Many people say that the best part of relaxing at a cafe is all the people-watching, but patrons of Café Catio in Seaforth, N.S., are likely to disagree. The draw here isn’t other customers, or even the coffee. It’s an adorable bobcat!
Jessie the bobcat is one of the most famous residents at Hope For Wildlife, a wild animal rehabilitation centre. Founded by former veterinary hospital manager Hope Swinimer in 1995, Hope For Wildlife has grown to care for thousands of animals annually at a property that includes an education centre, a hospital, a raccoon nursery, and the newly opened Café Catio, where Jessie is the star.
Having a cafe makes sense for a facility that welcomes eager visitors, but the driving force behind Café Catio wasn’t a desire to serve tea but rather to serve up enrichment for Jessie. Hope For Wildlife has an impressive track record of rehabilitating and releasing animals back into the wild, but from the beginning, Jessie wasn’t a typical patient. He was living the life of a domestic kitten with a family until he was accidentally injured and was brought to a vet for care. That vet knew he didn’t have an ordinary cat on his hands! Hope For Wildlife was brought in to help. Thankfully, Jessie recovered from his original injury, but could not overcome the one thing that would allow him to thrive in the wild: his familiarity with humans. Time for a pivot! A successful application was made to the Natural Resources Department to keep Jessie at the Seaforth facility as an education animal.
Help winter wildlife with tips from Hope for Wildlife
Jessie is a star in this role, and not just because he’s such a handsome guy. As Jessie explores Café Catio’s outdoor space, he acts as an ambassador for all that Hope For Wildlife does. Hope Swinimer and other team members can leverage Jessie’s story as a teachable moment about coexisting with wildlife, the importance of keeping wild animals wild, and the crucial role that bobcats play in our ecosystem. Jessie’s presence makes learning about these topics much more personal and relatable—not to mention fun.
Café Catio’s story began not with bobcats but with goats. When pondering the building that became Café Catio and Jessie’s home, Swinimer says: “I always wanted to do something on the roof, because it’s such valuable space and beautiful space.” Inspiration struck while she was on a trip to B.C. She spotted a farmers’ market where goats were up on the roof, and that got her thinking. The result of that inspiration is an indoor space for cafe patrons and an expansive catio (a cat patio, a protected outdoor space) for Jessie. Hope For Wildlife’s visitors enjoy complimentary coffee and fantastic views of Jessie exploring his domain. Jessie can peer through the windows, scamper around, and even climb up to the roof (and yes, Swinimer did consider naming the cafe Cat on A Hot Tin Roof). The space also respects his need for quiet time. Bobcats are shy animals, and Jessie has little nooks to retreat to for some privacy.
Hope for Wildlife helps birds caught in Hurricane Fiona
While Jessie is a much-loved member of Hope For Wildlife’s family and Café Catio is proving to be a massive hit with their visitors, Swinimer doesn’t want other bobcats in a similar situation. The importance of respecting the needs of wildlife and finding a way for people and wildlife to coexist has always been at the forefront of her mind. As Swinimer says: “The wildlife that’s going to survive and thrive is the wildlife that we share our space with.”
While Jessie’s expansive catio is definitely fit for a king, cottage-friendly versions, for pet cats, can work in just about any space. (Roof access is optional.) Catios provide a safe environment for domestic cats to enjoy the great outdoors, without worry that they’ll get lost, be hit by a car, or be injured by a larger animal. Plus, catios protect birds (especially baby birds), and other small animals, making this kind of a structure a win all around.
The new series Hope for Wildlife: The Next Generation premieres March 4 on the Cottage Life channel. You can also meet Hope Swinimer at the Spring Cottage Life Show, March 20-23 at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ont.
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