Animal Care

08
Dec
2021

Suspecting an Illness: How We Tell if a Cat is Sick

Suspecting an Illness: How We Tell if a Cat is Sick

The Keeper Journal

Getting Milo's Weight

Routine weight calculation on Milo

If you've ever been the parent to a sick animal, you know just how stressful it can be. As much as we would love it, no animal can just come up to us and say, "I don't feel good."

So instead of being able to ask, "Where does it hurt?" we, as animal keepers, need to be expert at pinpointing even the smallest abnormality in the behaviors of our cats to catch an illness before it turns into a severe concern.

Lethargy

One key abnormality we look for is lethargy. Now, you might be thinking, "Cats sleep all the time, don't they? How can you tell if they're lethargic or just taking a normal cat nap?"

Great question.

A lethargic cat, while they do sleep a lot, also show physical signs we might notice, such as partially closed eyes, reluctance to get up from their sleeping spot or just overall signs of fatigue. This includes moving a lot more slowly during mealtimes, which, here at the animal sanctuary, is usually fast paced chaos.

So a sleepy-looking, slow-moving cat during breakfast is usually a pretty good indicator to us that they may be having a bit of an off day.

Decrease in appetite

Lynx with Kariba

Keeper Lynx with Kariba

All of our cats eat a consistent diet, so when a cat doesn't finish their diet for a couple of days in a row, or shows disinterest in food entirely, we make a note of it.

A cat that stops eating could have any number of issues, from dental problems to gut problems, so we not only communicate with the team that so-and-so didn't eat, we also monitor the cat.

We ask ourselves, 'Are they showing other symptoms? Was it just one off day or multiple? Are they dehydrated and in need of fluids?'

Additionally, we make sure to contact our vet to either get their feedback or schedule an appointment based on the veterinarian's recommendations.

Fecal abnormalities

It's totally normal in our line of work to pay attention to the quality (yup, quality) of poop we find the enclosures. There's such a thing as a "good poop" and "bad poop," and we actually can learn a ton about the GI health of these animals from their feces.

Obviously, the more solidly formed a feces is, the healthier the animal is, and the worse it looks, the more concerned we need to be. Sometimes it's as simple as switching up what we are feeding the cat, like taking them off a poultry diet and supplementing with rabbit or fish instead; other times it requires a medication change.

No matter what we do, we continue to closely monitor the fecal quality, as well as look for other signs of an upset stomach, like vomiting.

Persistent itching

There have been some recent cases where we've noticed a cat spending frequent time itching and scratching. And while cats are known for grooming, there's a difference between routine grooming and persistent itching.

For some cats, it might be indicative of a food allergy. In others, it might be a reaction to a flea bite, as in the case of flea allergy dermatitis.

When we notice an itching, uncomfy cat, we start with limiting the ingredients of their diet (usually by removing chicken first), and closely monitor the results. We might apply a topical flea medication if we suspect or see fleas. And then we contact our vets for additional suggestions if needed.

Healthy cats mean happy keepers Bailey Rae

None of us like it when our cats get sick, and so we do everything in our power to prevent illness, like assuring their quality of food and taking the proper steps if anyone does have allergies or dietary requirements.

But when sickness does occur, we rely on the knowledge of our vets and the experience of the keepers experienced in veterinary medicine to help. This way we can assure quality of life for all our cats for years to come.

Posted by Rebecca Siemens in Blog
21
Nov
2021

What is a Hybrid Cat?

What is a Hybrid Cat?

The Keeper Journal

Taji

Here at WildCat Ridge, we take in a number of wildcats that used to be owned as pets, including bobcats, servals and the occasional lynx. Sadly, many pet owners believe that since they're "smaller" wildcats, they make the perfect exotic house pet. This is just not true, as they come to find out, and they're quick to try and re-home these animals in places like animal sanctuaries.

In addition to servals and bobcats, we also receive a number of inquiries asking to take in hybrid cats. Hybrids are the result of breeding a wildcat with a domestic house cat; these animals are then advertised as domesticated house pets. But no matter how hard you try, you simply can't take the wild out of a wildcat, even if it's been bred with a tabby.

So what's a hybrid?

Sadly, there are a variety of hybrid cats on the pet market today, tempting owners to invest in a more exotic, larger and unique looking pet. These cats may be anywhere from a first generation (F1) hybrid where one parent was a wildcat, one a domestic cat, to an F3, where the momma cat was an F2 and the father a domestic.

The belief is that the lower the number after the F, the less wild the animal...but we all know that while you might take the cat out of the wild, there's no removing the wild out of the cat. Right, Tut?

Savannahs, bengals and chausies

We currently have three different breeds of hybrids at our animal sanctuary – savannahs, bengals and one chausie.

  • Savannah – A savannah cat is the result of breeding a domestic cat with an African serval. While the resulting animal may look as unique as Taji or more like a large house cat, such as Violet or Maxi, their behaviors will likely remain as food aggressive and potentially territorial as a wild serval's. Of course, we do have some savannahs that love some keeper attention, but they remain a force to be reckoned with during breakfast.
Zuzu and Jersey

Zuzu and Jersey, savannah cats

  • Bengals – Bengal cats are the offspring of a domestic cat and Asian Leopard cat. And while they catch the eye of many want-to-be-exotic-pet owners because of their uniquely spotted coat, bengals have an irreversible instinct to mark their territory by spraying everywhere. While there is plenty of room for all our bengals to mark their territory to their hearts content out here at WCR, it's a good reason why bengals don't belong in a home.
    Morpheus

    Morpheus, bengal cat

  • Chausie – Chausies are a mix of domestic cat and jungle cat (Felis chaus). Only one chausie calls WildCat Ridge home: our beloved Tut. Even though this boy loves cuddles from the keepers, he also loves anything that smells. We frequently find him waist deep in the poop bucket when we're trying to clean litter boxes, and his reputation for spraying on everything (keepers included!) is just one reason why chausies make highly challenging pets.
Tut

Tut, chausie cat

But no matter their quirks, we adore each of our hybrid cats and find it an important part of our mission to provide them with a comfortable forever home.

Thinking about adopting a hybrid cat?

Trust us when we say, "Think again."

Don't get us wrong, we love each and every one of our hybrids, but we also love each and every one of our tigers and we certainly aren't suggesting they make good pets. Just because an animal is beautiful, exotic or has a great personality, it does not mean that animal belongs in a house. Far from it, in fact.

In addition, many hybrid cats, because they are the product of human experimentation and do not occur naturally in the wild, are born with a number of health complications or genetic defects. This can make life uncomfortable, even painful, for the cats; scary diagnoses and large vet bills are yet another reason why many owners give up on owning hybrids, resulting in an abundance of these animals at sanctuaries like ours.

Support our hybrids, not the exotic pet market

We won't disagree, hybrids are beautiful animals (like, we're all obsessed with Morpheus). However, as long as there is a demand, breeders will continue to supply hybrids, even when a majority of these cats will likely be re-homed or need extensive medical care at some point in their lives.

You can help put a stop to this demand and provide for the wellbeing of all exotic animals by raising your voice against the exotic pet trade, adopting a sweet domestic kitty from your local human society instead or virtually adopting one of our hybrids!

And we thank you for standing with us against the private ownership and breeding of exotic wildcats.

 

 

Posted by Rebecca Siemens in Blog
18
Nov
2021

What Does it Take to be a Keeper?

What Does it Take to be a Keeper?

The Keeper Journal

Believe it or not, but many of the keepers here at WildCat Ridge Sanctuary did not start out their professional careers right off the bat as animal caretakers. While many of us grew up loving animals, and at some point or other, when asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?" responded with "A veterinarian," we actually ended up spending time working completely different jobs, like an EMT, an elementary school teacher and even a coffee barista.

And yet, our passions obviously got the better of us and, after a few years, changed trajectory completely. But you can ask any of us if it was worth it and likely hear a similar response: "This is my dream job."

Surviving Joe Exotic - Screenshot

But before we get all sentimental and I go off on a huge tangent about pursuing your passions, I think it's important to share some concrete information about what it takes to be a zoo keeper. How do you become one? Where do you start?

Educational requirements

Typically most animal care positions require a college degree or certification in a field like Zoology, Biology, Ecology or some other degree focused on animal management and husbandry. Some community colleges offer two-year zoo keeping degrees, while online certification programs, like the Animal Behavior Institute, offer certifications in numerous specializations, including Zoo & Aquarium Science.

If you're mid-career change and don't have time for another four-year degree program, don't panic. Shorter certification programs, as well as hands-on experience offer valuable skills that many keeping jobs look for.

How do I get hands-on animal experience?

In addition to educational know-how, many positions require animal handling/care experience. There are a number of ways in which you can gain this, such as volunteering at your local humane society, zoo or aquarium, or finding a reputable internship program.

Allow us to note the importance of finding a properly accredited zoo or aquarium at which to volunteer or intern. Looking for AZA accreditation or American Sanctuary Association accreditation will keep you from accidentally winding up at a potentially dangerous or disreputable roadside zoo or attraction. (Plus, accredited institutions just look better on a resume.)

Looking for an internship?

All of us exotic cat keepers here at WCR started out as interns, and we highly recommend interning as a fantastic way to get experience as an animal keeper. While most intern positions, be they at a zoo or sanctuary, are unpaid, the experience and knowledge you gain is crucial to your continuation in the animal field.

Rebecca working with the little cats

We are pleased to have the ability to offer a three month internship program here at WildCat Ridge where you will learn everything from how to prepare Scout and Atticus's daily diet to how to lay concrete. It's a mix of animal husbandry, the occasional landscaping task, keeping the Sanctuary property up-to-date, routine daily tasks and occasionally assisting the keepers with unexpected emergencies.

We find our internship program to be unique in that you get to work through protected contact with exotic big cats, you get to design and implement an intern project, like new animal enrichment, and you get the experience of shadowing and learning from the keepers.

If an internship program at an exotic cat sanctuary is the experience you're seeking, fill out an application today.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Posted by Rebecca Siemens in Blog
07
Nov
2021

Seasons Change: Winterizing the Sanctuary

Seasons Change: Winterizing the Sanctuary

The Keeper Journal

 

This year we’ve experienced some very drastic weather — from hot, humid summer days above a hundred degrees, to rainy hail storms this fall. And after last winter’s dramatic ice storm, we wouldn’t be surprised if Mother Nature keeps us on our toes all winter long.

Switching it up

As we transition from warm days into the cool temperatures of fall, we take the time to make sure that all the animals, from the domestics to the tigers, are kept warm, comfortable and well protected from the wind, rain and (sure to come) snow. 

Walls up, shade cloth down

At the start of the summer we install shade cloth on the walls and ceilings of all the enclosures, as the pens are constructed of metal paneling that let copious amounts of sunshine through. To keep the yards comfortable, we use shade cloth in strategic spots to create artificial shade and protection from the sun. In the winter, however, that all comes down. 

In addition to removing shade cloth, we install large pieces of sturdy plywood on the paneling that faces the cats’ yards. This helps protect the deck from any inclement weather, and gives the cats a dry place to go when it rains…which, in Oregon, is pretty much all the time. 

Preventing frozen hoses

Obviously in the winter we have no need for cooling misters, so we also take the time to disconnect all the hoses, drain the misters and coil them up until summer.

As we work throughout the winter, using the hoses and hydrants around the sanctuary, we make sure to disconnect and drain hoses from all the hydrants when we’re finished cleaning. Hoses full of frozen ice really don’t do much when we’re trying to refill waters. 

Keeping it warm

There are a number of tricks we use to keep our cats warm and dry in the winter (even though the tiger boys insist on swimming in their pools in the middle of December). 

Nora, a white tiger

  • Heated water buckets – Believe it not, but you can actually find water buckets that effectively keep the water at a comfortable drinking temperature, as well as prevent freezing. Every enclosure has at least one heated water bucket on the deck so the cats always have access to plenty of water.
  • Space heaters – In our small cat houses where we house the hybrids and domestics, you’ll find space heaters installed near the ceilings. These help maintain the indoor temperature, keeping the rooms nice and cozy. 
  • Wall heaters – On each of the cats’ decks you’ll find two den boxes: big rectangular dens that provide additional shelter, warmth and a snug place to curl up and sleep. On the walls of the den boxes are installed heating panels that keep the den boxes at a consistent temperature. We check these frequently throughout the winter, ensuring everyone’s den boxes stay cozy and dry. 
  • Additional straw – We cover the floor of the den boxes with straw year round, but in the winter we add extra straw for more warmth. And for our older servals and bobcats, we like to give padded cat beds and blankets to protect stiff little joints. 

As the temperatures drop, we are diligent about making sure all the cats are as comfortable as possible, regardless of the weather.

Raising diets

If you don’t work with animals, you might not realize this (I certainly didn’t know when I experienced my first season change as a keeper), but the cats here at the sanctuary become more wild than ever during feeding time. Because their bodies are burning so many calories in an attempt to regulate body temperature, they become increasingly hungry – and sometimes rather aggressive.

In order to mitigate their overwhelming enthusiasm at mealtimes (as well as maintain a healthy weight), we raise the diets of the cats requiring an increase. Not everyone is in need of this, but it has proven very beneficial in keeping our cats happy and healthy!

Howie

Meeting the challenge 

With any new season comes the possibility of inclement weather. And we rely on our tried and trusted procedures, as well as innovative ideas, to help us, and the animals adjust. By making it a priority to keep them comfortable and dry during the winter, we can ensure their comfort, no matter the season!

 

 

 

Posted by Rebecca Siemens in Blog
26
Oct
2021

No Contact: Why We Keep Our Distance

No Contact: Why We Keep Our Distance

The Keeper Journal

Ask any of the keepers and we'll tell you one of the most common questions we get when we share our job title is, "So do you get to go in and play with the tigers?" 

To which we smile, shake our heads most emphatically and say, "No way." 

Free vs. No Contact

In animal care facilities like zoos and sanctuaries, certain methods of interacting with/administering care to the animals exist. This includes free contact care and no contact care.

Free Contact

Free contact means the keepers use nothing to restrain the animal – no leashes, muzzles, harnesses or even fences come between animal and keeper.

According to Ken Ramirez, author of Animal Training: Successful Animal Management Through Positive Reinforcement, some animal caretakers believe that "free contact is the only way to build true trust between trainer and animal. But many training programs have proved that's not true. Free contact can also be the most dangerous way to interact with wild animals because it offers little to no protection."

With free contact, you enter into the animal's enclosure; but with more territorial animals, this might feel like an invasion of territory. In addition, it challenges their dominance, meaning you, the keeper, need to establish dominance in order to determine who's in charge here – and for some animals, like tigers and lions, this isn't likely to be well received; not to mention it can be highly stressful to the animals.

Sarge

For other animals, however, free contact is neither dangerous to keepers, nor threatening to the animals. We engage with our livestock in a free contact manner, cleaning and maintaining their physical health by going into their pens with them.

Even our hybrid cats (many of whom spent time as house pets) are accustomed to us freely walking about their enclosure – that being said, we are always conscious of who does prefer to be kept at arm's length (looking at you, Sarge).

No Contact

No contact is how we work with and feed our big exotic cats, meaning there is always a locked gate and fencing between us and them. While some might see this as limiting, it is actually an effective method of training, as there’s no need to invade the territory of the animal and challenge their dominance or stress them out.

Even through the fence, we have succeeded in training many behaviors, like asking our lions and tigers to receive food by sitting calmly instead of pacing back and forth, or asking Ariel to reach up on the fence so we can get a good look at her whole body, checking for anything out of the ordinary.

“But what about cleaning?” 

Great question – when we go into the big cat pens to clean, we always make sure to either lock them out in the yard so we can safely enter their den box areas, or we lock them inside in order to pick up after them in the yards. After all, it’s much easier to focus on setting up exciting enrichment when you don’t have a 400 pound tiger following you around.

A healthy respect 

When working with exotic cats, or any wild animal for that matter, it’s vitally important to maintain a healthy respect for their wild instincts. Even if that cat has spent time living in a home as a pet, they’re still wild – sleeping on a queen sized mattress doesn’t remove their instincts – and we keepers keep that in mind. And for this reason, WildCat Ridge will always be a no contact, no pet facility.

 

 

 

Posted by Rebecca Siemens in Blog
19
Oct
2021

Enrichment: Keeping the cats exercised and entertained

Enrichment: Keeping the cats exercised and entertained

The Keeper Journal

Have you ever visited a zoo or sanctuary and seen an item in the animal pen that most certainly does not exist in their wild natural habitat? Like a huge plastic ball in the tiger’s pool or blankets in the orangutan’s nest or fruit strung from the ceiling of the bat cage? Whether you realized it or not, what you were seeing is enrichment, and it’s an important piece of our work at the sanctuary.

What is enrichment?

Untamed Science offers a spot-on definition of animal enrichment as, “the process of providing captive animals with some form of stimulation in order to encourage natural behaviors, which helps to improve or maintain their physical and mental health. In a very simple sense, it is giving the animals something to do so that they are happy and healthy.”

While we do wish that all animals could roam wild and free and thrive in their natural environment, so many factors prevent this from happening. In fact, an FAQ we often receive is, “Will they be released to the wild?” And as much as we’d love to give all our cats thousands of miles to explore in their native lands, the mere fact that most of them were born in captivity and raised in homes or poor conditions prevents them from ever being released. After all, their mothers didn't even have the chance to teach them how to hunt for their own food. Knowing this, it’s easier to understand why they stay at WildCat Ridge.

And this is why enrichment is so important. Enrichment gives our cats the chance to play and discover, tap into natural instincts and regularly experience something new and stimulating in their environment. 

How do we do enrichment?

Enrichment varies from species to species, geared towards environmental enrichment, that is, changing something in their enclosure to stimulate their senses, or more focused on behavioral enrichment, where we hope to see a display of natural behaviors by engaging with enrichment. We also gear our enrichment ideas towards the preferences of the cats – for example, Sassy adores her tunnels and the hybrids can’t get enough of a good box. 

In the barn where we keep all our supplies stored, we keep two shelves designated for enrichment. The small cat shelf has items like cat scratch boards, lots of catnip, feather and fleece wands, catnip filled toys, boxes and puzzle feeders. These enrichment tools are much more appropriate for our domestics and hybrids, as well as some options being reserved for the servals and bobcats.

On the other shelf, we keep all our heavy duty items, like jolly eggs and firehose balls, made to withstand the power behind the jaws of our big guys a little bit more. And by little, I mean they still manage to drag around multiple gallon buckets in their teeth with ease. We work our own creative minds as well, utilizing items like lawn bags and giant boxes to hide snacks or scents. Noni especially likes nothing more than ripping into a lawn bag to discover treats inside.  

We also keep lots of scents on hand as wildcats are incredibly stimulated by their noses. Calvin and Hobbes love it when we sprinkle their deck with cinnamon and coffee grounds, Ariel insists on scent marking whenever we spray a particular tropical perfume in her enclosure and an old cat scratcher can have new life for the domestics if you add a little catnip to the cardboard.

Our job is to enrich their lives

Being put in charge of the welfare of the WCR cats is no small undertaking, and we keepers do everything we can to keep them physically and mentally healthy. With creative enrichment ideas, we hope to keep our cats engaged, entertained and able to exhibit their amazing natural abilities. 

If you’d like to help us care for our animals through enrichment, consider checking out WildCat Ridge's Amazon Wish List or Chewy Wish List. From time to time you’ll see new ideas for enrichment pop up, and all of us, from staff to cats, are thrilled and grateful when new toys or exciting puzzle feeders arrive. 

Posted by Rebecca Siemens in Blog
03
Oct
2021

Vet days — Kariba’s spay, Tanzi’s exam and more

Vet days — Kariba’s spay, Tanzi’s exam and more

The Keeper Journal

While I had every intention of continuing with our regularly scheduled programming of talking about the routine of the Sanctuary, we had an upset to our routine this past week and I thought it would be appropriate to also change the trajectory of this blog – at least for now. 

We were blessed to have Dr. Rebecca Richard and her team of vets and vet techs visit WCR for two days and assist us with medical procedures and check-ups for a number of our resident cats. 

Even though our on-site Animal Care Center is still a work in progress, Dr. Richard was able to set up all her equipment in the building. While it was phenomenal to be able to see the hospital being put to good use, we’re still anxious to have it completely finished. A finished hospital means more than just another building on site – it means more on-hand medical supplies and equipment, a safe and comfortable environment to keep cats in quarantine or recovery, and the ability to perform procedures without the need to transport cats off-site. It means less stress on everyone, from the keepers to the cats. 

First up on Dr. Richard’s agenda was Kariba’s spay. We keepers were able to get Kariba locked into a crate to make it easier and safer to sedate her for the procedure. The entire procedure took approximately three hours, and the vet team worked diligently to cover all the basics in addition to the spay, from clipping nails to cleaning her teeth. Keeper Lynx, a trained vet tech, was able to assist with elements of the procedure while the rest of us keepers stood close by watching. There was so much to be learned from that experience! 

Kariba spay

After Kariba was securely returned to her crate post-op, Dr. Richard administered the reversal drugs and kept a close eye on her as she woke up. It was a relief to have everything go smoothly and according to plan. And Kariba herself is recovering wonderfully, already back to her feisty, fiery self. 

In addition to Kariba, Dr. Richard took some time to check up on other cats as well, including our serval Tanzi. One of the daily things the keepers monitor is the behavior of the cats while eating. Unfortunately, we noticed that Tanzi hadn’t been eating as much as usual for about a week before Dr. Richard’s visit. . A good indicator of an animal feeling sick is a lack of appetite, so we were anxious to have Tanzi examined.

Well, it was a good thing we did, because the x-rays revealed a lot of debris in Tanzi’s stomach. According to Dr. Richard, it looked like Tanzi had a very upset gut and was trying to help herself feel better by eating things not meant to be eaten. The solution? Administer medication and some lactulose to help pass the debris through her system and get her back to her normal self. We’re happy to report that Tanzi is on the fast track to a clean bill of health. Tanzi checkup

A top priority for the keepers was ensuring a number of our sweet domestics underwent an examination as well, especially those cats who hadn’t been examined recently, to make sure everyone was healthy. It took all the keepers to wrangle seven domestics, but soon enough they were crated and transported to the hospital (much to their chagrin) for their check-ups.

Needless to say, both days were long and intense, full of impressive teamwork, passionate dedication to and love for the animals, and learning. For some of us keepers who are new or not as experienced with the veterinary side of things, being able to watch and learn from the vet team was an incredible gift. Not to mention the fact that being able to rely on such a knowledgeable team of vets and vet techs put all of us at peace knowing our cats were in the best of hands.

Here are a few key moments from the procedures

Posted by Rebecca Siemens in Blog
09
Sep
2021

A Day in the Life of a Keeper – Part 2: The Afternoon Routine

A Day in the Life of a Keeper

Part 2: The Afternoon Routine

In this week’s Keeper Journal, we’re going to pick up right where we left off following the completion of all our morning responsibilities and take a look at the wide variety of tasks on our afternoon to-do list.

It can pretty much be assumed that every afternoon involves cleaning of some kind. With over 80 animals on the property, there’s always something in need of cleaning. We might be scheduled one day to clean Alpha, home to the lions and tigers because Calvin and Hobbes’s pool is starting to look a little murky. Or, we might need to plan on detailing Bravo, housing our sweet cougar Noni, because the blackberry bushes are wreaking havoc on all the other trees and shrubs. 

So we gather up our supplies, making sure we’ve got enough straw to refresh den boxes, extra batteries for the weed whackers, and something fun and tasty for enrichment, and head out, rain, snow, or shine. 

Even though regular cleaning is definitely part of the routine, it isn’t as boring or tiresome as it might sound. We get to experience the cats and their unique personalities, watch them engage with their enrichment, and, since the cleaning schedule changes so frequently, it’s not very often that you find yourself cleaning the same enclosures week after week – because just as we have to keep things new and exciting for the cats, we’ve got to change things up for us keepers as well! 

Once we’ve completed the day’s big clean, we usually find ourselves with a little bit of leftover time for projects. These projects might include anything from landscape maintenance to crafting new structures to enhance the lives of cats.

One of our most recent projects included designing, building, and installing lockout crates on every enclosure. These lockout crates help streamline feeding, helping us make sure everyone gets their proper amount of food and meds, as well as minimize potential scuffles between roommates. After all, no one likes it when someone takes your chicken heart. 

Quarantine enclosure with MabelAnother project we completed, and which we’re all rather proud of, included building a quarantine crate in our domestic cat house. This crate, which is large enough to fit all five of us keepers inside, was crafted from wood and wire to create a small little “room,” so to speak, in which we can house new cats or recovering cats, or anyone who just needs some extra care and attention. Without causing them undue stress by moving them elsewhere, this large crate allows us to keep a kitty in an area familiar to them, while still making sure they get the right amount of food, TLC, and medical care necessary.

Mabel, who recently underwent surgery to remove the cancerous cells from her nose, was the first to test out this keeper-made quarantine crate, and we’re pretty confident that so far, her reviews have come back positive. 

Once we get our projects wrapped up, usually around 4 p.m. each day, we begin closing procedures, locking up all perimeters, checking livestock water levels, making sure meat is ready for the next day, charging the golf carts, and marking down any end-of-the-day notes. Of course, while this is all routine and what a daily afternoon schedule usually looks like, it can be upset and changed around in the blink of an eye, depending on which cat needs what when – after all, they run this place. We just work here.

Posted by Rebecca Siemens in Blog
30
Aug
2021

A Day in the Life of a Keeper – Part 1: The Morning Routine

A Day in the Life of a Keeper

Part 1: The Morning Routine

A commonly asked question the keepers receive is, “What do you do as a keeper? What does the day look like?” 

This is a great question and one we’d like to address for all those curious souls, especially those potential interns wondering what it would be like to work at WCR. This week we’ll give you a glimpse into our busy morning routine.  

Our days typically start around 7 AM, (we work ten-hour days) where we all stagger sleepily, coffee in hand, into Food Prep. Food Prep could be referred to as our Keeper HQ – it’s where you’ll find all the cleaning supplies, the laundry/locker room, the fridge where we keep all the diets for the next day, and all the medications. The walls are covered with whiteboards detailing how much food each cat gets, what doses of medications some of them need, projects to be completed and, of course, the daily schedule and to-do list. 

We spend the first couple hours of the morning weighing out the diets (most of which are made the day before), adding the needed meds, catching up on notes, and talking out the plan for the day. Then, as the diets are completed, we separate and feed our respective areas. 

The sanctuary is sectioned off into six sections, or perimeters – Alpha (tigers & lions), Bravo (cougars), Echo (cheetahs), Charlie & Delta (servals and bobcats), and the small cat pens where we house the smaller savannahs, Bengals and domestic cats. Typically, one keeper feeds “big guys” – Alpha, Bravo, and Echo –another handles Charlie/Delta and a third takes the small cats.

During feeding, we pay attention to their behaviors. Is someone eating slower than usual? Did another cat sift out all their meds and refuse to take them? Did so-and-so not eat as much as we expected, or only eat one kind of meat? How the cats eat can tell us much about their overall health, so paying attention to a seemingly small detail is a very important part of our jobs. Any irregularities we make sure to keep notes of so we can notice patterns of behaviors or any potential warning signs.

Feeding takes two to three hours, and post-feeding includes washing all the dishes and preparing diets for the big guys and small cats for the following day. Charlie/Delta we make day-of, so we don’t worry so much about that. Diet prep includes weighing out the appropriate amount of meat for each cat, paying attention to their likes and dislikes to ensure they eat everything! Just like your house cats, some of our cats can be quite picky, like Safari who refuses to eat liver or Uche who really loves a crunchy turkey gizzard or chicken neck.

We feed them a combination of raw chicken, beef, and Nebraska horsemeat, as well as the occasional venison, rabbit, quail, or fish, as friends of the sanctuary, will sometimes donate different kinds of meat if they have an overabundance. We’ve noticed how sometimes the cats grow bored with their food occasionally, so we always get excited when people help us freshen it up for them!

During diet prep, it’s inevitable that a keeper will walk into Food Prep and ask, “Hey, has livestock been fed?” In addition to the cats, we make sure the donkeys, cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, and turkey get their breakfast, too...it’s hard to forget about them, the donkeys will yell at anyone who walks by the fence as a reminder to bring fresh hay asap. 

Once all that’s been completed, it’s time for us to take a lunch break before starting in on the afternoon’s tasks.

Posted by Rebecca Siemens in Blog
17
Aug
2021

By Means of an Introduction – the Keeper Journal

By Means of an Introduction – the Keeper Journal

Written By Rebecca Siemens, Animal Keeper

Rebecca Siemens

Rebecca with Mouse, one of our domestic cats.

First things first, let me introduce myself  – I’m Rebecca, one of the newer Keepers here at Wildcat Ridge Sanctuary (WCR) in Scotts Mills, Oregon. I started my journey with WCR as an intern in January 2021 and began as a keeper in June this same year. So far it’s been nothing short of a wild ride, and I’m confident in saying none of us keepers would have it any other way. After all, that’s what working alongside animals is all about. They call the shots, not us.

So what’s this “Keeper Journal” you’ve found yourself reading? 

Great question. 

Perhaps you’ve stumbled across the keeper’s TikTok or Instagram pages? (If not, go check them out to see the cat’s being adorable and the keepers being ridiculous.) Well, we started those pages with the hopes of letting you see some of the behind-the-scenes happenings, the sweet moments with the cats, and the realities of being an animal caretaker. And this corner of our WCR blog is dedicated to giving you a deeper look into what we do, why we do what we do, and, more specifically, the goings-on around the sanctuary.

Rebecca, feeding Howie and Casper

Rebecca, feeding Howie and Casper

Being an exotic wildcat keeper is a roller coaster and one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever experienced. It’s inconsistent and routine, it’s lifegiving and exhausting, it can be pretty smelly and dirty, but it’s mostly simply beautiful. Because no matter how difficult the day has been, how much hay you’ve accumulated in your boots, how much sunscreen you’ve sweated off, or how many new ways you’ve had to attempt the same project, it’s all worth it when you’re greeted each morning with Atticus’s moos, Howie’s howls (obviously because you were so late bringing over breakfast, you terrible keeper you), and Addison’s chirps. 

So I hope you tag along and tune in here and there to see what new project we’re working on, get to know the keepers and cats better, and even get a glimpse into our days around the sanctuary. Because, in true animal fashion, no two days are ever the same. 

Posted by Rebecca Siemens in Blog