Meet Marilyn, the feisty feline giving a voice to feral cats in B.C.

CTV News

a day ago

Marilyn is shown in this photo posted to social media by the Regional Animal Protection Society's Cat Sanctuary.
In the middle of June, a fluffy feral kitten appeared on the social media feed for a B.C. sanctuary for the first time – hissing with her ears flattened and claws bared, taking a swift swipe at a human hand poised for a pet.
'Hi. I'm Marilyn. I'm 10 weeks old and I don't like you. Don't look at me. Don't talk to me. And definitely don't try to pet me,' the caption read.
'I didn't ask to be rescued. I was perfectly happy being a tiny menace in the wild. But now I live in a house with a 'foster human' who keeps trying to win me over with kindness. Rude. Anyway, here's a video of me swatting her. Enjoy.'
In the weeks since, posts channeling the voice of Marilyn have appeared almost daily – inspiring a devoted following and donations to the Regional Animal Protection Society's Cat Sanctuary, a facility that provides a forever home to hundreds of feral, surrendered or abandoned cats.
Marilyn has emerged as a distinct personality, a dramatic diva who regards humans and animals alike with utter disdain. A queen who demands tribute in the form of treats. She describes herself in one post as 'still feral, still fabulous' and in another as 'still gorgeous, still offended.'
The woman behind the posts is Lisa Friesen, who works for the organization along with her husband Ken. Too shy to speak with reporters and content to let Marilyn's posts speak for themselves, she declined an interview.
Ken, however, did speak to CTV News about the feline phenom and the foster mom with the 'great imagination' who has given her such a distinct voice.
'There's just a bond between them two,' he said.
'At first even Lisa was afraid of her because she was so feral. But that's one thing about Lisa. She's good and great at taming feral cats here and at the sanctuary.'
The couple is currently fostering 22 cats and kittens at their home, but Marilyn is the first one Lisa has felt compelled to feature in this way. She spends a significant amount of time with the cat each day, crafting posts and gaining trust.
And Marilyn is gradually and grudgingly becoming fond of Lisa, allowing herself to be held and brushed and deigning to purr in response to human affection.
Marilyn does not, however, care for Ken. Her distaste for him is described in one of her posts after he accidentally called her 'Marion.'
'Excuse me??? Do I look like a Marion? Am I a substitute librarian in a small-town mystery novel? I am MARILYN. Like Monroe. Like icon. Like drama, elegance, and danger all rolled into one purring, swatting, Churu-demanding package,' the post said. 'I hissed. I swatted. I glared so hard the stuffed bear fell over. Even the other kittens froze. One gasped. Another whispered, 'He's not gonna make it.' To be clear: I don't do Marion. I don't do mistaken identity. And I certainly don't do casual disrespect.'
Marilyn
Eyal Lichtmann, the CEO of the Regional Animal Protection Society, says the posts serve a purpose beyond entertaining. They educate the public by reinforcing the message that feral, surrendered and abandoned cats deserve a home and a future.
'This one really hit home. I thought it was just brilliant what the staff did to get the character out and how much fun they have doing it. It's absolutely fantastic,' he said.
'But this exemplifies why we exist as an organization, right? So Marilyn can have a voice at all, because anywhere else she would have been euthanized.'
Ken agrees that the fanfare around Marilyn is having a positive impact.
'She is getting around, she is definitely – which is a good thing,' he said, adding that the sanctuary has recently received a few donations in her name and that the feedback on the posts has been overwhelmingly positive.
While Marilyn is a social media standout, chronicling her journey in foster care also sheds light on the work the organization, its staff, and its volunteers do with cats that otherwise may be written off completely.
'When you read about Marilyn, it is exactly what we experience with feral cats. It had me on the floor laughing. I just I couldn't believe how on point it was,' he said.
'God only knows, we bring in so many different feral cats and every single one has a different personality. It's amazing how they get to know each one. They spend enormous amounts of time with each cat to try to get it comfortable and acclimated to their new situation.'
RAPS, which is always I need of donations, is thinking about releasing a T-shirt featuring Marilyn as part of its fundraising efforts.
As for Marilyn's future?
'That's up to Lisa,' Ken said.
'She spends over an hour every night with Marilyn. So, I guess you could say she's getting quite attached. And if it's long haired and fluffy, she's a sucker.'
Regardless, like all cats taken in by the organization, this one-of-a-kind creature will be cared for.
More information about the sanctuary and how to support RAPS is available online.