Cyrus the Caracal's Story

In 2017, Cyrus was acquired by an accredited Florida sanctuary when the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) learned about an Ohio breeding facility that illegally possessed exotic small wildcats. They rescued Cyrus with another caracal, Chaos; both had been declawed. Declawing a wild cat like Cyrus can result in adverse effects such as arthritis, impacting the animal’s long-term well-being. The ODA found these two living in a basement with limited light and outside access. Cyrus was neutered at the Florida facility to prevent the two from breeding. After some time, aggression became an issue, and to avoid further injuries, Cyrus and Chaos were separated.

In early 2023, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) agreed to take 33 wild cats from the Florida sanctuary accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). Cyrus and Chaos were two of those cats that now call the Refuge their forever home. We house Cyrus next to Chaos, as they are better as neighbors than as roommates. Cyrus is much more outgoing than Chaos, who tends to keep to herself. Early in the mornings, Cyrus enjoys vocalizing with his neighbors and towards the animal care staff as they start their routine duties. As a caracal, Cyrus is still considered a small cat, which allows him to make vocalizations typical of small felines, such as chirping/trilling, meowing, and hissing.