Meet “Emma” – Cat of the Week

We would like to introduce you to “Emma,” our Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge sponsored Cat of the Week.

Adoption: In December 2023, Turpentine Creek received an email from the private owner of a six-year-old female caracal named Emma, ​​who was seeking to rehome her at an accredited sanctuary. The owner attempted to rescue Emma from a breeder in 2022. Emma was kept in their basement adjacent to where her son also lived. As she aged, the owner had difficulty getting down the stairs regularly to properly care for Emma. According to the owner, Emma loved to brush and interact with cat toys, such as those attached to a string and a stick. It was also noted that when you turned your back on Emma, ​​she liked to run and swap your legs. This is a natural behavior for cats, who begin to stalk and chase as soon as a person or animal turns their back. This is one of the many factors that make owning a wild animal dangerous.

Emma was sitting near two basement windows and had no regular access to the outdoors. She was fed chicken, was not spayed, and had a large mass on her back. Upon arrival, Dr. Kellyn performed a visual exam on Emma and noticed a large skin mass on her back. A week later, Emma underwent a full exam with sedation, which included blood work, x-rays, and removal of the large mass. Emma was found to have two microchips and the mass was sent for diagnosis. Other than that, Emma was in very good health and had her claws intact. Because of her history, Emma is very comfortable around people – but she also hisses and asserts herself like a wild animal should. She now has her own habitat at Freedom Field, where she can be outside all the time or enjoy the warmth of her heated den.

Sponsorship: In December 2023, Turpentine Creek received an email from the private owner of a six-year-old female caracal named Emma, ​​who was seeking to rehome her to an accredited sanctuary. The owner initially believed she was rescuing Emma from a breeder in 2022, rescuing the caracal from her own home. She also claimed that Emma had been owned by two other people before her. Emma was kept in an area of ​​their basement adjacent to an area where her son also lived. With her advanced age, the owner had difficulty getting down the stairs regularly to properly care for Emma. According to the owner, Emma loved to brush and interact with cat toys, such as those attached to a string and a stick. It was also noted that when you turn your back on Emma, ​​she likes to run and swat at your legs. This is a natural behavior for cats who begin to stalk and hunt as soon as a person or animal turns around. This is one of the many factors that makes owning a wild animal so dangerous.

Emma had two windows that she sat in front of in the basement and had no regular access to the outdoors. She was fed chicken, was not spayed, and had a large mass on her back. Upon arrival, Dr. Kellyn performed a visual exam on Emma and noticed a large skin mass on her back. A week later, Emma underwent a full exam with sedation, which included blood work, x-rays, and removal of the large mass. Emma was found to have two microchips and the mass was sent for diagnosis. Other than that, Emma was in very good health and even had her claws intact. Because of her history, Emma is very comfortable around people, but she also hisses and asserts herself like a wild animal should.