Ty

History

Ty is a male, first generation Chausie cat who came to The Wildcat Sanctuary in 2009. He was three years old at the time.

One of Ty’s parents was a Jungle Cat and the other was an F1 Chausie ( a hybrid of a domestic cat and a Jungle Cat).  This is another cat breeders have created to fulfill the public’s desire for something wild – at a steep price.

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

And as we so often see, having Ty as a “pet” didn’t work out. He was spotted in a “Free ad” on Craigslist by someone. The ad said he was a wild cat and could only be petted occasionally when around other cats.

Thankfully, this concerned person picked up Ty and began calling sanctuaries for help.  She couldn’t find a sanctuary in her state or those surrounding her that would agree to take Ty, so she contacted our sanctuary.

Life at the Sanctuary

Ty quickly became the boss when he moved into a bungalow habitat in the Hybrid Haven section of our sanctuary. He made friends with other hybrids here and has lived with Savannah cat Ledger, his buddy, for years now.

Ty’s a very wild cat, but still loves his treats of mice and chicken. He’ll come up to the fence and bounce off of it while waiting for a treat.  He enjoys living in a bungalow with an indoor and outdoor area complete with perches, trees, dens, an in-ground pool, and rocks to perch on.

His indoor area is equipped with heat for the harsh Minnesota winters and provides a cool place for warm summer days.

As Ty has gotten older, naturally he’s slowed down. He receives medication to help with his arthritic pain. Due to his respiratory issues, Ty receives extra special care having his litter box cleaned twice a day. Our goal, as always, is to ensure Ty’s comfortable in his geriatric years, too.

He still loves spending time with Ledger and has a new female friend named Lady who he’s very fond of. It’s been so fulfilling providing a life for Ty that he’s always enjoyed.

How You Can Help

Caring for a wild cat for life – even a small hybrid like Ty – can be quite expensive. Hybrids usually come to us with special needs, genetic and/or medical issues due to their breeding.

Our sponsorship program helps support the cats’ care costs and allows you to form a special bond with them. Would you consider becoming Ty’s sponsor parent?

Or even a one time donation toward his care would be so appreciated. It’s easy to do using the buttons at the top of this page.

Thank you for caring about the little wild ones, too!

 

Updates

In Memory

If a cat really has 9 lives, then Ty used his to the fullest. At 17, Ty declined due to his chronic spondylosis, aging kidneys, and lack of appetite.  The staff and interns were all by his side as we helped him pass.

Ty arrived in 2006 at 3-years old, after he didn’t work out as pet and was put free on Craigslist in California.

Ty was an early generation Chausie which meant one of his parents was a Jungle Cat and the other was an F1 Chausie (a hybrid of a domestic cat and a Jungle Cat).  This is another cat species that breeders have created to fulfill the public’s desire for something wild – at a steep price.

Ty was as wild as they came. He didn’t want humans in his space and needed to use a lockout for feeding like the servals and bobcats. But Ty sure had a soft spot for other cats. He quickly followed very vocal Bengal Cat Luna around.  After Luna passed away, he moved his affection to Bengal Gabby and finally F1 Savannah Lady.  He was our lion Chupino of the small cats, always in love with the girls ????

Even though the ladies had his heart, F1 Savannah Ledger was his best friend.  They could be found together in their hammock, on the platform and out in the grass.  Ledger and all of us will miss old man Ty. We know Ledger and Lady will find comfort in each other.

As Ty grew older, he became calmer and began accepting humans in his space. Ty had chronic health issues most of his life, so we’re very glad he accepted our help.  He had chronic upper respiratory issues that often developed into pneumonia and had to be nebulized and often coaxed into eating his meds. He also had severe spondylosis (arthritis of the spine) and received oral pain meds as well as solensia injections to keep him comfortable and mobile.

But even with all these issues, nothing could stop Ty for so many years. He would be found on the highest platform, the first to come greet us at mealtime, and following all his friends in his habitat.

The vets and caretakers really grew close to Ty.  They spent so many hours caring for him and ensuring he had everything he needed to live a full life. Every year, we thought this would be the year we would have to say goodbye, and yet every year Ty would happily keep going.

We were all hoping for another rally, but when Ty became picky with food, we knew things had changed.  The staff brought him all his favorites, but we could see he was losing weight and walking was getting more uncomfortable.

It was time for Ty to join the ladies he loved on the other side. The love he gave others will never be forgotten. And the love we have for him will always live on.

 

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