Aspen is a male cougar who arrived at the sanctuary early in 2016. He and his brother Blaze were estimated to be about 5 months old when they were captured in Washington by authorities.
Tragically, their mother was apparently killed by a Washington property owner on January 4, 2016, after she attacked a goat. Since authorities determined her kittens could not be rehabbed and released, we agreed to accept them here at the sanctuary.
Aspen had an intake exam and was neutered. He weighed approximately 25 pounds, 10 pounds less than his big brother Blaze. He also had suffered from frostbite on his ears while trying to survive on his own in the wild.
Read the unique way Aspen got his name
Life At The Sanctuary
Aspen had an intake exam and was neutered shortly after he arrived. He weighed approximately 25 pounds, 10 pounds less than his big brother Blaze. He had also suffered from frostbite on his ears while trying to survive on his own in the wild.
As adults, Blaze is still the bolder of the two. If there’s construction going on or any unusual noises Aspen doesn’t feel comfortable with, he won’t even come up for feeding.
That’s why caretakers make a radio announcement when they’re preparing to feed Aspen and his brother, so everyone remains quiet. We do whatever it takes to make cats like Aspen feel comfortable and at ease.
Aspen loves the skywalks we built in his habitat since it gives him a great vantage point to watch whoever is approaching their area. Over the years, he’s made leaps and bounds in his level of confidence and will stand his ground now.
Seeing Aspen and his brother playfully chasing each other, enjoying toys and scented enrichment is such a positive sign.
Now, they feel this is home and they’re safe. We’ve seen them grow into strong, healthy, confident cougars – just as their mother would have wanted.
How You Can Help
Rescuing orphaned wild cats is such an expensive commitment since it means 20+ years of care. That’s why our sponsorship program is so important. It helps provide the best life possible for those we’re able to rescue.
Thank you for considering becoming Aspen’s sponsor parent, or even giving a one time donation toward his care. There are easy buttons at the top of this page you can click to help. It makes such a difference for him!
