Ella – In Memory

History

Ella is a Safari cat who came to The Wildcat Sanctuary in 2017. She was nine-years-old at the time. We often receive calls for common hybrids such as Bengals, Savannahs, and Chausies. But this was our first hybrid surrender call for a Safari Cat.

What is a Safari Cat? It’s a cross between a Geoffroy’s cat and domestic cat.

The Geoffroy’s cat is a small feline species from South America. Geoffroy’s cats are the size of small domestic cats. The fur that makes the Geoffroy’s coat so sought-after is marked by small black spots of equal size, spaced evenly over the body. These spots merge into striped markings around the neck, chest and face.

Learn more about hybrid cats and why we do NOT support breeding them.

Life at the Sanctuary

As we’ve heard countless times before about other hybrids, Ella was soiling and destroying her owner’s house.  The owner didn’t make the decision lightly, but did choose to surrender her to our sanctuary in hopes she could live wild at heart.

Ella is a melanistic Safari, which means she has a black coat. The breeder bred a Bengal cat with a Geoffroy’s cat, so her coat is more striped than the typical Safari Cat.

Ella quickly settled in and loves living in the Hybrid Haven section of our sanctuary. We were so happy to be able to merge her with two other hybrids, so they could all have companionship of their own kind.

Updates

In Memory ~ July 2019

Whether they’ve been in our lives two years or 20, it’s always painful to say good-bye.  We unexpectedly had to say good-bye to our little Safari cat, Ella.

The weather had been in the 90’s and all the cats were pretty lazy.  But when Ella was quiet, it was different.  She usually always came up to greet her caretakers. We thought she may be a little dehydrated from the heat. So, we scheduled a vet exam just to be sure.

We were shocked and saddened to find a fast-growing cancerous mass in her abdomen. Our hearts broke. We called all the staff and interns in and made sure she was surrounded by all those who loved her as we helped her pass on.

Our hearts hurt that Ella’s life was cut short at 10 years old. But we were blessed to have her in our lives these last two wonderful years.

Ella had been surrendered for territory urination in the house.  Not only did she ruin the carpets, but she also ruined the bed – using it as her litter box.  Her owner tried many things to curb the behavior and was devastated when he made the choice to surrender her.

At the sanctuary, she had indoor and outdoor areas and never had any more soiling problems.  She was so social and loved to be pet by anyone who had a free moment to do so.

Even though she was a black cat, her charcoal two-toned coat was just as spectacular as her spotted hybrid friends.  Her big gold eyes always carried so much cheer, and you couldn’t pass her by when she gave you that look. Treats and pets were soon to follow.

She had a very cute meow and raised her voice to call for attention. She liked the outdoors just as much as the inside, and always climbed her perches, then dropped and rolled asking for pets.

We will miss you so much Ella.  Our hearts are filled with sadness now at your sudden loss, but we can’t help but smile when we remember all the joy you brought to us and the sanctuary.

Enjoy your newfound freedom and visit us often.

 

 

Articles