A one-of-a-kind cat

You just can't help but notice someone who wears a tuxedo to bingo night. Recently, that someone was Ranger, a handsome black-and-white cat who stole the spotlight at a kitten bingo event. Ranger isn't a kitten, but when the event day arrived and there didn't happen to be any kittens available to attend (busy social calendars and all), caregivers at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary knew just who would likely have a blast at a busy public event.

Ranger took his role as bingo moderator seriously. “He sat in the middle of the table inspecting everyone’s cards,” Best Friends caregiver Riley Prewett says.

VIDEO: behind the scenes in Cat World at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

The friendly kitty deserves some time in the limelight because not long ago he was in a shelter, and because he has both feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) he'd be at risk in just about any shelter that is not yet no-kill.

Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters to reach no-kill, and that means working together with other animal welfare organizations to save pets’ lives, giving each one what they need to move out of the shelter. Ranger came to the Sanctuary, where the team will work to place him in a home of his own. Until that day comes, Ranger's reminding everyone that there's a lot more to him than a couple medical conditions.

He loves going on sleepovers with volunteers, where he is known for burrowing under the covers. He's also an excellent time management coach, ensuring that people working in "his" office at Cat World don't suffer from too much screen time. “He climbs on top of our keyboards and laptops and meows for attention when we're trying to work,” says Riley.

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Though Ranger doesn’t need ongoing treatment for either FeLV or FIV, caregivers keep an eye on his health and help support his immune system. The veterinary team also discovered he has an inner ear issue, resulting in some swaying when he walks and his signature head tilt. It doesn’t bother him or cause him any pain. One could argue that it's just one more element of his one-of-a-kind character, because he tends to be larger than life.

Best Friends caregiver Dax Ott says, “When he’s happy to see you, which is most of the time, he’ll reach up to grab your legs with his front paws.” And when Dax makes special treats, Ranger zooms and twirls, meowing up a storm with excitement.

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For Ranger, life is all about spending time with people you love. He's happiest curled up next to someone and reminding them that whatever they were doing probably wasn’t nearly as important as giving him attention. Whether he’s supervising kitten bingo, chatting up caregivers, twirling for treats, or sneaking under the covers for bedtime snuggles, Ranger has mastered the art of stealing people’s hearts. It’s only a matter of time before he steals an adopter’s heart and becomes the star of his own home.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.