Four Asian leopard cats—Ozark, Penelope, Mindy, and Eve—have found a new life at The Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone, Minnesota. They may not care for humans much, but they adore each other!
Safe Home For Small Wildcats
Ozark was five years old when he arrived at The Wildcat Sanctuary. Earlier, he and Onyx had been rescued from terrible conditions. A Texas breeder was not caring for them, likely as they were just a source of income for them. There were 22 other Asian leopard cats too! But that original rescue facility closed down. So Ozark and Onyx were sent to The Wildcat Sanctuary.
Ozark and Onyx on their way to their new safe refuge.
Penelope came from that same bad Texas breeder. She went directly to The Wildcat Sanctuary after the Houston SPCA finished her health checks. But her trip from Texas to Minnesota ran into big problems. The rescue truck hit a deer! Another team had to come rescue the rescuers. Thankfully, Penelope made it to the sanctuary safely. She met Mindy and Eve just how you would slowly introduce house cats. They separately came from the same rescue mission, but they now all get along well and keep each other company in an attentive sanctuary.
Penelope in her enclosure, showing that she’d rather the humans keep away.
Saving Wildcats With Special Needs
Mindy arrived with an amputated front right leg. A bit of her tail was missing too. She’d been in that nasty Texas breeder house with 49 other wildcats, fighting to survive. Something must have happened, but the rescuers weren’t sure what. Thank goodness she is now happy and playful in her new home.
Unexpected Rescue
Initially, Eve was not supposed to go to this sanctuary. She was bonded with another Asian leopard cat named Chantel, so they were going to keep them together. But Chantel suddenly passed away. The rescuers knew they couldn’t leave Eve behind, now by herself. But Eve was incredibly shy, and Chantel had acted almost like a bodyguard for her. Now this bashful cat was facing life in a totally new situation, without her trusted friend.
Rescue worker during the Asian leopard cat transportation.
Happily, Eve started showing a lot of interest in what the kittens were up to. So the sanctuary decided to try a playdate between Eve and Mindy. To everyone’s relief, they really hit if off! They’re permanently together now, keeping each other protected and calm. The sanctuary says they can’t wait to see these girls blossom as they receive nothing but love and compassionate care from here on out.
Eve on a cozy blanket in her enclosure. Safe and sound.
The sanctuary is also home to Asian leopard cats Aiden, Apollo, Minerva, Rue, Sam, and Ziva. It’s heartbreaking they can’t be in the wild, but this is the next best option.
Small Wildcat Crisis
The Big Cat Safety Act is helping to protect tigers, panthers, and lions. But the smaller wildcats—like bobcats, servals, Asian leopard cats, along with mixes of these—are still in danger. They can be kept captive in a home with no one the wiser. People do not understand how to care for these wild animals. They can’t be treated like a domestic house cat. They are still wild at heart and have a dangerous bite! Eventually, this may cause trouble for the felines, who are just acting on their natural instincts.
Hal and Chili, two servals at the sanctuary.
People are quick to want them because these exotic cats are beautiful. It sounds cool to own one. But owners are also as quick to cast them aside when they behave like wildcats. Or they finally see the bills piling up for food and medical care. The Wildcat Sanctuary says they are seeing a crisis ahead. There’s a boom in private ownership of small wildcats. Educating the public is one way the sanctuary hopes to stop this boom and the breeders who encourage it. We need laws to protect all these amazing wildcats! Even if they are small.
The Wildcat Sanctuary is not open to the public, like other sanctuaries may be. But you can support their work through donations and sponsorships. Check them out at www.wildcatsanctuary.com MEOW!
All photos are from The Wildcat Sanctuary.
