The Stars Shone Brighter Last Night.
Every now and then you are blessed with a special friendship. Be it a person or animal. It is with a sad heart I write this as my special girl was called away yesterday. My girl was Achia. Achia was a cougar and she lived at the Exotic Feline Rescue Center where I work. She touched my heart in many ways. There is a hole there now. But I know it will heal and fill up with the happy memories. Memories of her rubbing on the fence and purring ... Memories of her being moved from a smaller enclosure to a much larger one .... Memories of the first time she reached her paw through the fence and put it gently into my hand. It felt like she was saying with that touch "Please stay with me for awhile". This is how the friendship began. It was then and there she became my favorite girl. She was always there to greet me when I called her name. She would give me purrs and meows .... how I loved that meow and will miss it. When I gave tours to visitors I always made sure they would get to hear that meow. And see those eyes ... she had the most beautiful eyes. I would tell the visitors she was my most favorite cat at the Center. I would tell them how when I first started working there that I did not think I would have a favorite because all of the cats were so awesome. Sometimes they would ask "Why?". All I could tell them was I really don't know why but I felt a connection between Achia and myself that surpassed any connection I had with the other cats. You see I fell in love with each and every one of them. From the sweetest to the growlingest of all. I can't describe all the differences in them ... Sweet Tiger chuffs to say hello .... purring from the cougars .. Ohmming from the Lions .... They all have their greetings for you .... but they are wild animals and they sometimes show you that also .... snarls ... growls ... lips curled back .... teeth barred. They let you know when they want you around and when they don't.
The rescue center became not only a rescue center for the cats ... but for me also. The center came into my life at an uncertain time in my life. I lost my job after working at the same place for 34 years. None of my family lives close to me. My parents and grandparents all passed on. So I felt all alone going through a bad time. I felt myself becoming depressed. I did not know which way to turn ... I was not ready to jump back into a job right away .. not that there were any choices out there close to where I was living. I decided to see about doing some volunteer work to do something with my time while deciding where to go from here. That is when I remembered hearing a few years before about the Exotic Feline Rescue Center. Being the cat lover I am ... I can't believe I had never taken the time to visit it. Maybe somewhere in the back of my mind I pictured these big beautiful cats living in small concrete enclosures. Or maybe it just wasn't the right time for me to visit .... just yet back then ... The time just might not have been right for that door in my life to open. They say things happen for a reason.
I then searched the internet and found the website for the Center. I loved the website and the pictures I was seeing. I then saw that they would take Volunteers. I sent an email and received one back. I then went and took a tour and was in awe of what I saw. No small concrete pens here. Big enclosures with lots of grass and trees in most. And well cared for Cats .... Lots of big beautiful cats. Lions .. Tigers ... Leopards .. Bobcats ... Ocelots ... Lynx ... Servals ... and Cougars! The Cougars or Mountain Lions ... Pumas ... Florida Panthers ... as they are called by many names ... they became my favorite type of cat there. It was decided by me right then that I would volunteer if they would have me.
The time for the new door to open was just around the corner and I didn't even know it yet. I was very excited and I will have to say just a little scared when I was accepted as a Volunteer. These big cats can be intimidating at times! I started with being there one day a week to as many as they would have me .... Sometimes 4 days a week. I became the Volunteer who wouldn't leave. Then sadly ... I knew I had to start looking for a paying job. I knew I would still volunteer whenever I had free time ... but knew it would not be as much time as I would like. I then asked Joe Taft .. Founder and Director ... and Jean Herrberg ... Assitant Director if I could use them as pesonal references on a Job Resume. They both said yes. Before I could get a resume together I was offered a part time job with the center. My new door was opened! And for this I am grateful.
I work with some of the most caring and dedicated people ever. Long hard grueling days. The full time keepers work 6 days a week. The work is hard .... dirty. These keepers are there on the freezing cold days ... hot .. hot humid days .. pouring down rainy days ... they are there because they know the cats depend on them. They are there because of a passion. A passion we all share that work there. We are there because of love ... a love for these animals. And it is this love that keeps you going on a sad day when you have one of your loved ones pass on. You find the strength to grieve and move on to care for the rest. Sometimes there are questions ... Why??? Did we do enough??? What could we have done different??? What if .... etc ... etc. Those questions will always be there without an answer. But as you move on to take care of another one of these beautiful cats ... you know in your heart you are giving this one a life she or he would not have had without your dedication and love.
Yes the stars were shining brighter last night because they merged with a beautiful new spirit ... a spirit of a special cougar girl named Achia ... now running free and without any barriers. Achia, you will always be in my heart.
I would like to end this with a Thank you to The Exotic Feline Rescue Center for giving not only the cats a second chance at life ... but also for giving me one by letting me work with these beautiful animals and opening my eyes to all the good that you give the cats ... and also for opening my eyes to the bad places that you have rescued these animals from.
Also a big thanks to all the Volunteers who give so much to the Center ...and give to us employees of the center ... you bring us treats to eat .... and for loving the cats also
But mostly thanks to all the Keepers ... Present and Past for your determination to make sure the cats are healthy and cared for with love . You give so much of yourselves. You all deserve so much more credit where credit is due.
Nikita Josephine aka Nikki Jo "Cat Woman" Curious
- 13 years, 10 months, 7 days ago