WildCat Haven Sanctuary

Animal Legal Defense Fund : Victory in Animal Legal Defense Fund's Lawsuit to Free Tony the Truck Stop Tiger

2011-05-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

Animal Legal Defense Fund : Victory in Animal Legal Defense Fund's Lawsuit to Free Tony the Truck Stop Tiger

Even though it doesn't feel like it . . .

2011-05-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

Summer is right around the corner :) The wildcats can't wait for the sun to shine! As a sanctuary we work very hard to provide a wonderful carefree life for our rescues. It isn't easy to ask you to take a 'Leap of Faith' donating to something you can't touch, adopt, pet or play with. But you understand that WCH is not a zoo, but a sanctuary for these precious animals that had no where to go before coming to WildCat Haven. Our donors understand what it takes to run a sanctuary. Sponsoring a wildcat resident does two things. First it allows us to continue to provide the best care possible for our rescues.

And second, it allows the sponsor to see the wildcats that they help support! For $500 you and a friend or loved one will get a behind the scenes tour of the sanctuary. You'll see the residents in a quiet, peaceful setting doing what they do best, being wild! You'll hear Sir with his wonderful, 'woo woo' call as we take you to visit all of the residents. You'll see the bobcats wrestle, the servals jump and play, hear the cougars chirp and Mac and Shirley will greet you with that wonderful tiger chuff!

It's a once in a lifetime experience and one that we only do for sponsors because they make the commitment & understand we need their support to continue our mission of hope and compassion! To sponsor the wildcat of your choice, visit our SPONSOR page. It's easy to do and will make you feel great! You get to see and understand why we do what we do and become a partner in creating a safe, lifetime home for these incredible wildcats:) So what are you waiting for? Sponsor a wildcat today, you'll be sooo glad you did!

(there is no direct contact with any of the wildcats)

New Friends . . .

2011-05-02T21:24:00.000-07:00

Today was a special day for us. WildCat Haven has always believed that animal causes should work together as much as possible, sharing information, support and knowledge. We were honored to welcome Dr. Laurie Marker, the Founder & Executive Director of Cheetah Conservation Fund & Janet Waggoner, a longtime CCF volunteer to WildCat Haven Sanctuary. Dr. Marker has always been a hero to me, working tirelessly to save the incredible African Cheetah.

In her own words, Dr. Marker once said, "I thought if I told enough people about the threat to cheetahs, they would take care of it, but they never did. "[People] were always saying, ‘somebody ought to do something about cheetahs,' but I could never find out who ‘somebody' was. So I went."

(Janet, Laurie, Renee)

Dr. Marker has dedicated her life to saving these amazing animals and we are so very proud to know her. As we walked around the sanctuary introducing Janet and Laurie to our rescues, sharing their stories, I realized that in a very small way, we are doing our part, making the world a better place at least for the wildcats we care for. We aren't saving a species, but we are doing what we can to make a difference. Dr. Laurie Marker has taught us, if you dream it, you can make it happen. Whether it's one animal or an entire species, these are words we all need to live by . . .

WildCat Haven Launches the New Website!

2011-04-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

We are proud to announce our new and improved website! Click on the image to see what it's all about. :)

Spring Showers . . .

2011-04-12T18:26:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how much we all miss the sunshine. We love living in Oregon but honestly, the rain and cold weather is like a bad dream at this point. :) Every day I think it's going to break and the sun will come out and stay out, but so far it just isn't happening.

Around the sanctuary, work goes on. Renee and Aaron are busy cleaning, making sure all the wildcats have clean, dry, fluffy beds of straw to nap on, and soft wood chips to soak up the rain. Ian has been volunteering, dragging trash, cutting fire hose and helping Aaron with the cougar pen. Construction for the Wellness Center continues, but we found we have to move some electric wires that run above the roof. PGE has given us a quote of $2200 for the work, and unfortunately there is no way around it, the wires have to be moved. Not really something that was in the budget, but we'll come up with the funding somehow. Something I've learned over the past ten years is we always seem to manage. :)

When I stop and think about what it takes to keep the sanctuary running, I'm incredibly grateful for our donors who believe in our mission. While some places spend huge amounts to fund-raise or for management salaries, we pinch every penny to make it go as far as it can for our wildcats. It's our responsibility that the hard earned money our donors send, goes to what they intend, to care for the precious wildcats in our care. I'm proud to say that we do exactly that and together we are making a difference, one rescue at a time . . .

Tiger Fun

2011-04-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

Such a relief

2011-03-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

The dreary weather continues to drag on and it seems as if Spring will never come. Today we saw a few glimpses of the sun, only to be replaced with dark clouds that rained huge drops and I think even a bit of hail. Normally I'd be complaining even more, but today the weather was the least of our worries.

Our newest Caracal, Carrie, hasn't been feeling good and hasn't wanted to eat for the past two days. Renee has been keeping a close eye on her, but after two days it was time to take her in to the vet. It never pays to wait and once again, we were right. An x-ray showed a bone lodged in her intestine, so she went in for immediate surgery. Thankfully everything went well, and she is now home. Although a little woozy, she's feeling no pain and we expect a full recovery. I have to say, I'm happy to go back to only having the weather to complain about :)

Bear & Nairobi in NatGeo Kids Magazine :)

2011-03-14T20:36:00.000-07:00

BEAR & NAIROBI IN THE NEWS:)

Woodchips

2011-03-09T19:12:00.000-08:00

Looking into the face of despair . . .

2011-03-05T18:39:00.000-08:00

When will it end? This is the face most folks don't want to see or acknowledge. Feral cats, either born on the streets, or cats that one time had a home, thrown away, abandoned. For the survivors, their existence is filled with horrific pain and suffering. Yet people continue to breed and sell cats when thousands end up in shelters with no hope of adoption or worse, left to fend for themselves on the streets. Shame on all of us who turn a blind eye to the animals that suffer in silence.

One of our Directors was contacted and told that a young feral cat was seen missing an eye. He was trapped and taken in to our vet, where they neutered him, removed what was left of his damaged eye, cleaned up the wound on his ear, treated him for worms and fleas and all after they tested him and found he was FIV positive.

The surgery and care that we provided will certainly heal his wounds, but to truly save him we need a home. I'm ashamed to admit, when I was told he was FIV positive, I wanted to put him down. It's a terrible feeling to realize that I've become practical, letting my head rule my heart when it comes to situations like this. But I know, just how difficult it is to find homes for any cat - let alone one with FIV. Will some angel step forward to give him a second chance at life? A feral cat with FIV? I have my doubts, but our Director is convinced it will happen and I can only hope that some how this story will have a happy ending.

When I look into this cat's face I feel so much shame and sadness . . . Shame for not doing more, and so very sad, that these incredible souls live life with no hope. Please consider volunteering with your local feral cat groups, Step up, be their voice and help end this suffering, it's the moral thing to do and together we can make a difference.

Kennewick's Jolly Egg

2011-03-02T14:17:00.000-08:00

Tigers in the Snow

2011-02-24T12:19:00.000-08:00

Howie in the Snow

2011-02-24T09:40:00.000-08:00

Tiger Play

2011-02-22T21:40:00.000-08:00

Rastafari Loves Her Pool

2011-02-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T18:01:00.001-08:00

The ultimate gift . . .

2011-02-03T16:06:00.000-08:00

It has to be the most difficult of all decisions we face. The companions who share our lives ask for so little. Food, shelter and love. But what they give to us in return can't be measured. We never really understand the impact they have until it's time to say good bye. My son and his family adopted Nate from OHS when he was a year old. He has spent the next 12 years doing what he does best, being a good boy. But his body was wearing out and even though his spirit was intact, they knew it was just a matter of time.

This morning Nate let them know that he was ready to say good-bye. He had done his job, being the best boy he could be, caring for them and teaching them. His life lessons of unconditional love were shared with a cold nose, wagging tail and a gentle paw on a knee. And when he asked them, they gave him the ultimate gift of freedom and let him go quietly and peacefully while they stood by his side. Nate will be missed so much and remembered for doing what he did best, being a good boy . . .

Just makes sense . . .

2011-01-31T19:39:00.000-08:00

Salem Friends of Felines has done amazing work over the past seven years finding homes for over 4000 and counting, domestic cats. Jeanie Sloan, one of the original founders has been a dear friend of WildCat Haven even before SFOF's doors opened. She told me about a three legged tabby that had been returned to them and needed a home. Of course, we can't resist a special needs cat so I headed down this morning to meet him. Over the past years Jeanie has somehow always managed to make room for domestics that we can't keep and I was excited to be able to help her at least a little :) As I walked into the shelter I was touched by the obvious love and care that the animals are receiving. It's a small place but they are doing so much good, these amazing women, working so hard to change the world for the animals they care for! Clean, tidy and filled with warmth and kindness, it's the kind of shelter that makes you feel good when you walk in the door. Anyway, it's no surprise that I left this afternoon with two special needs cats :) Ivan, the beautiful three legged tabby and Shadow, a sweet Siamese with only three legs who sometimes doesn't use a litter box. It felt good to be able to bring them home, especially after everything Jeanie has done for us. Working together makes all the difference, and I'm so grateful to Jeanie and the wonderful work that SFOF does each and every day :)

Jolly Ball for Shirley :)

2011-01-28T05:09:00.000-08:00

Sometimes . . .

2011-01-20T18:01:00.000-08:00

(this isn't abuse? We believe it is)

The squeaky wheel does get the oil. After reading the article about Tigard High School deciding to bring a tiger to their high school basketball game last Friday, I fired off an email to the Principal. Thankfully he was a sensible man and realized that the issues surrounding this would be many and all wrong. He pulled the plug. Bless his heart and kudos to him.

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=129550348102212900

Unfortunately, the teacher who was behind bringing the tiger to the school, Sue Suttich remarked in the follow up article, “I was a little confused. It wasn’t like we were going to be abusing the animal or anything.” Seems the teacher needs to be educated, but I wonder if it would even make a difference? Somehow I don't think so :(

A loss is never easy . . .

2011-01-18T18:07:00.000-08:00

Back before WildCat Haven, back before BoBo the bobcat, back when life was as close to normal as it got, my son snatched a kitten from the neighbors across the street. Now any normal mom would be upset and explain to him that we can't go around stealing animals from other people. But poor Ian has a far from normal mom, and I'm sure at some point we were high fiving over what he did :) We had been watching that poor kitten being carried around by the neighbor kids, upside down, by her back legs, getting dragged around and just roughed up. I don't remember the circumstances exactly, but when I got home from work that next day, that little kitten was in our house with Ian and I couldn't have been more proud of my son :)

That was almost nineteen years ago and a lot has changed in that time. Ian's mom still isn't normal, WildCat Haven was born and in it's 10th year of rescue. Ian is married with a wonderful wife and has a son of his own. That little kitten, Binker, has been part of our family and then Ian's family for 15 years. As she got older, it made sense for her to come live at the sanctuary, where we could keep a close eye on her and give her the medication she needed. Over the past year she has really started to show her age, and the last few weeks have been especially tough. Ian has recently been able to spend some time volunteering at the sanctuary and yesterday he and Binker shared a hamburger at lunch and reminisced about old times :) It made me realize that even as time passes the bonds we create are still strong.

Today the decision was made to help Binker pass to the other side and free her from the tired, worn-out body that held her incredible spirit. Knowing it's the right thing to do doesn't make it any easier, but it seems the right decisions never are. Hugs to you Binker, may you roll in catnip and chase spiders to your hearts content :)

I don't get it . . .

2011-01-13T21:26:00.000-08:00

The Tigard Times did an article on WildCat Haven today and talked about how 2011 is our Ten year anniversary of doing rescue work. Which was nice, but in the very same newspaper is an article talking about how the Tigard High School will be bringing in a live tiger for the game on friday. Really? Are they kidding? Can you imagine a school full of screaming kids and a tiger? It just blows me away that this is something that the school thinks is a good idea.

“There’s going to be a live tiger,” said teacher Sue Suttich, standing in front of a group of 30 high school students.Her advanced sports marketing class hosts the event every year, and it was their idea to bring the tiger. The tiger comes from the family of a student, Suttich said, who offered to bring the tiger to the basketball game. As the school’s mascot, Suttich said that she has wanted to bring a tiger to the school for years, but this is the first time that one will actually be on hand at an event. “This is going to be way more special than any of the others,” she said.

Of course there is no other information about where the cat is coming from, but I've got a pretty good idea. It's a small cat world out there and if the cat is coming from where I think it is, this is just the sort of thing this 'rescue' does.

Here are two reviews of the place I'm talking about:
"I was not impressed with this place. While it is neat that they have exotic animals (a lion, tiger, camel, porcupine..etc) they weren't well cared for. They were in small dirty cages and seemed distressed. One rabbit we saw had a vicious infection in it's ears. The place is supposedly an exotic animal rescue operation, could've fooled me. It was quite disturbing. My girlfriend and I were debating making a call to some agency to investigate their operation."

"Awful place, yes they do have exotic animals, which is cool. But it stinks so bad there, the cages are small and not well cared for. I felt sorry for these animals and wonder how they got a license to keep them. The animals were dirty and some had very little shelter from the rain and cold. I will never go back to this place."

When is this going to end? When people stop thinking that wild animals are cool to bring as show and tell. What message is the staff at Tigard High School sending? That a wildcat is ok to bring to pep rallies and games? And by promoting this sort of stunt, exhibitors continue to breed and keep wild animals in small, filthy cages waiting for the next gig. It's all just too ridiculous and frustrating.

And another show is over :)

2011-01-09T19:53:00.000-08:00

The 2011 Build, Remodel & Landscape Show is over and done. These shows are important to attend, it gives WildCat Haven exposure to folks who may have never heard of us and gives us the opportunity to sell some great WildCat Haven items like teeshirts and such :)

Thankfully we have our best gal, Jan Vales, who puts all of the off-site shows together and organizes the wonderful volunteers who give up their week ends to cover the booths! Big hugs to Linda Melton, Cheryl Starr, Jenny Brazie, Sarah and Johan Limbourg, Steffen Estrada, Karin Gannin and Sara Parsons for helping make this event a success!

We are continually contacted by folks who want to volunteer for WildCat Haven, but 99% of these people only want to work with the animals. When we explain that no one works with the animals other than our staff, we never hear from them again. But the volunteers above who work unselfishly for the wildcats, know that the real volunteer work is educating the public about our mission and helping raise funds to keep WildCat Haven going. These are the true volunteers and we couldn't do what we do without them. Tigers chuffs and cougar kisses to you all :)

As the New Year arrives . . .

2011-01-05T13:19:00.000-08:00

we are excited to celebrate our 10 year anniversary of Hope and Compassion! Founded in 2001 it's been a long journey from those first days to now. But through it all, we have never wavered in our commitment to care for these incredible wildcats that should NEVER be bred and sold. Here is a short video of our two newest rescues and I challenge anyone who watches it to not understand why we do what we do :)

(Mac says Good Morning)

Where did that Serval go?

2011-01-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

And Just Like That . . .

2010-12-30T20:11:00.000-08:00

2010 has zipped by and we are on the threshold of a brand new year. A new year that brings the hope of better things to come. Each year is a struggle, just by the nature of what we do. We work hard to raise funds to care for our rescues, we spend hours cleaning, feeding and monitoring the animals that have come to rely on us so completely. But we do it because we believe in our heart of hearts that each and every one of our rescues deserves a better life than the one they were born into. Maybe this is the year that things will change and we will see more and more people realize that these incredible animals should never be bred and sold as pets. Who knows, isn't hope what every new year should bring?

From all of us at WildCat Haven Sanctuary

2010-12-25T15:08:00.000-08:00

Christmas for the Hybrids :)

2010-12-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

The most wonderful things happen in the Holiday Season! Today Christmas came early for the hybrids and domestics that share Hybrid Haven :) Santa Leslie B. heard that they have been very good this year and brought out brand new cozy beds for them! What a wonderful surprise and one that is so perfect for all these special cats! They share a temperature controlled building that allows them access to an outdoor area as well but their beds were getting a bit tattered :) This was the perfect Holiday gift for them and while some might say a few have been just a bit naughty, no one can argue that they don't deserve the best we can give them! And Santa Mike B. brought bags of sawdust for the big cats to roll and play in. Hugs to Leslie and Mike B. for their kindness and commitment to all of the wildcats at WildCat Haven Sanctuary!

*If you'd like to make a donation this Holiday Season just click on the DONATE NOW button.

That's our fluffy boy :)

2010-12-16T10:30:00.000-08:00

This time last year we were in crisis mode. Sir was down for the count and it looked like we were going to have to make the call we never want to do. At 15 years of age, Sir had never been a very healthy cat. He came to us weighing only 12 lbs. as a seven year old lynx. An inappropriate diet had left him with metabolic bone disease and other health issues but over the years we were able to manage his problems. Then December 2009, it seemed we had done all we could, we were losing him. He stopped eating, was lethargic, and just looked terrible. The vet recommendation was that it was time to put him out of his misery, which I was ready to do, but Renee refused to give up on him. She called in every favor she had ever earned over her years of working with vets and was relentless in her quest to find out what was wrong. Every day for a week, we had to hold Sir down and give him huge amounts of fluids and different meds, which was traumatic for him and for us. Dr. Regina Tobin a board certified specialist in small animal internal medicine worked with us doing all she could diagnosing and recommending options for Sir. Finally after two weeks we found that Sir had an infection that was crazy tough to diagnose but now we had our answer! Fast forward a year later Sir is thriving! Fat and sassy he lives on the front deck where we can keep a close eye on him but he's doing better than ever! He has a beautiful view of Mt. Hood and can see everything that goes on at the sanctuary. We do understand that at 16 years of age, he is an old man, but to have him happy and healthy is wonderful! We are so thankful to Renee who refused to give up on this beautiful boy, and it made me realize that we do make miracles happen each and every day :) Hugs to you Sir, we love you!

My Special girl

2010-12-08T20:34:00.000-08:00

As the director of a rescue organization, I get that I'm not supposed to have favorites, but you know, sometimes it just can't be helped. While each and every one of our rescues are precious and dear to me, I have to admit there's one old gal that pulls at my heart strings the most. That old gal is Savannah. Savannah is a serval who came to us with her mate Simba back in 2001. Now at the ripe old age of 17, she's slowing down a bit. I've been trying to ignore the fatty lumps that I've found on her over the years, but last week, we found she had been licking one to the point it was getting sore so it was time to head to the vet.

Thankfully, Dr. Milner was able to remove it and stitch her up good as new and send us home. While I know she's fine and this is just a bump in the road, it reminds me again that life is precious and much too short. I'm so grateful to be able to share this life with the incredible wildcats that we care for, but I want them to live forever, because losing them is too painful. Savannah spent the evening inside last night, so I could keep a close eye on her, and in the morning she let me know it was time to head back out to reunite with Simba. As I watched her walk down the run and up to her enclosure, I realized that she didn't have a care in the world and that in some small part I had something to do with that. And I realized that it was enough to know that she was content.

December Already

2010-12-02T10:35:00.000-08:00

Where did the time go? It's been busy as always here at the sanctuary. With the arrival of Mac & Shirley, WildCat Haven's newest and largest residents we continue to learn all things Tiger :) And honestly I can't imagine two nicer tigers to teach us all we need to know. As we practice our 'chuffs' so we can communicate better with them, it amazes me the resiliency of these incredible animals. To be born into a life of abuse and neglect, it breaks my heart that they will never know freedom. But each day they greet us happy and content. We will never be able to take away the past, but to see them run and play reminds me that abuse is not a life sentence, we can make a difference and we do it every day.

For so many reasons

2010-11-25T10:53:00.000-08:00

we are thankful. Thankful for wonderful friends and family, thankful for our precious rescues who have given us purpose beyond what we ever would have imagined. Thankful for our donors and sponsors who believe in what we do and share in our mission. And on this day of reflection, we are hopeful that one day, these incredible animals will no longer be breed, bought and sold, condemning them to a life behind bars. Until then, we will continue to do all we can to provide hope and compassion, creating a safe, peaceful lifetime home for the wildcats in our care. Wishing everyone a safe, wonderful holiday :)

We're a small family

2010-11-22T18:01:00.000-08:00

made up of like minded folks with a common goal. And when one of us hurts, we all hurt. Saving lives comes at a price, a price that often times is heartbreaking. Even when we do everything we can, sometimes something happens that has no explanation or reason. It just happens. And nothing we do can change it. Nothing before or after makes a difference, and it's the sad reality that we can't save them all. But we keep trying, even with broken hearts. It's what makes us different and makes us move forward each and every day. Sending hugs and much love to a dear friend who has taught me so much and has been my hero for many years. Wish I could take the pain away . . .

I just don't say it enough . . .

2010-11-13T10:56:00.000-08:00

Our staff and volunteers are the most wonderful folks in the world and we could NEVER do what we do without them. But I have to say that the one person who works the hardest around here, hardly ever gets any credit and that's Mike Tuller :) Bless his heart, he has poured blood, sweat and money into the sanctuary making it what it is today. The enclosure building falls squarely on his shoulders and being on the side of a mountain, nothing is easy! An enclosure that sits on flat ground is pretty simple, but building on a hill is tough, it requires a whole different set of rules. Mike has worked hard over the past 10 years creating spacious, natural enclosures giving the wildcats plenty of room to enjoy! And all of this while working a full time job. As I said, Mike is our unsung hero and it's time he got some kudos for all that he does :)

Laid Back Sunday

2010-11-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

Most Sundays around here are pretty quiet and this one is no exception. Gerri one of our volunteers came out and we cleaned the tiger area, raking the sand and giving them clean, fluffy straw in their den boxes. We scrubbed out the sheep's water and refilled it, while all three stood around and watched :) Gerri raked leaves by the cougars while I got food ready for tonight's dinner. With the time change the cats will be fed earlier so they can go to bed when the sun goes down, cuddled in their dens dreaming wildcat dreams :)

Cody, Cody, Cody . . .

2010-11-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

There is no worse feeling than to know that one of the wildcats doesn't want to eat. I swear, over the years, this is THE number one thing that strikes terror in our hearts. So when Renee told me last night that Cody didn't eat, outwardly I responded calmly, but inside my heart dropped. It's never a good sign. Our saving grace is that Cody is a sensitive boy and I hoped that something had just made him a bit anxious. So bright and early this morning, I went down to check on him and decided to take some food to see if I could tempt him. Bless his furry little heart, he couldn't wait to get the turkey that I had for him :) And tonight he was just as excited for dinner as his best buddies Leo and Caden. Thank goodness, all is well once again :)

Priorities

2010-11-02T09:11:00.000-07:00

Funny how rescue causes all your priorities to change :) Back in the day, BC (before cats), shopping meant buying clothes, or other personal items, taking friends to lunch and making a day of it. Now, getting a new freezer makes my week and being able to fill all five freezers with wholesome, nutritious food for the wildcats thrills me no end! Providing these amazing wildcats a better life means more than anything, and you know, I don't miss the old shopping one bit :)

Of course . . .

2010-10-29T18:59:00.000-07:00

As soon as I post a blog about all the domestic cats in shelters that need homes, three drop out of the sky. Well not literally but geez! Renee and Aaron on the way to the sanctuary saw three kittens near the side of the road very close to our place. When they got here and let me know, we talked about getting traps set and all the options when Renee suggested that she just head back to see if she could find them. We shouldn't have worried so much about trapping them, Renee said they all came running out of the woods when she called.

On one hand I'm thrilled that she was able to find them, on the other hand, I'm still shocked and furious that someone had decided that these three kittens were disposable. They are the sweetest, most social cats I have ever seen and to have them dumped to be coyote food is just beyond my comprehension.

The good news is our dear friend Jeanie Sloan who is one of the Co-Founders of Salem Friends of Felines came to our rescue and offered to take them. Bless her heart, I know she needed more kittens like a hole in the head, but she was still willing to take these babies and get them ready to adopt out. More and more I realize just how blessed we are to have made such wonderful friends. Working together we can change bad things to something better. It's good to have friends and tonight I'm especially grateful :)

See their video HERE

Wildcats are not appropriate pets

2010-10-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

Many folks know that WildCat Haven is a sanctuary for captive born wildcats and hybrids that were at one time purchased as pets. But what many don't know is we are also home to fourteen domestic cats. Domestic cats that have found their way here through many different reasons. Feral cats with no where to go, special needs cats and even cats considerable "un-adoptable" simply because they didn't like to be held. Now we find we're at our limit, but the calls keep coming. The longer we do this work the more we realize just how critical Spay and Neuter programs are.

Also in our line of work we see breeders continue to breed hybrids for the people who want a more 'exotic' pet. All the while shelters are filled to the brim with incredible, amazing cats who will die simply for lack of space. It's a tragic testament to our society that thousands of healthy, adoptable animals will die, while breeder continue to breed. It's frustrating, inexcusable and just wrong.

WildCat Haven believes in appropriate animals as pets and we urge everyone to support your local shelters. If you can't adopt a new furry friend, please consider supporting Spay and Neuter programs, for shelter animals and feral cats. It takes education, awareness and a desire to make a difference, so please join us to help make that difference in the lives of these wonderful creatures. Be sure to check out the following video that I found on youTube that shows just how fabulous cats are and how they're the perfect companion for everyone :)

VIDEO CLIP

Productive week-end :)

2010-10-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

(Cody using Leo as a pillow)

Another Saturday work day done. Mike, spent his time on top of the rafters of the new cougar enclosure creating walk ways to allow us to haul up the wire panels and get them in place. At 14 ft tall this is no easy task, but he has certainly become an expert at roof walking. Tim & Derek stayed on the ground handing up planks and whatever Mike needed to get this next step done. Once the panels are hoisted onto the roof, they will be nailed into place and hog-ringed completing the top. Then on to building the covered pavilions that will serve as a nice dry area for the cougars to have their den boxes and spacious decks to hang out on.

Renee and Jenny spent their time putting up the last of the tarps on the enclosures, and Leslie did an incredible job of gutting and cleaning the entire food prep/storage area! Not sure how she does it, but when she left, it was like a brand new building! I'm tellin' you, that girl can clean!

Jan stopped by with 20 boxes of industrial strength garbage bags donated by Lowe's and Dr. Erin Tripp and her son Aidan dropped off pumpkins for the wildcats. Dr. Tripp (Newberg Vet Hospital) has been treating our cats over the past few years and her son Aidan has become a big supporter of our mission. He put together a Pumpkin Drive for his pre-school class and worked hard to getting the word out that big cats like pumpkins :) One of his classmates even donated some apples because she had watched the video of Tanzi playing with them :) It's our future generation in action, and it does my heart good! After Renee finished feeding and doing the evening rounds, she headed home and I took one last look to find all of the wildcats tucked in their dens, cozy, dry and full :) It just doesn't get any better than that, so let the rains come, we're ready for it :)

A Reprieve :)

2010-10-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

The weather gods continue to smile on us here at WildCat Haven Sanctuary :) Despite ominous predictions of pouring rain, so far this week has delivered unbelievable weather. Now most folks would think that I obsess about this, but living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest you learn that life revolves around the rain. Don't misunderstand, I get that we have a lush fabulous landscape because of it, still my first concern is always the wildcats who live with us. It isn't easy weatherizing large enclosures to keep them dry, but surprisingly we make it happen. Renee and Aaron have been working their tails off finishing up the tarps before the rains come, and they've done a great job :) The wildcats are oblivious to the hard work, they just see an opportunity to try to grab an errant leg or foot as Renee climbs the 14 ft tall enclosures :) Howie, our most agile of all, even with only three legs, works diligently to catch her unaware :) Thankfully, Renee is as nimble as she is quick, leaving the wildcats amazed at how she manages to avoid their efforts! Just another day at the Sanctuary where life is good :)

A Beautiful Day in Oregon

2010-10-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

Indian summer is here and with it brings cooler weather and a crisp wonderful feeling in the air! The wildcats are starting to get their fluffy coats and with the sun shining, they all find a warm spot to soak up the rays :) These are the days that I wish could go on forever, but soon enough the rain will start up and when that happens, it will be time to hunker down for the cold that's coming. We've been busy getting dens winterized and replacing old tarps with new to keep our wildcats dry and cozy. Jenny and Les came out this week-end and Jenny showed me once again why she is the tarp queen :) Les detailed Hybrid Haven making it shine and smell like new! Mike, Tim and Derek were working hard on the new cougar pen and life is good :) So much to do but amazingly it all seems to come together eventually. Love these beautiful autumn days in Oregon :)

Settling in

2010-10-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

(From this)

And with all new experiences we are learning as we go. Mac & Shirley are doing great. They seem to enjoy their new space, have very good appetites and are not too interested in the sheep :) The dogs are still getting used to Mac's roars, which sound like a cross between a bull and Chewbacca! Here I thought all they did was chuff, one more thing learned :) Both are taking their antibiotics well and we hope to see improvement on Shirley's bite wound on her foot and also the sore on Mac's shoulder. In talking with the USDA agent we found that their diet over the past few months had been less then adequate so we are taking every precaution to see that they get a balanced diet with plenty of calcium and vitamins.

(to this!)

The cougars are none too happy to have such large neighbors, but they are getting used to them already. Now that the big cats are here, we have gone back to our first priority of finishing up the new 6000 sq. ft cougar pen for DJ, Nada and Kennewick. It will be so nice to have that finished and get them moved into the new space! It's been a crazy past few months but we feel good about helping rescue Mac & Shirley and being able to continue doing the work that we do. Each and every one of our rescues is special to us and we are grateful to be able to provide a quality life to them all.

Crazy Day

2010-10-10T20:52:00.000-07:00

The rain poured, we were soaked to the bone but things are all better now :) Huge thank you to Andy, Casey, Shiloh, Aaron & Renee for all the hard work. What a team :) We can all breath a little easier tonight :)

Wish it wasn't so

2010-10-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

I can wish as much as I want, but it doesn't change things. Sir's results came back negative for a urine infection. Usually this would be good news but for Sir, it isn't. It's telling us, we can't blame him being under the weather because of anything we can treat and make better. It's simply not the case. After years of poor nutrition and health issues, it's starting to catch up with him. At fourteen years of age, he's getting to be an older gentleman and with it comes problems, especially with kidney functions.

For now he's doing great, getting an antibiotic to make sure we catch any bugs we may have missed, and lots of subq fluids to hydrate him. He's got a healthy appetite and seems to enjoy being on the front deck quarantine area. He can see everything that goes on around the sanctuary, watching the dogs run around, the sheep grazing and listening to the other residents, chirping and talking. It's a pretty good life and I think if he could talk, he'd tell me not to worry so much. Not sure that's something I can do, even for him.

What a week it's been . . .

2010-10-02T20:23:00.000-07:00

I'm reminded over and over again, that rescue work is a tough master. It's been a rough week and I can't wait for it to be done. Sir is once again on the ropes and we aren't sure why. We are treating the symptoms but don't have the reasons yet. Urine culture results may hold the answer, we can only hope. This past Monday he had a blood transfusion using Bella another canadian lynx as the donor. It's difficult to see both of them knocked out with all the tubes and iv's connected, but we have to do all we can. To not just isn't an option. Keep this special boy in your thoughts as the week ends and a new one is just around the corner.

Happy Birthday Cha-Cha!

2010-10-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

(Cha-Cha & Chirpy)

Cha-Cha came to WildCat Haven via the Oregon Humane Society. His owner for some reasons or another had to leave the country. Falsifying paperwork that stated that Cha-Cha was a Savannah cat, the authorities at PDX stopped her from taking him on the flight that she had booked. Unstead of re-booking her flight until she could make different arrangments, she called OHS and signed over custody. She was very specific, telling them if they couldn't find a new private owner for him, euthanize him. Then she boarded the plane leaving his fate in their hands.

Thankfully the folks at OHS did a on-line search for 'serval rescue in Oregon' and WildCat Haven came up. They contacted us and we were happy to take him in.

He was such a sad boy when he first came to us, but when we introduced him to his new friend Chirpy, he was in heaven :) They snuggled together, played together and napped together. It was so good to see him happy after all he had been through. Two years ago we took in another serval named Uche from CA. and now all three live together. They are the three amigos and it does my heart good to see how bonded they are to each other. Every morning I find them cuddled together in one of the den boxes, safe and cozy :)

Read Cha-Cha's Birthday wish here :)

Happy Birthday Sheba!

2010-09-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Sheba came to us from Minnesota. She lived her life alone in a corn crib in someone's backyard. When the owner's decided to sell their home, Sheba became an issue. Seems a bobcat in the backyard doesn't help home sales. So Sheba was dumped off at a sanctuary in MN who took her in, but didn't have the space at that time to keep her, so they sent her to WildCat Haven.

Sheba has thrived at our sanctuary. She lives with two other bobcats, and she keeps them on their toes :) This girl is the first to play with her tether ball, chase a feather toy or roll in catnip. She has such a huge personality and it shows us that no matter what the circumstances of their lives before, things can turn around for them at WildCat Haven :) We love our birthday girl, Sheba!

See Sheba's birthday wish here :)

Phew! Done for another year

2010-09-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

CATSino Royale is now just a memory :) After months of planning and hard work having it done is such a relief :) Leslie and Jan do the lion's share of putting this together and it's never easy. But they did, and other volunteers stepped up to help and the end result was professional and fabulous :) Scott Tom our emcee & auctioneer did a fabulous job, and people seemed to really enjoy the casino games. We raised some much needed funds for the wildcats and I think we made some new friends as well :) I will post pics as soon as I get them. Now on to next year :)

Happy Belated Birthday Keisa!

2010-09-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

Oh dear, we missed Keisa's birthday. She was a little bit miffed but seemed to forget all about it when she got a special treat of chicken hearts and a new feather toy to play with :) Thank goodness she doesn't hold a grudge!

Read Keisa's birthday message :)

Thursday Musings

2010-09-16T19:09:00.000-07:00

Seems I'm playing catch up these past few weeks. Even with Renee here full time, I'm behind on all the office work. "CATsino Royale" Big Cat Bash is right around the corner and each year these benefits seem to take more and more time. But hopefully all the hard work is worth it and we have a great event and bring in lots of funding for the wildcat rescues. With donations down everywhere this event is so important. Winter is right around the corner and we still have lots of projects to finish. But who am I kidding, there's always projects to finish, no matter what time of year it is, that's rescue 101 :) But it's worth all the hard work to know that what we do means everything to our rescues.

(Sadie and Keisa)

Happy Birthday Caden!

2010-09-12T14:27:00.000-07:00

As you all know, each and every one of our rescues is precious to us. But every once in a while a rescue touches our heart in a very special way. Caden is one such rescue. Baby Caden was dropped off at a Humane Society in Eastern Oregon. We got the call that a captive born cougar needed a home. We had no idea what to expect. What we found was a 12 week old cub who was emaciated and could hardly lift his head. When we saw him we were shocked at his condition and immediately took him in for an exam.

His blood work came back positive for Panleukopenia. We were stunned and frantic. The next two weeks were a blur of IV fluids, special diets, vet visits and 'round the clock care between three of us. We all worked at regular jobs so we took shifts watching over this fragile baby. I don't know that any of us got much sleep, but we couldn't imagine the thought of losing him. And somehow against all odds, Caden pulled through. But his trials weren't over yet. A week after he chewed off his IV catheter, I noticed when he walked, his back end would slip and he'd fall. At first I blamed it on him being weak, but after a few days, I knew something was wrong. We scheduled a visit to a Neurologist and took him in for a CAT Scan and MRI. The conclusion came back, neurological damage due to Panleuk.

There was nothing we could do. We were devastated, but through it all, little Caden continued to play and eat and thrive. Surprisingly, this tenacious cub didn't seem to be bothered by being wobbly or falling, he just got back up and kept going! It was then that we realized that even though he would always be a 'special needs' cougar, we could give him the quality of life he deserved and had worked so hard to survive! Today Caden is one of our biggest cougars, and while he is unsteady on his feet when he walks, he can run like the wind and loves his two cougar buddies, Leo and Cody! Every day is a good day for Caden and he's taught us a very important lesson in never giving up! There are always challenges in rescue work, but because of Caden, we've learned we are making a difference each and every day :) Happy Birthday Caden, we love you!

Read Caden's Birthday Wish :)

oh dear

2010-09-09T21:04:00.000-07:00

DJ isn't eating. One of our older cougars, DJ has severe arthritis from living on cement for many years before coming to WildCat Haven. We do all we can to manage his pain, but when he stops eating, we know it's time for a change in meds. This time we were so concerned we decided we made an appointment to take him in to the vet clinic.

Not an easy task, but one we needed to do. Once we got there, we had x-rays taken and blood pulled to see what could be determined. The x-rays showed what we already knew, his front elbows are in bad shape. Even at a healthy weight of 125 lbs. the wear and tear on his front legs is hard on him. We took him home and hoped that the blood work wouldn't show any major problems such as kidney failure. When we got the results we were thrilled that his blood work looked good! So we are trying some new approaches to his pain and are hopeful that we will see him respond by eating and getting back to his old self.

We will also be talking to an Orthopedic Surgeon to see if something can be done to address the arthritis instead of just medicating it. DJ is so dear to all of us and we will do everything in our power to give him the best quality of life we can. It's what we do for all of our precious rescues. And isn't that the way it's supposed to be?

Don't even have words . . .

2010-09-06T12:06:00.000-07:00

Seriously? Man finds young cougar cub near poultry pens, gets gun and shoots to kill? http://www.kgw.com/news/Benton-County-poultry-farmer-kills-cougar-102225874.html

How is this ok? Why is it necessary? Does Oregon have such little regard for wild life and for cougars? The cub from the photo could not have been older than 6 months. A threat? I'm horrified and disgusted and outraged that this is what we can expect from Oregonians. Ok, so I do have a few words, but none I can print.

(Cookie-safe at WCH)

Does it even matter?

2010-09-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

I heard some very upsetting news a few days ago. Someone posted a link of a Serval found in New York, dead (road kill) on the side of the freeway. Unbelievable. And as horrible was that was, when I read the article I found that the person who allowed the serval to escape and be hit by a car was the same person, Glen Donnelly, that WildCat Haven helped implicate and convict of buying endangered species.

Seriously? I can't even begin to imagine how it is that a convicted felon is able to even own an exotic cat after being sentenced, but his backyard zoo has 48 exotic animals and nothing is done to stop this? I'm so frustrated and angry that this is allowed to continue. And who pays the price? seems to me it's always the cat . . .

Can it be true?

2010-08-30T21:14:00.000-07:00

Is our beautiful Oregon summer over? Mornings have been down right chilly these past few days. Hard to believe that September is right around the corner. Where did the summer go? So much left to do and it feels like we're running out of time. Days are shorter, nights are cooler and I'm just not ready for winter yet.

They say time flies when you're having fun, but I'm here to tell you, time flies whether we're having fun or not. So I'm saying a little kitty prayer and hope we get all the things accomplished that we set out to do at the beginning of the year, back when winter seemed so far away . . . Here's hoping the kitty gods are listening :)

Education is Key

2010-08-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

Last night I got an email from a nice lady (and neighbor) who thought I might be able to help. She got an email from an acquaintance who was convinced that her gardener saw a black Jaguar or black Leopard in her back yard. She wanted this nice lady to send out an email to the neighborhood warning folks of this dangerous animal loose in our scenic community.

The nice lady responded by saying she didn't think Jaguars are in Oregon and that she should probably contact Fish and Wildlife and also try to take a photo of this beast. She also suggested that the acquaintance contact us to get our view of the situation :) I think that the acquaintance probably wouldn't want to hear what my view is. That's when it hit me, education is key :)

Our beautiful DJ

For folks to think that Jaguars or Panthers could actually be roaming the hills of Sherwood, Oregon is a sad reminder that the everyday person doesn't have a clue about wildcats and that's one of the reasons, so many black labs or big fluffy tabbies are being mistaken for vicious wildcats ready to kill the livestock and eat the children. And that's the reason there is so much hysteria surrounding these sighting. Some folks swear they have seen black cougars as well. Seems I remember a photo that was taken back somewhere at the turn of the century of a so called black cougar, dead, hanging from a pole with a guy next to it. And if I re-call, not once, since that photo was taken, has there EVER been another sighting of a black cougar. So, maybe I'm wrong, but I'm thinkin' the beast roaming the hills of Sherwood isn't a black cougar either :)

So here is the education part :) Jaguars are native to the southern most part of the US and South America. However they are extremely endangered and in fact the last known Jaguar (in the US) was captured in 2009 in Arizona and euthanized. Read story HERE. Black Panthers or Leopards are African wildcats. Not roaming wild in the US. As far as Black cougars, see above.

Finally and just for the record, all WildCat Haven residents are here and accounted for :)

Sometimes you just have to close your eyes and jump :)

2010-08-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

As a rescue facility who has always worked with the smaller wildcat variety, we feel pretty comfortable with our knowledge of the animals we care for. Give us a cougar anytime, we can provide a wonderful lifetime home. Servals, lynx, bobcats, no sweat, we got it down :) But it isn't enough . . . Every day tigers are bred and sold, used for photo shoots at road side dumps bringing money in that doesn't go to give the animals a better life. Instead once they get too big to sit in someone's lap, they end up in Animal Finders Guide or exotic auctions or sold to people who think a 400 lb. tiger would make a cool pet to keep in the back yard. It's something that we've known for a very long time but still we resisted, thinking that what we do is enough. I was kidding myself . . .

Mac

Shirley

The animals that need rescue the most ARE the tigers. The sheer number of big cats that are bred and sold have filled sanctuaries across the US. It's crazy but true. Sanctuaries who at one time were able to provide for the cats they took in, now find that their numbers are overwhelming and the current economy has seen their donations shrink away. They are asking for our help. So . . . what do we do? We do what we have to, we take a deep breath, close our eyes and jump :)

Out of the Blue . . .

2010-08-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

When I came in this evening after making sure all the wildcats were settled in for the night, I hit the button on the answer machine and heard a familiar voice I haven't heard in a long time, Evan Kalik. Those of you may not know his name but most of us in rescue certainly know his work. Evan Kalik is the founder and heart and soul of Cat Adoption Team in Sherwood.

I met Evan almost ten years ago when I got a call from him. He told me he'd heard about WildCat Haven and if there was anything he could ever do to help us with the animals, he was there for us. And Evan Kalik proved to us over and over again that his word was good. In the early years he helped with vet care for our animals, and was always supportive of our rescue, generous with his wisdom and kindness. Hearing his voice tonight took me back to those early days and made me realize just how far we've come and what we've achieved since then.

I called and we talked, catching up on what's been going on with both of us and our work. It was good to listen and be able to talk as well, it was easy and comfortable and wonderful and made me wish that I hadn't let so much time pass between calls. Days turn into weeks, into months, into years but rescue does that. It takes over your life, leaving little time for friends and family, but sometime, out of the blue, old friends take you back and make you realize that you aren't alone . . .

Article:)

2010-08-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

Jan Vales is our Off-Site Event Coordinator and has worked tirelessly for WildCat Haven for the past 4 years. Despite the current economy she does an amazing job soliciting donations for the care of our rescues. Her commitment to our sanctuary has been such a wonderful help for all that we do. Not only does she put together all of the farmer's markets and shows that we participate in, she is always looking for new ways to bring in donations without compromising our wildcats. Jan just gets it . . .

What we do, we do for the cats, we aren't open to the public because we aren't a zoo for people, we are a refuge for animals who come from all over the country to live a life free from pain, neglect and ignorance at WildCat Haven.

Here is an article that just came out in the Beaverton Valley Times. Once again Jan did a great job!

Deep Breath :)

2010-08-16T21:49:00.000-07:00

What a week it's been! Between the Art Festival and new cats coming and company here from out of state, we have been running crazy :) The Sherwood Art and Wine Festival has come and gone and what a fabulous event it was! Despite the searing heat, Maru Kramer and her very patient husband Jeff, pulled off an event that was professional and wonderful! With the help of a handful of volunteers, Maru took an impossible task and made an event that we are so proud of! Can't wait for next year to see the 2nd Annual Sherwood Art and Wine Festival:) A very special thanks to Jan & Steffen, John & Chris, Christine, Jenny, Linda, Jim, Aaron & Renee, Shoshana and all the wonderful volunteers and vendors who helped make this a success!

They're Here :)

2010-08-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

To top off a very busy week, WildCat Haven welcomed two new members to the sanctuary family :) Carrie and Sebastian come from a Texas facility that has been struggling due to the economy, so they are placing some of their animals to help with costs. We were happy to help, and these two arrived yesterday via Alaska airlines :) Both made the trip unscathed and came out of their crates relaxed and curious :)

We look forward to getting to know these two special cats and giving them a lifetime home. Complete vet exams are scheduled and Carrie will be going in to be neutered next week :)

Happy Belated Birthday Kenya!

2010-08-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

Seems I'm falling behind with so much going on at the sanctuary, but I needed to write and wish Kenya a belated happy birthday :) Kenya was our very first serval rescue, and from the minute I saw him, my heart went out to him. He was in a laundry room with no window, with a bengal cat as his companion. They only let him out occasionally because he sprayed and had diarrhea. I told them that domestic cat food isn't good for wildcats and that was the reason he had such bad potty habits, but they told me they didn't want him and literally picked him up and put him in my arms. That sealed the deal, he came home with me that night. (after I put him in a crate, of course). He was only 8 months old and they had already grown tired of caring for him. The novelty of a "wildcat as a pet" had worn off very quickly, but I'm so glad it did.

Today he lives with three other servals and is devoted to them. They eat, sleep, play and nap together and when I see him today, my thoughts go back to that thin, sad boy sitting on top of the washing machine so many years ago . . . Happy birthday beautiful Kenya, we're so glad to have you here at WildCat Haven.

Kenya's Birthday Story

Happy Belated Birthday Bobby, Dot and Uche!

2010-08-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

This diverse group of wildcats have been here for two years, can't believe how fast time flies! Things have changed for them, but I think in a good way. Originally Bobby and Dot lived together and Uche lived alone. After some time, we realized that Dot was better suited to live with the smaller cats (more his size) and Bobby actually liked being on his own. Uche now lives with two other servals and the three are inseparable! We feel good about the changes we've made and all three boys are thriving :) Bobby loves catnip and stalking the sanctuary dogs, his skin issues have been resolved and he seems very content :) Dot loves it with the other small cats and especially loves his special treats of chicks for dinner :) And Uche, well I don't think there is a happier cat on the property now that he has his best friends!
Read their Birthday Story Here :)

Only Six More Days . . .

2010-08-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

(Amazing art created just for this event by John Prengaman)

Sherwood Art and Wine Festival! Maru Kramer and her very patient husband Jeff, have been working their tails off getting this event off the ground! Maru has been a power house, working tirelessly for WildCat Haven, convinced that she can pull this off and hopefully make it an annual affair! And we say if anyone can do it, Maru can :) We sure appreciate the hard work and look forward to a really fun event next week-end! Fabulous art, yummy food, delicious wine and great music, you don't want to miss Sherwood Art and Wine Festival! So come on out, have a great time and support the wildcats!

Friday Thoughts

2010-08-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

(Beautiful Simba)

Next week we will be adding two more residents to WildCat Haven. A facility in Texas needs to reduce their numbers to allow them to better care for the animals they have. So we're stepping up to help. A serval and caracal will be calling WildCat Haven their new lifetime home. As Renee works to get their quarantine areas ready, I'm thinking what a sad state of affairs, when sanctuaries are getting overwhelmed by the number of wild and exotic cats that need homes. Something needs to be done. Breeding and selling these amazing creatures for a life of living in cages or living rooms is so wrong.

Accredited Sanctuaries are running out of space, funding is getting harder and harder due to the economy, and we all feel the crunch. We help if and when we can, but I'm afraid one day we will also be at our limit. Until legislation is passed to prevent breeding and selling, all sanctuaries are at risk as well as the precious animals they rescue . . .

(Tasha thinks she's invisible:

Please made a Donation today to help us care for all of the WildCat Haven rescues. Together we can make a difference, one rescue at a time . . .

Happy Birthday Sadie!

2010-08-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

Seems like only yesterday (instead of nine years ago) that Wild Thing surprised us by giving birth to this little serval bundle. Both Wild Thing and Chirpy had come from a local breeder who placed all of her cats with us when she moved to Texas. She could have sold them all, but instead choose to allow them to live a better life. She told us that both were sterile and being naive back in those days, we assumed we had time to spay and neuter them. They were with us only three weeks when Sadie was born. We were totally shocked and upset, realizing we should have known better. Wild Thing was as surprised as we were and after two days refused to care for little Sadie. I was beyond frantic, having no idea what to do to care for a baby that needed to be bottle fed :( My good friend Tammy Thies flew in and while neither one of us had any experience with babies, we managed to get her started on the bottle. As sad as it was that Sadie didn't have a mom that knew how to care for her, it was even sadder that she had to rely on me :( Thankfully Sadie thrived despite my inexperience and today is a beautiful, happy healthy girl!

We've come a long way since then, having kittens born at a sanctuary is something that should never happen. With so many animals euthanized every day, bringing more babies into the world goes against everything we stand for. But truthfully, Sadie brought so much joy, I can't imagine life without her. Experience and time has taught us many things, we are not the same people who bought that tiny bobcat so many years ago. We've made mistakes, but each mistake teaches us and moved us along in this journey of life. We're proud of the work that we do and what WildCat Haven has become. And Sadie is one of those mistakes that we will always cherish!

Happy Birthday Cleo!

2010-08-02T13:52:00.000-07:00

Cleo has been at WildCat Haven for six years and in that time she has made everyone fall in love with her, including her bobcat friends! Happy Birthday Gorgeous, we love you!

Read Cleo's Birthday Note :)

Rescue Work

2010-07-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Some days, fighting the good fight, I'm encouraged by the good we do, providing a lifetime home for wildcats who should never be bought and sold as pets. But some days opposition where we least expect it, raises it's ugly head. Rescue work isn't easy, I get that, but we're committed to helping where we can, when we can as needed. The frustrating part is, even when we've crossed all our t's and dotted all our i's something happens and a rescue we've worked on is in jeopardy. Such a sad realization that not all Oregon officials believe that cougars and bobcats are worth saving :( We can only hope this is one more obstacle we can get past to make this rescue happen because we believe they are all worth saving.

Nada and DJ cuddle in their den

Beautiful Howie

Happy Birthday Sir!

2010-07-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

It's been seven years since beautiful Sir Lynxalot came to live at WildCat Haven. He's one of those cats that just touched our heart and we are so happy that we were able to give him a lifetime home. We hope to share lots more years with this special boy :)

Read Sir's Birthday Post :)

National Geographic Kids Magazine

2010-07-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

Bear and Nairobi are pretty excited (even though they don't show it) that National Geographic Kids Magazine will be coming out August 10-12 to do a photo shoot! The magazine will be publishing a segment about our boys and the special bond they share. We are looking forward to seeing them and their story in print :)

Robi & Bear video:)

Summer Heat

2010-07-24T15:31:00.000-07:00

(Sheba dreaming bobcat dreams)

Seems summer really is here. Temperatures will reach into the 90's for the next few days. The cats seem to know and find their spots in the shade so they can just nap the day away. Pools will be filled and the servals will spend time splashing and fishing for the ice cubes we toss in :) The bobcats aren't nearly as appreciative but still wade in and get their feet wet. Dinner time comes at dusk and they always let me know that I'm running late :) When I do final rounds and see them all settling in for a peaceful night, I'm reminded of just how special each and every one of these precious souls are.

Sad News - Squeek Passes

2010-07-23T16:35:00.000-07:00

I am so sad to report that one of our domestic cats, Squeek has passed. She originally came from Cat Adoption Team, and was one of their "long timers". We had no idea of her background but we knew she was fearful of people. She would hide and hiss and spit if approached. Not a cat that too many adopters are looking for. But we wanted to give her a chance to live where she could be comfortable, and not worry about pesky humans bothering her. She was here for 5 years and in all that time, she never did warm up. She would allow a bit of petting on her head, but only when she felt like it and only for a short time. As much as she didn't like people, she found a wonderful friend in Caesar, (another Cat Adoption Team alumni :) She followed him around like a fluffy black shadow, always keeping him close and cuddling with him every chance she got :) Yesterday doing rounds I saw her on the deck just hanging out and found it odd that she was alone. I didn't give it much thought, since she had started exploring more and more without Caesar. It was a nice day and it was good to see her out and about. But this morning when I went out I noticed her laying under the walkway into Hybrid Haven and when I went up to her, found she had passed. I'm still in shock and so very sad. Even though she didn't like people her quality of life at WCH was much better than living her life in a shelter. She had fresh air, plenty of space inside and out and really enjoyed her time with Caesar and the others. It's always heartbreaking to lose them, but after the necropsy is done, we will take her ashes and scatter them among the pine trees and wish her safe journey & peace at last.

Another Trip to The Vet

2010-07-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

Last night at dinner Savannah, our serval matriarch (fifteen years old) didn't eat. This is so NOT like her, so into the vet she went this morning. Dr. Steve Milner fit her in between appointments and let me tell you, that is one busy clinic! We got x-rays done and an ultrasound and there was no blockage. Steve poked and prodded and couldn't find anything that was unusual, so we pulled blood and will see how that looks. I brought her home and put her in quarantine and at dinner time gave her a plate of chicks and cut up chicken. She seemed interested but didn't eat right away. But when I went back to check on her she had eaten everything! Very good news! We will wait to see what her blood work results are and cross our fingers that everything is ok. Did I jump the gun? I don't think so, it's always better to be safe than sorry especially when it comes to our wildcats :)

Vacation Time for Renee :)

2010-07-20T15:51:00.000-07:00

It's finally here! Renee, WCH's Animal Care Tech gets a real vacation :) She's heading back to PA. to see family and friends. We on the other hand are counting the days when she'll be back :) I'm sure the cats think I'm a sad substitute for their day to day care. While I'm an old pro at this, Renee bring something extra to the lives of our rescues. These days my time is usually spent in the office, keeping the sanctuary running, while Renee gives the wildcat rescues her undivided love and care. We have always been proud of what WildCat Haven does, but with Renee on board, things for our rescues are just that much better :)

Weed Control WCH Style :)

2010-07-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

Meet Stella & Raven, two adorable Nubian goats who arrived today to help with the weed situation :) WildCat Haven has three Jacob sheep, but for real weed control nothing works better than Nubians!

Right now they're checking out their new space but I have no doubt they will be settling in soon and doing their job! We want to thank Scott Hanson for loaning us his two girls for the summer! We love having them here & the cougars think we did it just for them :)

July in Oregon :)

2010-07-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

Ahh Oregon, how much do we love you? :) Today is chilly and overcast. Last night when I did final rounds the cats were laying in the grass soaking up the sun. Today most are still in their den boxes cuddled with their companions. The dogs spent their morning inside watching me do food prep and I almost feel like turning on the heat :) But tomorrow it may be a completely different story, that's the beauty of Oregon. The older I get the more I could do without the endless days of rain, but when the sun comes out I don't think there is a more beautiful place around :) And I think the wildcats would agree with me on that!

(Bear shows me that even though he can't see a thing, he can still let me know just how good it feels to be alive and living at WildCat Haven :)

He's Here :)

2010-07-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

Our new Bengal rescue, Moe arrived last night via a very kind woman who flew with him from Montana. He is nothing at all what I expected :) A beautiful snow colored boy, he is very docile, allows himself to be picked up, touched and seems to enjoy the attention. He is in quarantine and has lots of room while he gets used to the place and settles in. Plus he has a great view of Mt. Hood! We will see how he does with other cats and eventually he will go in with the hybrids in Hybrid Haven, a temperature controlled building with windows and an enclosed outdoor area attached with lots of room to run, roll in the grass and just hang out! Thanks to Animeals in Montana for caring for this boy and finding the right home for him, here at WCH :)

And Sometimes Things are Crazy :(

2010-07-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

Last night at feeding Renee let me know that Spizz (newest serval) didn't touch his dinner. Huge red flag, since this boy will roll the other cats to get fed first. So we scheduled an early morning appointment with Dr. Steve Milner today. Thankfully an x-ray showed that he had grass and pieces of bone that had him blocked. Steve did the surgery and our boy recovered nicely and is resting comfortably. It's so important to really know the animals we care for, to learn their habits and be able to read them. Quick action can make the difference and because we watch so closely we were able to save this boy's life. Another day another disaster averted. Thank goodness! And a big thanks to Steve for doing the emergency surgery!

Sometimes Things Just Work Out :)

2010-07-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

Every day I'm reminded just how important the internet is. I received information about a Savannah who was dumped at a shelter in Montana. When I contacted the shelter manager and offered to take him, she started to work out a way to get him to Sherwood. Putting out an all points urgent message online asking for someone who may be able to transport him, she crossed her fingers. That same evening she was contacted by a woman who will be in Montana for business and offered to fly him back with her to Sherwood! Seems she only lives 5 miles from our sanctuary! It's a small cat world and thank goodness for that! So Friday afternoon we will be welcoming our newest rescue to WildCat Haven & we have the internet & the wonderful network that it reaches for helping save his life!

More about Moe: "This poor guy is with Animeals Shelter in Helena, Montana. His name is Moe and the shelter estimates he is 7 years old. Moe was booted from his home when his owners moved in with their parents who had large dogs and he had innapropriate peeing issues. He was turned into an outside kitty until the people moved again and basically abandoned him. A caring neighbor brought him to Animeals. He is approximately 7 years old. Right now Moe needs some patience, he has been through a lot. He may behave aggressive and/or shy at first but the person who turned him in says he is normally a friendly boy who does okay with other cats."

Boss is Better & More :)

2010-07-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

Boss is much better today, he ate really well yesterday and seems much more energetic. All great news. We will continue to watch him but I have a really good feeling about this.

Yesterday was Christmas in July with some amazing sponsors who came out and brought fabulous stuff for our rescues! Kiddie pools for the hot summer days, lots of catnip, acorn squash for them to play with and a generous donation!! It was fantastic and we couldn't have asked for a better day! I realize the longer we do this, that even when things look bleak, we have cat guardian angels watching over us :) 

Tuesday Morning

2010-07-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

Boss has a cough this morning. He's seems a little under the weather, not the same cheeky attitude he usually has. He'll get some fluids and spend some time in a crate with a steam tent to help clear him up. If he isn't better at the end of the day, he's going to the vet. He's such a special guy, I hope this is just something simple, but no matter what we will take all the steps needed to make sure we do all we can.

Busy Week-end

2010-07-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

This week-end while the wildcats relaxed, we kept busy working on the new enclosure for DJ, Nada & Kennewick. It's a slow process because we build as we get the funds to purchase material. And the work is tedious as well. But Mike (the hardest working guy I know) had help with Tim coming up on Saturday and then Aaron & Derek coming out Sunday. It's moving along but the roof is the hardest part. With the roof at 14 ft. tall the guys have to work at the top of the ladders and that isn't for the faint of heart! Plus the added 95 degree weather doesn't make it any easier. But we are all dedicated to getting this done allowing the three special cougars a new and improved living space! The new pen will allow them to share over 6,000 sq. ft. and I can't wait to see them in it! I'll continue to post photos as we go. If you'd like to donate to help with building costs we would be thrilled! Just Click HERE to make a donation!

Ahhhh Sunday :)

2010-07-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

It's always quiet and peaceful here at the sanctuary but something about Sunday - it's even more so. During the week the wildcats seem to know that Renee will be arriving soon to start their day, checking in with each one to see how their night went, looking for any signs of anything out of the ordinary before she starts her normal routine. Sundays as I head out to check them and do the morning rounds, they're cuddled in their beds, or just lounging out on their perches or in the grass. They yawn and stretch and finally come out to see how I'm doing, but only as a favor to me :) They're content to laze the day away. And isn't that what Sundays are for?

Relax it's Summertime :)

2010-07-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

At least that's the way the wildcats feel :) What could be more peaceful than watching a bobcat sleep? Simba is an expert at naps, and he takes them often! Today he's enjoying nap time on a coffee bag. When it's hot we wet them down giving them hours of cool relief. And Simba let's us know that he appreciates it very much :)

Our Newest Addition to the Sanctuary :)

2010-07-09T21:05:00.000-07:00

We added another girl to the sanctuary today. Elli is a four year old Great Dane who needed a new home and we were happy to provide one for her. She is a sweet, gentle giant and has already made us all fall in love :)