Dexter, an F1 Bengal came to WCR in October of 2016. Dexter is a very handsome boy who’s owners love him, but because of work issues, they would be traveling extensively for the next few years. WCR is only one of a very few sanctuaries that take in hybrid cats and his owners reached out to see if we had room for him.

Dexter has had some struggles that have made it harder for him to relax and adjust. He came to us very overweight and when Dr. Lipanovich did his vet workup, found he was diabetic. As a cat we can’t touch, our only chance was to change his diet and restrict his calories.

Thankfully our hard work paid off and he has lost weight and is no longer diabetic! It took a bit of time for Dexter to come out of his shell but he loves his indoor-outdoor space and living a wild life.

Jersey is an F2 Savannah that came to WildCat Ridge from Denville Animal Control in New Jersey. Their agent had reached out via Facebook asking for help when they were able to trap him after months of tracking. He was emaciated and terrified but finally safe. In the weeks that followed it was learned that he had been purchased as a pet and somehow escaped. It’s hard to imagine that this cat had been on the run since he was only 5 months old! Against all odds he was able to survive!

He received a complete veterinary work up, was neutered and added some much needed weight in preparation for his trip to WildCat Ridge. Arrangements were finalized and he arrived in Oregon, August 2012. Today, Jersey is doing great! He lives with the other hybrid cats in Hybrid Haven and is thriving! He has lots of friends and will never have to worry about being on the run again!

Sometimes social media can be a wonderful thing. We were contacted by a woman back east who had trapped a feral cat out of a colony that she was feeding. She thought the cat could possibly be a Savannah and wanted our opinion. We were shocked to see that the cat was indeed a Savannah cat!

Working together her rescue group vetted the cat, spayed her and then Sarah flew out with the little girl, she named Lea. She hasn’t warmed up to people but lives in SC3 a new building for hybrids and domestics. There she has her best friend Leo, an F1 Bengal and the other cats. We are thrilled to be able to provide a lifetime home for Lea and can’t thank Sarah enough for caring about this feral girl.

Leo, an F1 Bengal kitten was purchased from a breeder at nine weeks old. He weighed less than 2 lbs, was completely unsocialized, didn’t use a cat box and wouldn’t eat. His new owner rushed him to her vet and he was treated with fluids and force-fed. She realized that this was not what she signed up for. But when she contacted the breeder to take him back, all communication stopped. Frantic, she started looking for options and that’s when she called WildCat Ridge Sanctuary.

He arrived at WCR the next day! He was so small and completely feral.  We decided he should have a buddy to grow up with and adopted a domestic kitten from Salem Friends of Felines so he would have a companion. Now they are both grown up and Leo lives outside with other domestic and hybrid cats. He loves it and is a great hunter! He is still the smallest cat but he is very brave and spends his days playing and enjoying his natural space.

Leo is just another example why we don’t support the breeding and selling of hybrid cats. Please read what Leo’s owner wrote about her experience.

Maxi came to us through Savannah Cat Rescue. He is an F1 Savannah, which means his father was an African Serval and his mother was a domestic cat. Maxi had been sold as a kitten to an owner that didn’t spend any time with him, and, as he got older and harder to handle, she wanted him gone. Savannah Cat Rescue was contacted, and they, in turn, asked us if we could give him a lifetime home.

Maxi is quite a character. He’s full of himself and thinks he’s the boss. His best friend is ZuZu, another F1 Savannah, and they spend hours playing and chasing each other. Maxi has many serval mannerisms, including head butts, wheelies, and, of course, spraying. But we love him just the same!

Moe, a Snow Bengal, was originally turned over to AniMeals a rescue group in Montana. He was rescued from an uncaring family who left him outside in the harsh winter weather in Montana. AniMeals took him in and started looking for a new home for him. He now lives at WildCat Ridge with the other domestics and hybrids. He is an adorable boy who, as you can see, always looks surprised.

In 2018 we were contacted by a rescue group in Salem, Oregon to see if we could take in a Bengal cat. The story was this cat was purchased in 2014 as a kitten from a local ‘pet shop.’ Once the kitten got older and more vocal they let him outside. Sammy roamed the streets from 2015 in a small town in Oregon until he was captured February 2018. He had a microchip and when his owner was contacted, they decided to surrender him.

Sammy was in bad shape from living on the streets, being shot at with BB guns, kicked and all sorts of terrible things that happen to a cat on their own. We took him immediately to see Dr. Lipanovich where his exam showed an abscess that had burst under his chin all the way through to the inside of his mouth, several open wounds that were draining, a broken jaw that was trying to heal, lots of bad teeth that had to be removed and fleas. But miraculously his blood work came back negative for FIV and FELV!

Dr. Lipanovich treated his wounds, pulled teeth, neutered him, gave him antibiotics and said he needed to stay in quarantine at least four weeks to allow his jaw to heal. Despite’s everything we did to him, he is the sweetest most loving cat ever!

We have all fallen in love with Sammy and are so glad that we were contacted to provide a lifetime home for him! He’s now out with the hybrid cats and doing very well. Working together with other rescues means more animals saved and we are always grateful to be able to help in any way we can. Good boy, Sammy!

Sarge, an F2 Savannah came to WildCat Ridge Sanctuary from his frustrated owner. He was purchased from a breeder (at the age of a year and a half) who had trouble selling him because of a congenital problem (Luxating Patella). Despite doing research on the breeder and trying to learn all he could about having a hybrid as a pet, he realized that Sarge was no pet. Thankfully he cared enough about Sarge to reach out to WildCat Ridge Sanctuary and ask if we could make room. Of course we said yes. This is what he had to say:

‘For the past year I have been very patient and although we have gotten much closer than we were, I feel that this task is simply too large for me to handle. I have spent a lot of time with this animal, showing him love and patience but alas I have discovered, although too late, that these wild animals are not meant for a household environment. I feel like I have failed Sarge, but my desire for his happiness means that I have to admit this situation is too large for me to handle. He has not adjusted and has very strong wild instincts. I am unable to pet him and even still he hisses every time I get too near. I have taken some pretty nasty cuts from his as well.’

Sarge arrived at WCR from Fort Wayne, Indiana in 2013. He is still absolutely hands off, but living happily with the other hybrids. He’s a very curious boy and will take every opportunity to swipe at us if we get too close. So we stay out of his way and life is good.