In Memory of Jesse

We lost Jesse this last Saturday...he was over 15 years old. Here seen with his lifelong mate, Twilight. The two of them were rarely apart; feeding time was the exception. She was with him in the den near the end. She left only when Sandy, EFBC's general manager and 'Momma Cat', arrived to sit with Jesse during his last few minutes.
Jesse had a big heart...and a bigger mouth. He was one of the cats I could always count on for a handwashing when I hopped the fence to visit. He could also frequently be counted on to mark his territory by way of spraying unwary visitors. His crowning achievement in this area was the afternoon he got eight people in one sweeping spritz. I told them they should feel honored. Jesse was extremely pleased with himself that day.
Proud father of three litters of cubs, Jesse was a grandfather. His daughter Annie gave birth to two cubs, Pancho and Rosa, with her mate Nacon.

I share these sentiments from Brian: "Jesse was one of the oldest souls I think any of us had ever been privileged to know among the big cats. He had patience, grace, and best of all a wonderful ability to lead his targets when he sprayed.I'm glad he was around long enough to sniff the air, twitch his ears at the distant sounds from the newlyweds, and maybe, just maybe know he was a grandpa. Even more so, I'm glad Twilight was able to wash him, lay down and warm her mate, and nuzzle him along to the next great territory, with no boundries, no hunters, abundant peccory and caymen, where the still warm air carries a cough and call forever and a day, and the occasional shedding allspice bush blooms to liven the lazy days in the sun."

Jesse will be sorely missed, not the least by Twilight...and all of us who were privileged to spend time with him at EFBC. All pictures by Nancy Vandermay