allowed to go say goodbye to my baby in-person. The vet who had originally found and brought Swiffer, Lint, and Arabella to Furry Tales inquired about doing a CBC to see whether Swiffer was stable enough to be transported to her clinic for continued care, but this was understandably advised against by Alta Vista given her condition, and I had, and have, complete faith in Donna and AV’s judgement and expertise, especially during such hard times. The moment I saw Swiffer in the ICU, I knew that this was unequivocally the right decision.

She was extremely weak, pale, and could barely lift her own head. When I pet her, she tried so hard to stand up, but she just couldn’t, and was suffering from having the door to the oxygen tank ajar for only a minute. At approximately 1:15pm on Sunday, November 23rd, baby Swiffer took her last breath.

As incredibly heartbreaking as this was, and is, I am so deeply grateful that Swiffer was given her best chance to recover, and that her comfort, dignity, and best interests were prioritized until the very end, and that I got to hold her and be with her in her final moments. I am devastated about the loss of Swiffer, especially so soon after losing her sister Arabella. It is a small comfort to think that they are now happily reunited and no longer suffering.

I read a quote the other day that resonates “I will take a lifetime of missing you for the privilege of loving you for all of yours”

While Swiffer was with me for only ~3 weeks, she made such a profound impact. Her first couple of days, she was hissy, growly, and scared, but she quickly revealed her incredibly gentle, loving, playful, and comforting personality, and brought so much happiness to Lint and I. She was the perfect kitten who lit up the room simply by occupying it; she would always come and sleep directly under my chin, purred the moment I looked at her, and showed Lint how to be brave and courageous. She loved to exchange grooming with resident cat Beans, curl up in my lap during Zoom lectures and work calls, and was so full of life. Despite being a foster kitten, it felt like she was “home” and I love her just as I do my own cats.”

Tabitha is a sweet, patient, and endlessly curious cat! Found as a stray, completely malnourished and suffering from untreated hyperthyroidism, she weighed only 2 kg and had to be shaved due to severe matting.

After two months of recovery in her foster home, Tabitha has blossomed into a loving, affectionate companion! She’s now ready to find her forever home!

Tabitha is a total purring machine and a devoted lap cat. Even when she was at her weakest, she purred the moment she was touched. These days, she prefers to curl up beside you or on your lap, and has a signature move when she wants attention: standing in front of you and staring with her big, soulful eyes until you give in. It works every time!

She gets along wonderfully with other cats, mostly because she ignores them completely, and is naturally calm and unbothered. She’s also very curious and loves to explore every corner of her surroundings (even the vet’s office!).

Tabitha will need thyroid medication for life, but her condition is very manageable and common in older cats. She’s a pro at spitting out pills, but turns into an angel when medication is paired with a liquid treat. Her thyroid levels are now stable.

Her mealtime habits are endearing: she’s a messy eater and drinker who tends to get wet food on her face and then dunk it right into the water bowl. She likes to alternate bites and sips, so expect to wipe her adorable face and clean her water fountain every few days.

She has a hilariously cute, raspy “old lady” meow that she mostly saves for breakfast time. It never fails to make her foster laugh.

And just one more thing: Tabitha once walked across her foster’s keyboard and typed “hi.” Coincidence? Maybe. But we like to think she really can understand us.

With her bright eyes, gentle heart, and quirky habits, Tabitha will make a wonderful companion for someone ready to give her the love and care she deserves.

Date departed: November 2025

Written by Elfin's wonderful foster, Tania Hutchison

“Little Elfin came into our care with his Mom, Eve, and sister, Ella.

Elfin was diagnosed with a severe congenital condition called Vascular Ring Anomaly. This birth defect caused a ring of vessels to constrict his esophagus and trachea, meaning he was unable to keep any food down. Watching him struggle, ravenously hungry but unable to swallow, was heartbreaking.

Since the required expensive and invasive surgical correction was not possible due to his small size, the difficult decision was made to compassionately let him go and rest in peace. This is the sad, often unseen reality of rescue work.

He was loved deeply by everyone who knew him and will never, ever be forgotten.“

Date departed: 2025-11-14

In loving memory of Courtney

As many of you know, we asked our followers for donations to help in Courtney’s FIP journey. Unfortunately, we don’t have good news. After several days of FIP treatment and supportive care at VCA Ottawa Veterinary Hospital, it was obvious that Courtney was not improving and her quality of life was deteriorating. We unfortunately made the difficult decision to euthanize this sweet girl.

We are beyond heartbroken to see such a robust, healthy kitten fade so quickly. It has taken many years for the antiviral therapy GS-441524GS to become available to vets so they can prescribe/administer to their FIP patients. But for it to work, diagnosis and treatment must begin as soon as possible. Unfortunately, Courtney was sick for longer than we knew, and her little body just didn’t have the fight left in her.

She was a special girl to Donna and to all the volunteers she touched. None of us could understand why she wasn't adopted. Maybe a higher power knew she needed to stay with us. Maybe it was fate. But it does seem like a cruel fate. She had her whole kitty life ahead of her and FIP has stamped that out.

A heartfelt thank you goes to the vets, techs, assistants and admin staff at VCA Ottawa Veterinary Hospital. You gave Courtney the best care possible. We are forever grateful. We also thank all of our supporters who donated money towards Courtney’s care, shared her post and kept her in your thoughts.

Date departed: 2025-05-28

Xander was a beautiful little boy who touched our hearts in the short time he was with us. The longest-surviving kitten of his litter, he gave us hope for a long and joyful life ahead.

But sometimes, no matter how much love surrounds them, fate carries these tiny ones away too soon. At just over two months old, Xander crossed the rainbow bridge, where he was reunited with his siblings—Chaim, Xena, and Xandra.

Though his time here was brief, Xander’s memory continues to shine. His gentle presence left pawprints on our hearts that will never fade.

Date departed: 2025-03-21

La belle Étoile! Just as beautiful as her name suggests!

Sadly, she passed away after just a few days in care. Her foster shared these beautiful words in her memory:

"My sweet Étoile 💔.

As some already know, Étoile passed away unexpectedly late Friday night, after spending only ~4 nights with me. Although she was not with me for long, I think we all know how quickly we can get attached to our foster babies.

Étoile was roughly 8-10 years old and came to Furry Tales from Outaouais. When I picked her up, she was frightened and hiding in the back of her carrier, and would not even look at me the whole ride home. When we got home, she did not take long to start showing her affectionate, loving self. She had not been eating or drinking much, but after what was possibly her first taste of a Churu treat, things started to look up. It was bit of an adventure to figure out what she liked to eat. We tried Friskies, Hill’s, Fancy Feast, Weruva….and she finally settled on Tiki Cat—and who can blame her? I would’ve eaten it myself had I not known it was cat food!

Étoile loved head and chin rubs, gentle brushing, and curling up next to me, or sometimes even in my lap. She would roll onto her side for pets, and purr her heart out.

Reflecting back on the time she spent with me, she might have been experiencing some discomfort—she was sensitive to touch around certain areas, and had some trouble with dry food and hard treats. She had also been through many changes in the past week. Despite this, she was a happy girl who loved wand toys, a cozy bed, catnip kickers and mice, and would gleefully leave them for me in her food or water dish. I think she was brewing catnip tea.

I am devastated that she is no longer with us, and even more devastated knowing that I was not able to make her last moments more comfortable or less scary for her. I only hope that if she was suffering, that she is no longer; and I am so grateful for the few days that I got to spend with her ❤️.

I am also extremely grateful for the amazing community of volunteers, fosters, coordinators, and friends that complete FTCR, and for the amazing level of support and compassion that I’ve received from the wonderful foster team since Friday night. I genuinely can’t express how grateful and how sorry I am 😞.

I haven’t been able to bring myself to tidy up her room yet, but I do have 6 cans of Étoile’s leftover food that she enjoyed very much, and are just sitting on my counter. I am hoping that it might be of use to another foster, as I know that it will otherwise continue to sit on my counter indefinitely. Photo is the last one in the post.

I hope Étoile has everything that she couldn’t have in this life, across the rainbow bridge 🌈🩷👼."