Bruce Capin is fundraising
Lifetime Care for Mountain Lions
Our First Cat
Kaila was our first rescue back in 1999. Her name means “goddess of the sky”. Her previous family simply abandoned her at age 13. Fortunately, a kind woman took her in until we came along to adopt her.
I had never entered the cage of an older adult cat unsupervised. No matter what you are told, it is impossible to know for certain the history and temperament of the animal. But I knew that feeding, watering and lots of attention from the outside of the cage would help to build a relationship.
Then one day upon entering the cage, I sat down on the ground. Eventually, she approached me, lay on top of me, buried her head in my chin and purred. She actually fell asleep for a while, and it was then that I knew she was telling me, “Thank you for saving my life. We are now family and our bond is unbreakable.”
Who We Are
Erika and I (Bruce) have an enduring love of animals and have had the opportunity to rescue many from unspeakable situations. Since 1999, we have adopted 13 cougars, plus a wolf-hybrid we rescued from the side of a road in rural Tennessee. Most of the cats we rescued have been older cougars that have been abandoned, neglected, or abused. But, if any cat needed to be re-homed, we would help no matter what the cost and sacrifice, with the understanding that they all come with a history. Patience, understanding, and compassion are ways in which we’d connect to establish a bond where the cat knows that they are now in a good place.
We used to live in Las Cruces, NM. One day while at work, I was sitting with a Zuni grandmother with whom I’d become friends. I explained to her that Erika and I planned to move to Florida and open an animal sanctuary to save large cats. Our mission statement was to provide a peaceful, loving, permanent home for cougars in need. The only thing the cats were required to do was to live out their lives in happiness - which, if you’ve been around cats, you know that includes eating, sleeping, and playing with toys! That’s it. Erika and I would worry about the rest.
I asked the grandmother if she could suggest a Zuni word to name our sanctuary. She sat quietly for a moment then said, “I don’t know why I’m thinking of this word, but the word that comes to mind is “YAHTOK’YA”. The word is pronounced YAH TOW KEE YAH. I asked her what it meant and she said, “Sunlight”. I told Erika about the name and its meaning, and we both agreed that sunlight represents hope, in this case hope for a new beginning, and a better life for each cat that comes to us. So that is how our sanctuary got its name.
Help We Need
For almost 20 years we have built an environment to feed, protect and care for these magnificent creatures. We’ve never asked for a dime of support since saving these animals is an act of love and faith. However, we are now nearing retirement age and will not have the ability to provide for the needs of our “family”. We are asking for your donations to establish a small endowment for their care. We pledge that every dollar donated will go for providing the following for the current residents:
- Food
- Herbal supplements
- Worming medication
- Maintenance of shelters
- Veterinary care and transport
- Fees for Florida Fish and Game permit
- Fees for non-profit status
- Improvements for cages and repairs of platforms
Current Residents
We have included a photo and bio for each of our family (see below). We thank everyone who supports the sanctuary.
In 2005 we rescued a cat we named Kuwa (which means “to chase” in the Lakota language) after we watched her running around her new environment, playing with her toys and stalking everything in sight trying to catch it. Kuwa had been chained in a backyard across from an elementary school, and had gotten loose several times and was found playing with the local children. Luckily no one was hurt. Had they been, Kuwa, through no fault of her own, would have been put down. For 12 years we have had the honor to care for her and still, the slightest movement catches her attention and she becomes completely focused. Her hobbies include eating grass, stalking, and making chirping noises - which unknown to most people is how cougars communicate.
Talisa arrived in 2015 after a lifetime of service as an ambassador of her species when the facility that housed her closed down. She is one of the sweetest cats we’ve ever known and loves affection in large doses. She came to us declawed and can never be released in the wild. She also had growths that covered her body, but to date are all benign.
When renaming her, I wanted to find a word that meant reflection. I looked up names and found a Creek word that sounded nice. I went outside to tell her her new name but forgot to see what the name actually meant. Later on, I discovered that Talisa means beautiful water. Where can you see your reflection?
Shasta came with Talisa. At first, he was unapproachable, having been suddenly uprooted from his previous home. This was a challenge because he is by far the largest cougar we’ve ever cared for, weighing upwards of 200 lbs. But the facility he was at closed and there were only two choices, move the cat or euthanize. Two years later after lots of patience, love, and compassion, Shasta is perhaps the most insistent cat when it comes to demanding affection and attention.
Shasta gets his name from the mountain in Northern California that is home to the Karuk. The mountain is majestic just like this cat, and if you ever visit the town, you will discover that anywhere you stand in the city, this sacred mountain is always visible. And so it was only appropriate that this mountain lion is called Shasta. He is the epitome of beauty, grace, and spirit.
In Gratitude
Kaila, our first cat, like the others, taught us that love between human and animal cannot be put into words. The unconditional love that they give us (on their terms) is a blessing. The mountain lions take us to a higher place, and we are indebted to them and those people who help us with this worthy cause. We give them our best by doing all we can to provide them with a good life. With your support, we will be able to continue to do so. Enjoy the video below.
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