Happy Howl-idays to All Our Big Cat Friends!

The Sanctuary is Closed Today

Even though we are closed for visitors today, we can always count on our awesome volunteers and staff to make sure the cages are cleaned and the cats cared for every day of the year, no matter the holiday or weather!

Here are a few of them in action today:

The Winner of the Night Before Christmas Contest is Audrey Mislan

Twas the Night Before Christmas at Big Cat Rescue
Audrey Mislan
Adapted from the original “Twas the Night Before Christmas”

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro’ Big Cat Rescue
Not a creature was stirring, not even the cats
The stockings were hung by the enclosures with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The cats were nestled all snug in their enclosures,
While visions of cat treats danc’d in their heads,
And the staff at Big Cat Rescue
Had just settled their brains for a long winter’s nap-
When out in the parking lot there arose such a clatter,
I sprang up to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.
The moon glistened on the sand and trees,
Givin’ the lustre of mid-day to objects below;
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a big red SUV and eight domestic cats
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his helpers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and call’d them by name:
“Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen,
“On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Donner and Blizten;
“To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! To the top of the enclosures!
“Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,
So up to the enclosure top the cats climbed,
And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The scratching and pawing of each little cat
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down in the enclosure St. Nicholas came with a bound:
He was dress’d all in red, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnish’d with sand and dirt
A bundle of cat toys was flung on his back,
And he look’d like a peddler just opening his pack:
His eyes – how they twinkled! his dimples how merry,
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
A candy cane he held tight in his teeth,
He had a broad face, and a little round belly
That shook when he laugh’d, like a bowl full of jelly:
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laugh’d when I saw him in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon let me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And fill’d all the stockings; then turn’d with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose
And giving a nod, out the enclosures he rose.
He sprung to his SUV, and to his cats called “Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty.”
And away they all ran to him, like the down of a thistle:
And I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight-
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
Have a blessed day all Cats at Big Cat Rescue!