Fancy
Domestic Cat
1994-2005
In summer 2001, while surfing the internet, I came across the Big Cat Rescue website and immediately made plans to visit, not the easiest of things when you live three thousand miles away in Yorkshire, England. I finally got there in late December 2001 and as we sat in the guest area to wait for the tour, in strolled Fancy, helping himself to the seat beside me. He was the first cat – large or small, that I ever met at Big Cat Rescue, and he immediately stole my heart. He was a real ambassador for Big Cat Rescue, a real ‘meet and greet’ cat, who went over to say “Hi” to all the visitors as they congregated in anticipation of seeing the bigger cats.
Of all the domestic cats at Big Cat Rescue, he was the cat who had made the biggest impression on me. I just loved his expression, his lovely woolly coat, his vivid green eyes and his attitude, which seemed to say “You are so lucky to be able to visit us and pet me” and I was. He was a wonderful example of a Norwegian Forest Cat, both in looks and demeanour. I was lucky to meet him several times over the next few years.
I loved him so much that in late 2005, I paid for his photo to be used as the front cover cat for the Norwegian Forest Cat Club Calendar 2006, to advertise Big Cat Rescue more widely in the UK. Sadly, unknown to me, Fancy had passed away before the calendar was published, but it seemed fitting that such a beautiful rescued Norwegian Forest Cat who had such a happy life at BCR, should be a front cover cat.
I will never forget him and still expect him to wander up to greet me when I visit BCR. He was a cat in a million…..Daphne Butters, Volunteer Advocat
When I first became a volunteer in the Gift Shop, Fancy was the Gift Shop mascot, you might say. She was actually allowed in the Gift Shop. It seemed every time I came to volunteer, I’d ask Cynthia, “Where’s Fancy?” She’d point to a tall bin of small stuffed animals that we were selling and there, sticking out of the middle of the animals, was one of Fancy’s paws. She loved to somehow get down inside the bin to nap and put one paw on the surface just so we’d know where she was. It was the funniest sight to see…Pat, Volunteer Senior Partner
I remember Fancy and how she/he seemed to own the gift shop area and the back yard. I fondly remember how sweet and gentle Tom was and how he suffered with his head wound seemingly without complaint. Their spirits and personalities have driven me to try and save them even more than I could have thought possible….Lisa, Volunteer Keeper
More Memorials at http://bigcatrescue.org/category/memorials/
