CAT RESCUE ON A BIGGER SCALE

 

Image Credit: WildCat Ridge Sanctuary

An experience that changed my life.

Last weekend, my husband and I had the honor of touring WildCat Ridge Sanctuary, a rescue home for captive-born wildcats in need. Though I’ve seen cats in zoos, to meet them up close in the out-of-doors was amazing. Basically, that visit changed my life.

I love cats, all cats, but to be honest, I’ve never felt much of an affinity for the big ones. They were photo subjects, beautiful and dangerous, but two-dimensional. Everything changed, however, the moment I got to see them in person. To pick out the individuality of their markings, the texture of their fur, their little mannerisms; to smell their scent in the air; to look them in the eye—the experience was nothing short of enlightening. When I gave a slow blink like I would with a house cat and a few blinked back, I felt a connection I’d never dreamed of. I felt like a child, being exposed for the first time to something wonderful.

Scout – Image Credit: WildCat Ridge Sanctuary

The cats were all so different, even those of the same breed. I recently wrote about how we instinctively tell our own cats apart from others of similar colors, and this was the same thing. I don’t know why I’d imagined anything else—of course they would all be unique. I guess it goes back to those flat magazine photos and nature videos that don’t come close to capturing their innate vivaciousness, intensity, and power. In photos, videos, and zoos, the cats are second-hand. In person, even when aloof, they knew I was there. There was a relationship, a rapport. My reaction to the living, moving, slinking, playing, chuffing cats was pure awe. Let me describe it as empathy. Suddenly wildcats came alive to me, and I will never see them as those flat renderings again.

Cricket (Serval) – Image Credit: WildCat Ridge Sanctuary

I was fortunate to have won the guided tour of WildCat Ridge in a charity auction for House of Dreams cat shelter in Portland Oregon. WCR offers a limited number of tours through Airbnb, but they’re not cheap. Nor should they be. The rescue takes animals from all over the continent, cats who have been kept in cages and even abused. It’s a huge undertaking that requires unwavering commitment and lots of donation dollars.

Some big cats were collected from roadside shows where they had been kept in crowded, unhealthy confinement and made to face public gawkers and taunters. Others were kept solely to produce kittens for the lucrative business of public petting. The kittens themselves grow out of monetary usefulness as they age. Smaller cats are often bred with house cats to produce exotic pets, but buyers find they can’t handle a wildcat in their home and pass them on to a shelter.

Some of the cats have had good contact with humans, but many of their experiences have been bad. At WCR, visitors need to understand it’s all about what’s best for these cats. That they tolerate the tourists at all is a gift.

Chobe (lioness) – Image Credit: WildCat Ridge Sanctuary

I suppose that’s another thing I learned in my walk among the wildcats: Humans have no business treating animals as possessions. I knew that before, from years of work in rescue and from plain old common sense, but to see those cats finally among humans who consider their needs first was inspirational.

Flynn and Truffles, domestic cats – Image Credit: WildCat Ridge Sanctuary

Special shout out to Binx, an all-black domestic cat who lives in a comfortable clowder with other “unadoptable” kitties.

Image Credit: WildCat Ridge Sanctuary

I’m including some photos from the WildCat Ridge website because they don’t allow individuals to take their own photos there. I was given permission to use these photos for this blog post.

Nia, (Caracal) – Image Credit: WildCat Ridge Sanctuary

About WildCat Ridge:

“WildCat Ridge Sanctuary is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and accredited “last hope” sanctuary in beautiful Scotts Mills, Oregon. We provide a safe, natural lifetime home for captive-born wildcats in need. Our 80 resident animals are primarily wildcats but also include hybrid cats, domestic feral cats, dogs, and a herd/flock of donkeys, sheep, cows, roosters, and turkeys. We are not open to the public and we do not buy, sell, breed, or exhibit our animals.

WildCat Ridge Sanctuary relies on donations to cover the expense of caring for all of our rescued animals, which is about $500K per year. The annual cost of food for one big cat is about $10,000. Your generous monthly gift will help ensure that these deserving creatures get the best care for the rest of their lives. Thank you.” —The WildCat Ridge Sanctuary Website  https://wildcatridgesanctuary.org/