Month: September 2018

01
Sep
2018
Leo Cougar (2021)

Leo Cougar (2021)

We will never forget you, beautiful Leo – June 2021

Leo

Leo

Today we have to share that we lost our dear sweet Leo 😢 As an older cougar he’d been slowing down and we were keeping a close watch over him but when he had a small stroke which made it difficult for him to walk, we knew it was time. He was surrounded by the people who loved and cared for him as he moved onto his final journey.
He came to us as a sick, weakly cub who had been surrendered after being purchased as a pet. His joints were swollen, his fur was falling out and he was very thin, but he was purring non-stop and we fell in love immediately 🥰

It took weeks of vet care, a proper diet, and constant attention but Leo started to thrive. He went from a sad cub to a very feisty boy who was all claws, teeth, and energy! Thankfully the cat gods intervened and shortly after Leo arrived we got a call for another young cougar cub that needed a home! We were thrilled to welcome Cody who was just a few months younger than Leo and they formed a friendship that lasted their entire lives ❤️
Losing Leo has broken our already wounded hearts and it’s something that we will be healing from for a very long time. He was such a huge part of our lives for so many years, it just doesn’t seem real that we will never hear that wonderful purr of his 😔 Sweet dreams beautiful boy we will hear your chirps and purrs in our memories forever . . .

Leo’s history
Leo came to WildCat Ridge as a cub in 2004. He had been purchased as a pet from an animal auction in Iowa. Thankfully, the people who bought him decided to place him in a more suitable environment.

When we first saw Leo, he was about 12 weeks old and he was not doing well. The vet found that his joints were swollen, his fur was falling out, and he simply wasn’t thriving like he should have been. Thankfully, with good vet care and a healthy diet, Leo has grown into a beautiful adult cougar.

Leo shares an enclosure with one other cougar, Cody. We couldn’t be more pleased for these two boys, and we know that their lives are much fuller and vastly more enriched having each other as companions. It’s so sad that cougars are bred and sold as “pets”, but at least these two will never have to worry about anything other than romping around and enjoying life.

*Sadly in December of 2020 we lost Cody to renal failure 😢 Leo was moved over to be by Noni and he seems to be doing fine, although I’m sure he misses him.

Posted by Cheryl Tuller in Cougars, Memorials
01
Sep
2018
Kenya Serval (2016)

Kenya Serval (2016)

Safe travels, sweet Kenya

KenyaOften times it’s difficult to find words for the way we feel. This past week has been a struggle and it’s only now that I can actually write about what happened. We had to make the difficult decision to let Kenya go. He was the first serval I had ever met and the first to rescue. He came to us as an 8 month old boy in 2000. His owners were already fed up with him. Wanting an exotic cat but not knowing the first thing about caring for one, Kenya was fed regular cat food, declawed on all four feet and because of the constant diarrhea he had from the incorrect diet, he was kept in a small laundry room. He was very thin and nervous and his owners couldn’t wait to get him out of their lives. For me it was love at first sight ❤️

The trip home was stressful, he wouldn’t stop rubbing his face on the crate and by the time we got back his face was rubbed raw 🙁 It was just one of many lessons Kenya would teach me over the next years that wild animals are not pets and thankfully we both survived 🙂

He thrived at the sanctuary for over sixteen years but early last week he became lethargic and just wasn’t himself. A complete physical exam showed congestive heart failure and spondylosis but we decided to try medication before making a final decision. He came home and stayed in the big crate in my office so I could keep an eye on him. He spent the next few days purring and talking to me, but continued to decline. Early Tuesday morning I called Dr. Lipanovich and I’m so grateful to her for coming out and helping make his final journey peaceful. Knowing that he is no longer in pain is comforting but my heart is broken once again. Safe travels sweet boy ❤️

Posted by Cheryl Tuller in Memorials, Servals
01
Sep
2018
Cleo Bobcat (2021)

Cleo Bobcat (2021)

Safe travels, little princess – June 2021

Cleo

Cleo

In rescue, we understand that bad days come with the good. But that doesn’t mean it gets any easier. Even after over twenty years the loss of a life you’ve loved, cared for, and cherished still takes your heart and shatters it into a million pieces. We are heartbroken to share that we said goodbye to our sweet Cleo. 😢  Even knowing she was 23 still didn’t prepare us for that final moment. But in true bobcat style, she let us know that her work here was done and it was time to ease into her final journey.

So many memories came flooding back, seeing her for the first time and learning the abuse she had endured. 🙁  Watching her blossom and thrive under our care, her complete dedication to her best friend Bobby with whom she had shared her life. Looking back on all the years she was part of our lives, we are richer for knowing her and caring for her but it leaves an emptiness that shatters our souls. Safe travels little girl, sleep peacefully, and know we miss you every day . . .

Cleo’s history
Cleo was purchased in Oregon at an Exotic Pet Show in 1998, from a breeder who said she was a bobcat-hybrid. She was only four-week-old. Her naive owners decided to have their veterinarian do a ‘Tendonectomy’ (surgery that severed her tendons on all four feet) so she couldn’t use her claws. She was fed domestic cat food and lived in their garage. When a nasty break-up between the owners happened, Cleo came to us in 2004.

She was in terrible shape when she arrived, but with a wholesome natural diet and good vet care, she thrived! Unfortunately, because she had her tendons severed, she is unable to wear down her claws, so they continue to grow. Every 6 months she has to be anesthetized and have her claws trimmed so they don’t imbed into her pads. Something that we hate doing, because there is a risk with each procedure, but we have no other choice. Sad to think that a veterinarian would do this to a wildcat that can’t be touched. Cleo now lives alone having lost her best boy, Bobby and then Bailey Rae. She seems to be doing ok and we are keeping a close eye on her and providing extra attention and enrichment.

Posted by Cheryl Tuller in Bobcats, Memorials