Stefanie Kraus

01
Jul
2018
Noni Cougar (2023)

Noni Cougar (2023)

Safe travels beautiful boy – March 2023

Noni portraitLosing any of our precious wildcats is heartbreaking but sometimes the hurt feels overwhelming. Noni was with us for 20 years, one of the bravest and most intelligent cougars we’ve ever had the privilege to know. While there is some comfort is knowing that is now reunited with his brother Neko, we are still reeling from his passing. 

Noni and Neko arrived together back in 2003. Noni was a small and sickly cub, half the size of his robust brother. But with care and patience and love, Noni grew to be a strong, healthy cougar. He and Neko were best buddies and enjoyed many years of brotherly hijinks. 

When we lost Neko in 2020 we worried about Noni living alone but he took it in stride and never gave us a reason to think he was unhappy. The keepers made it a point to spend time with him and made sure he had plenty of enrichment to keep him occupied.

But over the past few months we could see that age was catching up with him and it was getting harder for him to move around. When he let us know it was time, he was helped peacefully into his next journey by Dr. Jacobs while being surrounded but the people who cared for him most. ????

Losing Noni has been incredibly hard but knowing he’s been released from the captive world he lived in gives us comfort in spite of the heartbreak we all feel. 

Safe travels beautiful boy. We will hold the time you shared with us in our hearts now and forever.

Posted by Stefanie Kraus in Cougars, Memorials
01
May
2018
Sable Serval (2021)

Sable Serval (2021)

Farewell, sweet girl, we will always remember you – December 2021

SableLoss is something that we face far too often in the Sanctuary world and we are heartbroken to share that we lost our sweet girl Sable last week. ????

Sable was 20 years old and had been at WildCat Ridge Sanctuary since 2007. We had gotten a frantic call from a woman in CA who told us her daughter from out of state had brought her serval to her to keep even though it was illegal in the State. Her ex-husband called the authorities and they were going to confiscate the serval and euthanize her. Of course, we said we would take her. After letting the authorities know Sable arrived two days later.

Sable had been raised as a pet and was very social. Always gentle with other cats she was the first to be introduced to new servals that needed a friend. Sable loved to talk and one of her favorite things was cucumbers which we thought was so funny and endearing. ❤️  Most recently she lived with Safari another serval who had lost his sister last year. He fell in love and was very protective of her even though it wasn’t necessary and they became inseparable.

Last week she let us know that she was tired and ready to move on to her next journey and all we could do is to allow her to do that with dignity and peace. ????  Sable has been a huge part of our lives for so many years and losing her is difficult to process. ????  Safe passage sweet girl you will live in our hearts forever . . .

Please make sure to read the beautiful tribute that our keeper, Rebecca, wrote for Sable.

Posted by Stefanie Kraus in Memorials, Servals
01
Apr
2018
Safari (2026)

Safari (2026)

Farewell, beautiful friend – June 2026

SafariWildCat Ridge’s beloved serval resident, Safari, has passed away at the age of 18.

In the days before his passing, our care team noticed Safari’s appetite was slightly diminished. While it is not uncommon for our older residents to have an off day now and again, is was a subtle change that we, nevertheless, watched closely. Safari showed no other signs of distress or illness and his passing came naturally and unexpectedly. A post-mortem exam later revealed that Safari had been living with a difficult to detect form of cancer, despite his bright and active demeanor. While this news was difficult to receive, it offered us a measure of peace in knowing that Safari did not suffer and that his quality of life remained strong through his final days.

Safari and his sister, Tamika, were surrendered to WildCat Ridge in 2016 after spending nine years with a private owner. As is so often the case when people decide to try to make wild animals pets, Safari and Tamika’s owner found themselves unable to adequately meet their cats’ needs nutritionally, physically, mentally, and medically. Wild animals do not and cannot cease to be wild just because they are raised in a domestic setting.

Safari found a home at WildCat Ridge where we were able to offer him a small taste of the wild. At the sanctuary, Safari dictated the pace of his days, experienced raw meat and whole prey for the first time, and made friends with Sable and Tanzi after Tamika passed in 2019.

Safari’s personality was bright and infectious. His quirky pre-breakfast tippy-happy dance was a source of daily joy to the animal care staff. On sunny days he could be found curled up in a puddle of sunlight and in the winter, unlike most of his serval brethren who detest the snow, Safari loved a good snow ball fight with the keepers (PSA: in case you’re wondering, a snowball fight with a cat consists of tossing snowballs for them to smack out of the air or pounce on).

Safari’s story is, sadly, far from unique. WildCat Ridge firmly believes that wild cats belong in the wild and while our captive-born residents cannot be returned to their native habitats, we do our very best to provide a home that reflects the complexity and richness of the live they were born to live. We can only continue our mission with ongoing support from you. If you would like to make a donation in honor of Safari, please click the button below.

Posted by Stefanie Kraus in Memorials
01
Jan
2018

Spizz Serval (2019)

Farewell, sweet boy – December 30th, 2019

Spizz

Spizz

Spizz came to us from Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center (SWCC) in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was confiscated from a breeder in New Mexico and placed at the Scottsdale rescue center. Executive Director Linda Searles contacted Wildcat Ridge, because they can only house indigenous animals. We have worked with Linda before on rescues, so we were happy to help. Her vets did all the work needed, including a physical exam and neutering him so he was ready for his new life at WildCat Ridge.

Little was known about Spizz other than the fact that he’d been used for breeding. He now lives with Sebastian the serval and is doing great. We have even caught him cuddled in one of the dens with Sebastian! He’s settled in and seems to be more relaxed. That is until dinner time, when he makes sure he’s at the head of the line.•

*Sadly we lost Spizz on December 30th, 2019

Posted by Stefanie Kraus in Servals
01
Dec
2017
Tashi Bobcat (2021)

Tashi Bobcat (2021)

Safe travels Tashi, we were honored to love and care for you …

It seems never-ending, but with many of our residents older, losing them is inevitable. However, it doesn’t make the loss any less painful. Last week we had to say goodbye to Tashi ????

Tashi came to us in 2003 after living in a crate in a basement the entire three years of her life. Originally from a fur farm, the owner purchased her to use for breeding to try to create bobcat hybrids. She was anemic from fleas, had an upper respiratory infection, and was underweight. But the saddest thing about Tashi is when she arrived at WCR is she moved as if she was still in that tiny crate she had lived in. It was months before she actually broke that pattern ????

Thankfully with a proper diet and lots of room to roam she settled in and enjoyed her life. In her later years, she shared her space with little Isis another bobcat, and they adored each other. When we lost Isis over a month ago, Tashi changed. She mourned for her friend and the keepers did all they could to help her. They sat with her so she would eat and watched her closely but she continued to go downhill. A trip to see Dr. Connolly showed Tashi was in advanced renal failure and there was nothing we could do but to let her go peacefully ????

The bond that the wildcats create with each other is so strong and it feels like Tashi gave up after losing Isis. In my heart of hearts, I’d like to believe that she’s found Isis and they are cuddling in a beautiful meadow without a care in the world. Safe travels Tashi, we were honored to love and care for you . . .

Posted by Stefanie Kraus in Bobcats, Memorials
01
Oct
2017
Uche Serval (2023)

Uche Serval (2023)

Safe travels beautiful boy – January 2023

UcheLosing a family member is never easy and all the animals at WildCat Ridge Sanctuary are absolutely family, even though they might not feel the same way. On January 7th, we said goodbye to Uche.

Uche was born in 2003 at the San Diego Zoo and hand raised. He then went to a private facility that did educational programs. When their funding ended they reached out to WCR to see if we could provide a lifetime home for Uche and two other wildcats, Bobby, a bobcat, and Dot, an F1 Asian Leopard Cat hybrid. They arrived at the Sanctuary in August 2008. Uche became fast friends with Chirpy & Cha-Cha two servals that lived together. They were a perfect trio, always together, and loving sanctuary life. As the years went by Uche outlived his best friends but was always happy to have a new companion to share his habitat with.

Uche was a calm, stoic boy who liked his enrichment and food very much. Over the past year, we started to see that his age was catching up with him. We keep a close eye on him and had regular vet visits to determine just what was needed but this past month was different. He was slowing down and wasn’t very interested in eating. He was moved into the wellness center when he started showing signs of an upper respiratory infection, and he was monitored daily by Natasha, our Animal Care Director, and Tiffany, the Operations Manager. He had good days that were encouraging but the bad days started happening more and more. Despite trying all we could Uche finally let us know it was time.  Dr. Penny Jacobs came out late Friday night and with Tiffany and Natasha by his side released him to move on to his next journey. Providing care for a captive-born wildcat is an honor we never take for granted, it’s sad and bittersweet letting them go, but knowing after 20 years he is finally free is something we keep close to our hearts. Safe travels beautiful boy we are grateful to have had you in our lives and we miss you every day.

Posted by Stefanie Kraus in Memorials, Servals