Memorials

Cha-Cha Serval (2020)

Cha-Cha Serval (2020)

Sweet dreams precious boy – March 12 2020

Cha-ChaCha-Cha was the oldest serval at WildCat Ridge Sanctuary. Back in 2018, a routine exam found he had advanced kidney disease but he was eating and doing well so we were determined to give him as much time as he wanted. Heartbreakingly, yesterday at Compass Vet Clinic we found it was time to give him his freedom 😢

Cha-Cha was born in 1998 and owned by a private owner in Oregon. In 2003 his owner attempted to take him with her out of the country and falsified his paperwork to say that he was a Savannah Cat. The Portland Airport authorities stopped her saying that he was a ‘bobcat’ and they wouldn’t let her take him. She surrendered him to the Oregon Humane Society and specifically told them if they couldn’t find a private home to euthanize him and left for her flight. Instead, OHS contacted us and asked if we could take him and of course, we said yes. It was such a surreal moment seeing him in that kennel between two barking dogs and terrified 😳

Cha-Cha was overweight, four paw declawed and traumatized. We put him on a diet and eventually introduced him to Chirpy another serval at the Sanctuary and they became best friends. When Uche (serval) came in 2008 he was introduced to Chirpy and Cha-Cha and the three musketeers were created. They lived together for many years and we often found Cha-Cha cuddled with both of them on the hammock they shared.

He was never comfortable with people but allowed us to care for him. He was always front and center for breakfast and loved his enrichment. Cha-Cha was a great hunter despite being declawed and any bird that took a chance coming in the enclosure was fair game then he would guard his prize from the other servals who didn’t dare try to take it away 🙂

As time goes by and we lose more and more of the wildcats that we’ve cared for over these many years it’s bittersweet reliving the memories and wishing we could have had more time. Caring for them has been such an honor and Cha-Cha holds a very special place in all of our hearts. I’d like to believe that there’s an afterlife because I’m sure that Chirpy would be there to welcome him with open paws. Sweet dreams precious boy ❤️

Cha-Cha's Transfer Document

Cha-Cha's Transfer Document
Posted by Cheryl Tuller in Memorials, Servals
Chirpy Serval (2018)

Chirpy Serval (2018)

Safe travels beautiful boy – May 17th, 2018

ChirpyOn May 17th,2018 we lost Chirpy, our oldest serval. Having cared for him over 17 years he was a part of the fabric that made WCR so special. The memories that come to mind take me back to the beginning when we had so much to learn and Chirpy was one of our teachers.

In 2001 we got a call from a woman who was moving to Texas and wanted to place all of her wildcats with us. We said yes, took them and scrambled to make it work. Four servals, two Siberian lynx, and a very cranky old bobcat. Chirpy was one of the servals, along with a mate, Wild Thing, who was said to be sterile, Savannah and Simba, Chirpy’s mother and father, Tank and Tasha, Siberian lynx who were purchased from a fur farm, and Old Man Bear, defanged, declawed and a force to be reckoned with.

Chirpy was three years old, brave, bold and gorgeous with stunning blue eyes that he had inherited from his mother Savannah. Wild Thing was a shy sweet girl who worshiped him. Together for the previous two years, she surprised us a month later with a baby. (First lesson learned, even if we were told a cat was sterile, always spay and neuter). That kitten was Sadie and she lived at the sanctuary her entire life until losing her to cancer in September of 2015. Chirpy and Wild Thing were together until June of 2006 when she was diagnosed with FIP and passed away. Chirpy took everything in stride, he was a calm, even-tempered cat that loved to play with feather toys and anything he could chase and swat.

When Cha-Cha, another of our servals came Chirpy became his best friend and a few years later when Uche arrived he joined the boys. Losing any of our rescues is heartbreaking and losing one that was part of the original group is a difficult reminder that many of the wildcats are seniors and there is more heartbreak to come. It’s been a difficult year for WCR and to lose Chirpy who has been with us since the beginning has been particularly tough.

I’ll miss him chirping and talking letting me know all was right in his world. Seventeen years was not enough and he takes a huge part of my heart with him. Safe travels beautiful boy, it was an honor to be part of your life and to share that time together 😢

Posted by Cheryl Tuller in Memorials, Servals
Cookie Cougar (2018)

Cookie Cougar (2018)

Safe travels, little Cookie girl – July 5, 2018

CookieOn July 5th we lost our sweet Cookie girl. Struggling to find the words to even write about it is impossible. What was a routine procedure to knock her out and pull blood ultimately cost her life. And I was the one who made the decision to do it. Her recovery was not good, and despite everything, we lost her the following morning. To say this was a shock doesn’t begin to explain how stunned and horrified we are. In over twenty years we have never had anything like this happen. Necropsy results showed heart disease that had never been detected. She had tissue wrapped around tendons to her heart and she had thrown blood clots. Erica also found necrotic sections in her kidney. Even though Dr. Lipanovich said it could have happened at any time, it’s not a comfort knowing she’s gone. In my wildest nightmares, I never would have imagined that we would lose Cookie this way, she was just twelve years old.

Cookie came to us in 2006. She was purchased at auction by a woman who thought it would be cool to have a cougar cub. That only lasted a few months before she changed her mind and wanted her gone.

Cookie was such a sweet-natured girl that we joked she was an angel in a cougar suit. She thrived at the sanctuary even though she was the smallest of the cougars. She shared a habitat with Nyssa until we moved to the new site. At that point, she moved in with Caden because Nyssa was too pushy. That worked out great because both Caden and Cookie just wanted to enjoy life and get along. It was quite a sight to see Cookie letting Caden know she was the boss even though he was so much bigger.

Cookie had the most endearing face, the fuzziest ears, the sweetest purrs, and chirps and we all adored her. She was never aggressive, always welcoming, and hearing her chip when she saw us warmed our hearts and made us love her even more.

Losing so many of our wildcats has been difficult, but with the older cats somehow it gives us the opportunity to make peace with it.

Losing Cookie was gut-wrenching in a way that I didn’t think possible and left me wondering if I’d ever be able to say her name without bursting into tears. So far I haven’t gotten to that point and even thinking about her being gone is crushing. We love all of the rescues and our hearts break with each loss, but having cared for Cookie from such a young age and watching her grow and be such a huge part of our lives makes the grief even harder to live with.

I apologize for such a long post, I had hoped by writing it would make it easier to process but it’s only made it more painful. Cookie was supposed to grow old with us having many more years left to live. This life is so cruel and I don’t understand why things happen the way they do especially to the most innocent of creatures. Safe travels little girl, it was truly an honor and joy to love and care for you. Many broken hearts are left behind.

Posted by Cheryl Tuller in Cougars, Memorials
Duma Serval (2019)

Duma Serval (2019)

Rest in Peace, sweet Duma – April 16, 2019

Duma

Duma – in Memory

While we understand loss is something that is inevitable in rescue work, losing wildcats that should be able to live long healthy lives is crushing. Yesterday at Compass Clinic Duma had his third vet visit in a month. The first visit happened when the keepers noticed he wasn’t eating and after two days, we took him in for an exam. Dr. Connolly opened up the clinic on the only day it was closed so she could see him.

The visit went from just an exam and x-rays to emergency surgery 😔The X-rays showed a mass in his abdomen that had to be removed and she found a piece of ball and plant material. The paperwork we received with him in December talked about his propensity to eat things he shouldn’t and when Dr. Connolly opened him up she went through the original scar from previous surgery. Her conclusion was that the ball had probably been in his stomach for months.

Surgery went well and after two weeks he just didn’t seem himself so he went back to the clinic. New X-rays showed irritated intestines but his bloodwork was good and there was nothing blocking his intestines. He got new medication and he was fine, eating and acting normal until a few days ago. The keepers noticed he wasn’t eating again and on that third morning he was at the clinic. Blood Work was through the roof showing a raging infection and x-rays revealed he had blocked again with grass and plant matter 😔 After an ultrasound showed that his intestinal wall was thickened, Dr. Connolly was planning to do another surgery and removed the tissue that was compromised and the blockage. Sadly when she pulled fluid from his stomach to test he was already septic. I made the heartbreaking decision to let him go 😢

Losing him after only a few months is crushing especially since he was only seven years old. But life as a pet for six years didn’t do him any favors. The loss of Duma reminds us that we can’t save them all no matter how hard we try and that realization is tough to face. I wish we could have given him the life he deserved but in the end, wishing and all the medical intervention provided didn’t help.

Duma is now free of pain but it doesn’t change the fact that these incredible animals should NEVER be owned as pets. His previous life set him up for failure and we are left with the guilt of losing him 😢 Rest easy sweet boy we would have loved to care for you an entire lifetime but it wasn’t meant to be 😔


Duma’s History

Duma, serval came to WCR December 2018 and is approximately 6 years old.  He was originally owned by a veterinarian who declawed him and tried to keep him in his house. He called In-Sync Exotics a sanctuary in Texas in October 2019 and wanted him gone. They were happy to take him but found he couldn’t live with other cats. They contacted us because we had enclosures that he didn’t have to share. 

When he arrived he was literally jumping off the walls he was so frightened. He’s still very afraid but we are working diligently to help him become more relaxed. It’s hard to imagine what trauma occurred in his previous life that made him so fearful, but we are determined that with patience, love, and compassion he will come around and realize that he will never be hurt again.  

Posted by Cheryl Tuller in Memorials, Servals
Keida Serval (2018)

Keida Serval (2018)

Run free and wild, sweet Keida – April 2018

The hits keep coming . . . The day after we lost BoBo my heart was broken again. Our sweet Keida lost the use of his back legs and the kindest thing we could do was help him pass over to his last journey 😢

It’s taken me this long to even write about it, my feelings are so raw from the loss 😢

Looking back we made mistakes especially in the early days and Keida was one of those. In 2001 we took in a bonded pair of servals and were told the female was sterile because she was an old girl. The next year we were shocked by discovering she was pregnant and Keida was born. We were surprised and disappointed that we had been so foolish but knew he would always have a home with us.

Keida was a sweet boy, always playing with toys, and he loved his companions ❤️ He lived with three other servals his entire life and they were very close. Sadly in 20015 just after we moved to the new site in Scotts Mills, we lost two of them, Sadie in September followed by Keisa in November 😢 Then in May of 2016 we lost Kenya and Keida was alone. He was still the sweet boy we knew but it was obvious that it was harder and harder for him to get around.

Keida had always had a wobbly back end and as he got older it got worse. X-rays showed spondylosis in his spine and all we could do was manage his pain. We did acupuncture, medication and everything we could do to relieve his condition and for a while, it seemed to work. But these past few months it was clear that we had a limited time left with him. The morning he couldn’t get up and walk I knew it was time to let him go 😢

Keida shared our lives for sixteen years and was nothing but a joy to care for. In my mind’s eye, I’ll always see him as that little kitten that had such a sweet, happy demeanor. One of the cruelest tricks of life is they get older 😔
Safe travels Keida I hope that Sadie, Keisa, and Kenya will be there to meet you ❤️ (Thank you, Dr. Cherie Connolly, for your kindness, it means so much)

Posted by Cheryl Tuller in Memorials, Servals
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
Neko Cougar (2020)

Neko Cougar (2020)

Safe travels beautiful boy – April 15, 2020

NekoI’m struggling to find the words to let everyone know that we lost Neko. Expressing how much he meant to me is difficult. All the wildcat rescues are special but Neko leaves a hole in my heart that will never be filled. He and Noni (his brother) were confiscated out of an apartment in Indiana as cubs and both were declawed and very sick. I flew out to pick him up and at 13 lbs. he rode under the seat in front of me all the way back to Oregon. He was the first cougar we had ever taken in, he was so sad, and sick and I fell madly, completely in love. Two months after he came, Noni arrived in even worse shape than Neko, and of course, I fell in love all over again.

Caring for them almost nineteen years was an experience like no other and I’m so grateful to have had that time. Neko was the bravest of the two and more outgoing than Noni but they were devoted to each other. They shared the most wonderful purrs and chirps with me and were rarely ever cross. Over the past year, we started to see a change where they slowed down with Neko having the most problems. The declaw that they suffered as babies were starting to take its toll but we managed the pain with medication hoping to buy more time.

In the past few months, Neko had more and more trouble walking, his back end would wobble and he’d sit down so he didn’t fall. We consulted with our vets and tried different medication but three days ago, Neko told me it was time. His body had worn out and there was nothing we could do other than ease him peacefully to the other side.

Writing this all the memories come rushing back and break my heart all over again. He was so dear to me and to Noni and I worry how Noni will get along without him. I hope better than me because I’m gutted . . . Rescue is experiencing the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and losing Neko is something I’ll struggle with for the rest of my life. I know he’s no longer in pain and it’s selfish of me to wish he was still here but I do, I can’t help it. Safe travels beautiful boy, thank you for sharing your life with me and I hope you knew just how loved you were.️ ❤️

Posted by Cheryl Tuller in Cougars, Memorials
Shirley Tiger (2019)

Shirley Tiger (2019)

Run free and wild, sweet girl – May 31, 2019

ShirleyWe are heartbroken to share with you that yesterday was the day we said good-bye to our Sweet Shirley Girl 😢 She hadn’t been feeling well for a very long time and at 21 years old, we worried every day. But each time we thought she was ready, she would do something like play with her favorite ball, or eat a good breakfast or chuff and rub on the fence when we came out to see her. These past three days she ate less and less and we were hoping that she would rebound, but this time she didn’t. We were all with her as she moved on to her next journey but it’s still something we struggle to process.

Shirley and Mac

Shirley and Mac

She was truly one of a kind, the dearest girl who never snarled or growled or was in a bad mood. Her welcoming chuffs were never ending and we all loved her more than we can say. She and her brother Mac came to us on 10-10-2010, the year of the tiger, and were the first tigers we had ever rescued. Mac was a huge presence and he overshadowed Shirley because she was content just to be close to him. When we lost Mac in 2013 to Fiber Sarcoma, Shirley’s well being became a concern but she had already made peace with the loss.

Shirley loved her ball

Shirley loved her ball

She soaked up the attention we gave her and became very vocal, calling to us then chuffing when we got close. She loved enrichment and became a fantastic artist over the years 🎨 Her absolute favorite thing in the world was a huge jolly ball that Lynda Hansen bought for her. Even though she was declawed it didn’t stop her from putting huge teeth marks in it and showing us what a strong tiger she was.

Over the past few years we watched her slow down, but her spirit never changed, she was everything that is good and kind wrapped up in her soul and she made everyone she met fall in love. Having the honor and privilege of caring for her for the past 11 years is something we treasure and hold close to us while we grieve. Our lives are better having cared for her but it makes the loss that much harder to live with. Safe travels beautiful girl you made our lives richer by being such a huge part of our hearts. Things will never be the same without you 😢

Shirley’s History

Shirley was born in 1998 and lived at Wild Animal Orphanage in Texas. Due to previous corrupt management, the facility could no longer afford to care for the animals and had to close down. There were over 400 animals that needed to find new homes. Shirley and her brother, Mac, were two of over 70 big cats that needed placement. With 55 tigers alone that needed sanctuary, we knew that we had to help.

Shirley and Mac arrived at WildCat Ridge on October 10, 2010. Shirley came to us in relatively good health, although she had a bite wound on her front paw. Shirley and Mac shared a huge enclosure, complete with perches, logs, trees, and lots of space to run and play! Sadly we lost Mac to cancer in 2013 despite doing all we could.

Posted by Cheryl Tuller in Memorials, Tigers
Lala Serval (2019)

Lala Serval (2019)

Farewell, Lala – February 13, 2019

Lala

The heartbreak continues 😢 On February 13th we took LaLa in to see Dr. Lipanovich because she just wasn’t herself. She was lethargic and didn’t seem interested in food. At 22 years of age, any change in her routine was cause to worry. Her heartbeat was muffled on examination and X-rays showed a large tumor attached to her heart and fluid in her abdomen. There was no choice other than to let her go.

LaLa was a sweet quirky serval, who always looked frumpy, her coat was thick and because she was four paw declawed she couldn’t keep the mats out. She lived with Sable another serval and while they didn’t cuddle they certainly found companionship with each other. LaLa was one of the wildcats that was never any trouble. She rarely got sick, always ate well and seemed content. Her only vet visits were when we had to take her in to brush out the mats. She loved her toys and enrichment and when she was excited her tail flipped back and forth which was so adorable.

It’s hard to think about not seeing her every day, she’s been a part of WCR for over seventeen years. Losing them never gets easier but we try to find comfort in knowing she was happy and content with us. The time we have is always too short and we are so proud to have cared for her all these years. Safe travels sweet girl, life won’t be the same without you ❤️

 

Lala’s History

Jamalah, aka Lala, is an African Serval. She was purchased as a kitten in 1997 by a woman who also had small primates. The prey drive is very strong in all wildcats, and, unfortunately, the woman learned too late. Jamalah went to another home, but that didn’t work out either. So she came to live at WildCat Ridge in 2002.

Jamalah is a quirky girl who always seems a little frumpy but so adorable! She isn’t friendly with us, but she loves the other servals. She lives with Sable, another serval rescue. When she’s happy, her tail swishes back and forth in the most adorable way. But when she isn’t, watch out! Either way, this is one special serval that we all love.

Posted by Cheryl Tuller in Memorials, Servals
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