Rambo the Jungle Cat.  There is a notorious breeder of servals, jungle cats and hybrids in Okeechobee, FL known as Sue Arnold.  Former volunteers complained that you could smell her urine soaked home and cattery the minute you opened your car door at the street.  Despite her reputation she still breeds and sells more of these smaller cats than anyone else I know of and from all accounts is never willing to refund or take a cat back.  It was 12 years ago, but I am pretty sure that Rambo was born there.

 

He was sold to another woman who gave him to her daughter who planned to breed hybrid Chausie cats.  When this breeder / dealer died she had a tiny chain link enclosure on concrete in her back yard with two Jungle Cats and two domestic cats, cordoned off into even tinier cells.  The daughter of the woman who died was only 12 years old and the Internet had only been around for about 3 years when she found us online and called.  She told me that she loved Rambo and Cha Cha and that she was afraid that they would end up back in some awful hybrid breeding scheme.  She asked if we would come rescue Rambo and Cha Cha from such a fate.

 

Who could turn down such an incredible young woman?  When we arrived catching Cha Cha was no easy feat.  She about wore me out.  I put the carrier in the van and turned to go back to the jail cell they had called home.  If I live to be 100, I don’t think I’ll ever forget what I saw next:

 

This little girl was clutching Rambo to her chest, tears streaming down her cheeks and she hurriedly carried him down the driveway toward me.  You could just tell that she couldn’t get these cats to safety fast enough.  It made me cry.  I opened the carrier for her to gently put Rambo in, she said her quick good byes and Rambo and Cha Cha were finally on their way to a place where they would never be exploited again.

 

A few months later the little girl talked her family into driving up from South Florida to see Rambo and Cha Cha.  I was so proud to be able to show her the wonderful life her precious friends had now thanks to all of the wonderful volunteers here.  That little girl is 24 now and I don’t remember her name, but if she were to come visit again, she would be even more happy to know that Rambo has had such a long, happy, healthy life here at Big Cat Rescue.

 

This story was actually written in 2011 to the volunteers, but was placed here because it is the day Rambo arrived.

 

I've been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views.  If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story.  The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

 

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story.  My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet. 

 

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Music (if any) from Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) This video is for entertainment purposes only and is my opinion.