Farewell, beautiful friend – June 2026
WildCat 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.
