As the air cools and the fall foliage begins to take over the luscious green Ozark Mountains, many things change at the Refuge. Our summer tasks, such as cleaning pools and lawn care, are replaced with racking leaves and different enrichment for the animals. In local markets, a surplus of pumpkins arrives as we approach the fall and late winter holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. And pumpkins just so happen to be a favorite of many of the animals at the Refuge!
Animals are naturally curious about new objects and scents that enter their environment. In the wild, big cats, small cats, and bears will travel great distances where they will encounter new and novel objects. This is why daily enrichment is so important for the animals at the Refuge: it replicates their natural experiences and behaviors in the wild.
Pumpkins, in particular, only come around this time of year. As the surplus enters the stores, Turpentine Creek receives many donations to share with the animals in our care, helping provide daily enrichment.
Cats generally enjoy interacting with round objects, especially when they roll or move unpredictably, mimicking the movements of small prey. This triggers the cat’s hunting instinct, where they chase objects with their paws as they practice their predatory behaviors. Every cat at the Refuge has a unique personality. Some love to briefly play with pumpkins, while others will be entertained for hours until they claw and destroy them.
We thank our local community and businesses for their continuous support and pumpkin donations this time of year and look forward to sharing photos and videos with our online community.