Tallulah the Tiger Cat – Happy Tails

We love a happy tail for cats brought into the animal sanctuary. It’s why we do what we do. We are against euthanasia and determined to give every animal a chance at a happy life no matter what problems they might have.
People might think unwanted dogs account for most cases at an animal sanctuary. It’s true there are very many dogs needing help but we’ve always found that there are far more unwanted cats. One such case was Tallulah who was brought into the Sanctuary a couple of years ago. She was the largest cat we had ever seen and also the most aggressive. Nobody could do anything with her. She was destined for death row when we agreed to take her into the sanctuary. We were her last hope.

Right from the start we new she was a special case. We tried to make friends with her but she was a deceptive and unpredictible creature. A warning sign had to be placed on her room as she was prone to take swipes at random and attack on sight if the mood took her. Bandages became an essential part of sanctuary life with bloody fingers and scratches galore. She was lightning quick and those huge paws had razor claws at the end. It was difficult to clean her room out even with make shift body armor. She looked so sweet and innocent, everyone admired her, you just wanted to take her into your arms and give her a big cuddle. Not a chance.

Tallulah didn’t look like any domestic moggy we’d seen before, she was an aristocrat and could have been a Maine Coone due to her size but we thought her more like a Norwegian Forest cat. They usually have the most wonderful friendly and docile temperaments. She had the looks but not the nature. She was a hunter and wild. She hated to be in and wanted to run free.

After giving up trying to tame her, we decided to take her to live with some of our permanent resident animals on the farm. Freedom was what she wanted most and as soon as she was let out, she was off. We thought that was the last we would probably ever see of her but sure enough she stuck around and made a home in the hay barn next to the stables. We fed her every day under an elder flower bush she liked to hide in during the day but there was no chance of getting anywhere near her. One day, we were going up the fields on the 4×4 mule to water the horses and all of a sudden she appeared and jumped onto the seat next to us. She rode all the way up on the vehicle, jumped off while we watered the horses, ran into the hedgerow to wait and then jumped back on as we set off back to the stables. This became a regular event. Everyday Tallulah would appear from nowhere like clockwork, ready for her ride up the fields to water the animals. You have never seen such a sight as a giant cat riding on a buggy. When the jobs were done, she would disappear again back to her hunting grounds.

After a few weeks of this comical occurence, we were late one day making the run up the fields and she ventured into the kitchen. Everyone froze ready to be attacked by the tiger cat but she jumped up onto a chair and made herself at home. Well the rest as they say is history. From then on she decided we were okay and she allowed us to live in the house with her. She loved farm life and everyone loved her too.  She still disappears for days on end ‘wild-wooding’and comes back covered in sticky buds from hunting expeditions. She hates other cats and all the dogs are terrified of her. Tallulah doesn’t need to be petted or fussed over, she can look after herself. She really is one in a million. Perhaps she really has come from a Norwegian Forest but even the wildest of cats will sometimes give their love to you and want to come in out of the cold.

We have many cats at the Sanctuary all with their own story to tell. If you are thinking about adopting a cat, please give us a call. We have everything from knee warmers to bear grylls survivalists. We are sure you will start a magical adventure together.

You can also sponsor and donate directly to our permanent residents. With so many mouths to feed, all donations are so very gratefully received. You can popup to the sanctuary for food donations, blankets, cat biscuits, cat litter etc or donate directly through our secure online website to the cats.