Monday, July 11, 2011

John's Heaven

No lie, I think John would give a non-vital organ to be the guy in this vid:

Found via Wimp, John's favorite video-sharing site.

Well, up until that last second, anyway. ;)

John has a huge soft spot for big cats; he can't get enough of 'em. He's always showing me pictures and videos like this, and asking if we can get a serval. In fact, I suspect he's over-feeding Tonks (now up to 15 pounds, thankyouverramuch) just so he can have a monster cat here at home.

Someday I'd love to bring John to Tiger Island in Australia. You know, once they invent the stasis chamber so I don't have to be conscious for a 20 hour flight.

UPDATE: John just offered this correction: he would in fact give a vital organ to be the guy in that video. I suggest you all link to your favorite big cat pictures and vids in the comments below to help ease his pain. :D

85 comments:

  1. aw, I'm right there with him on this one!
    there's Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, <a href="http://bigcatrescue.com/>Big Cat</a>
    they have THE BEST videos on You Tube - at Christmas they'll give the kitties presents of ice blocks to play with, at Halloween they gave them each pumpkins, once they filmed all the big cats on catnip :D
    Can't get enough of their videos!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm with John! I had the opportunity to hold and feed a baby tiger. It was magical. That pic has a special place on our family wall.

    ReplyDelete
  3. If you ever make it over to the West Coast, there is a tiny little place called the game park near a tiny little town called Bandon on the Southern Oregon coast. (http://www.gameparksafari.com/)
    The best thing about he game park is that they alost always have baby animals that you can hold and play with for a limited amountof time. I've gotten to hold baby tigers, lions, lynx... once I even got to bottle feed a baby bear!

    ReplyDelete
  4. try animal planet's website. they are adorable.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Arizona is closer and will provide the same wonderful thrill for big cat lovers. I could go everyday and still have a blast. I just wish I lived closed to the park.

    You can actually feed a tiger after watching the tigers splash around in a pool with their trainers.

    Angi from Tim and Angi's Blog

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm with John on this one. I want a lap full of snuggly baby lions!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Can't decide if I want to be the guy in this video or one of the cats in this video...

    ReplyDelete
  8. I caught a fun sequence of shots of the Siberian tiger at the Denver zoo taking a dip in his pool. If you view them at full size, there's some fun water droplet action :)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/midwinter-az/5113148435/

    ReplyDelete
  9. definitely this video

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tklx3j7kgJY

    Bonus, it was filmed at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, just a hop, skip, and a jump away!

    ReplyDelete
  10. My orange tabby tips the scales at 16 pounds. He also can stretch damn near 3.5 feet to reach things on the counter. He's a big cat but not an exotic. My other cat is an 8 pound tortie.

    ReplyDelete
  11. adorableness... But, if he keeps that up, John will need to give him a vital organ because one day, cute cuddly cubs will be big, not-so-cuddly cats that can take your head off with a "hug." Hope the guy uses god sense...

    We need more photos of your kitties!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Awwww. That is too cute. But then they'll get big and eat him up.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I agree with John!
    Last year at the open house for the TV station I work for, Dave Salmoni dropped by with an ADORABLE baby Lynx! Saddly, I was too busy cuddling to get any pictures with me, but I do have a couple to share:
    Playing

    With Dave

    Enjoy the cute!

    ReplyDelete
  14. When we lived in Korea we went to a park called Everland and there we were able to have our picture taken with a lion cub. Of course cuddling the cub was not encouraged, in fact the photographer was trying to get the cub to roar at the camera. oye! But I did get to pet the cub...feels like a really muscular cat.

    ReplyDelete
  15. this
    is pretty close to where we live an well worth a visit if you are ever in the Mid-Indiana area.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh, please support a big cat via a sanctuary, because those animals deserve to stay wild. I support wildcatsanctuary.com monthly for a lynx named Shay, and they are also big on education and big cat advocacy. I'll admit that I just saw the video and asked my husband if we could get four lion cubs, so I definitely understand the pull, but they deserve more than to be someone's pet. Hey, you can even support a serval and get updates about it: http://www.wildcatsanctuary.org/residents/small-cats/serval/. (Note that they are a true sanctuary, which means it is not open for public visits per federal guidelines. Check out their FAQs for more info on that.)

    I love it when they do enrichment and show the videos of the cats playing with gigantic gingerbread men and things like that. This is their Easter video: http://youtu.be/mW5qRRu2ips

    Ummmm...I am a cat lover, so why do I live in a place that doesn't allow pets? GRRR!! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  17. SQUEE! Poor John, he should go cuddle Tonks right away. I LOVE big cats. So much that I have a cheetah, regular leopard, black leopard and two tiger posters on my bedroom wall. Here's a few links to cute big kitties; http://squee.icanhascheezburger.com/2011/07/11/cute-baby-animals-its-a-boy/
    http://squee.icanhascheezburger.com/2011/06/20/cute-baby-animals-omg-i-have-toes/
    http://squee.icanhascheezburger.com/2011/05/13/cute-baby-animals-surprised-leopard/
    None of these are lions, but a big cat is a big cat!
    Jenna♥

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm with John - I'd definitely love to be the one playing with the cute little lion cubs! Throw in a pile of lemurs and I'd cheerfully give away both kidneys for the opportunity.

    I'll second the suggestion for the game park in Bandon, Oregon. I went years ago and a very adorable baby tiger tried to run off with my foot.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I think the idea of supporting a sanctuary is awesome.

    Also, they may not be "big" cats per-say but there are lots of Bengals (descended from leopards) that need rescuing in the world if you really want to adopt a wildish cat. They take a lot of extra TLC but you two seem like the type that could handle it.

    Here's the link for Florida: http://bengal.rescueme.org/Florida

    ReplyDelete
  20. My cat is a 20lbs, orange tabby named Gatsby. I swear he isn't fat, just a very muscular, large cat (With a bit of a badonkadonk, admittedly). John, next time you are in Los Angeles, feel free to stop by and play with Gatsby all you want!

    ReplyDelete
  21. OMG, this was so sweet it made me cry! I love the one that was giving him a bear hug from behind. lol So cute. Thanks so much for sharing. I love "big cats" also!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Not as cool as Australia, but....

    http://www.turpentinecreek.org/

    ReplyDelete
  23. I am RIGHT there with you on this one. You guys should check out Savannah cats. They are cross-bred between servals and domestic house cats. They make phenomenal pets - loyal, trainable, smart (maybe too smart?), social - but they require a pretty big living space and they are super expensive, since they are such an unusual breed. My boyfriend and I are discussing bringing a Savannah into our home after we move into a place with a bigger yard.
    You can see videos of these awesome cats all over youtube, but here's one and here's another

    ReplyDelete
  24. I went to Dream World around 9 years ago. I got the chance to pat the white tiger there. They are amazing animals.

    ReplyDelete
  25. This is the cutest darn thing I've ever seen: http://talentedanimals.com/blog/?p=316

    It's a blog written by a couple who train animals for film, who got to help raise a tiger cub. Be sure to watch the videos for shots of a tiger cub playing tag with his favorite canine friend through piles of leaves. That little guy is going to have the best life that humans can give him.

    This is the same couple who were hired to arrange the animal work for Ok Go's 'White Knuckles' video (the one with twelve dogs, one goat, and filmed in one continuous shot). Their making-of story is here, and is a fascinating read: http://talentedanimals.com/blog/?p=426

    ReplyDelete
  26. I, too, agree. However, I only like big cats, I'm not a domestic small cat person. I want to raise a mountain lion from a young age. They aren't vicious if they are domesticated, according to an info thing I read at the Natural History Museum in New York.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Oh, snuggle! Could that be any cuter? I am such a sucker for cute; that's why we have so many critters around my house. My very cute sons beg for a very cute baby animal and the next thing I know I'm cleaning the poop of yet another pet... I mean I'm enjoying the companionship of another pet. That's what I meant.

    ReplyDelete
  28. My father loves big cats, especially white tigers... through his interest, my family and I discovered this place and have visited and volunteered numerous times... http://www.exoticfelinerescuecenter.org/home.html

    I was lucky enough to play with and babysit five very young leopard cubs this place had rescued while volunteering. I also took this pic of my fave big kitty, India.

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=32232453&l=5803da2a6d&id=179201977

    ReplyDelete
  29. Yeah, I'm with Wendy. Can't decide if I want to be the guy or the cats ;) All the creatures in the vid are cuties! haha

    ReplyDelete
  30. While I agree and think the cubs are adorable, I think I'm more interested in the guy. ;-) It may be the accent, or it may be his cuteness, or it may be how affectionate he is with the cubs, or it could be all three! Sorry to John that I don't quite feel the same enthusiasm as he does. But we'd both give vital organs for something in or about the video, so that's awesome! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  31. I keep trying to get my bbf to take me to Cat Tales here in Washington State.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I got to hold a baby cheetah at Wildlife Safari in Oregon when I was a kid. So cute!

    The Oregon Zoo's caracal just had kittens. They are adorable! There is a video here and a few photos here . They also have a cougar cub. Her video is here .
    I hope I did the links right. I've never done it before. :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Christian the Lion reunion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr1pWzoLvT8

    ReplyDelete
  34. I've been to Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, it's awesome! They take in rescued Big Cats that have been abused or their owners no longer want.

    ReplyDelete
  35. My aunt's sister (aunt by marriage) raises Servals. They're sooo pretty, but they're mean. And it's strange... they're like cats with dog legs.

    And John, I'd give anything to pet a tiger. I've ALWAYS wanted to pet a tiger.

    ReplyDelete
  36. It's a _slightly_ shorter trip to South Africa, which is where this dude was, and I think pretty much anybody can have an experience like this there. They have lion parks all over the place, cause tourism is one of their primary sources of income. I got to hold a baby lion about half the size of these guys at a different park, and we got to walk right up to some wild rhinos in another park. You can also go hunting for pretty much anything, and have it stuffed and shipped home...if that's your idea of fun.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Please, please everybody read some of the writings from Big Cat Rescue in Tampa. They will explain why we should all be more careful about how we give our money in loving big cats. Don't support breeding for the sake of interactions with cubs. What happens to the cubs when they grow up? Don't support breeding of unnatural half-breeds as house pets. They don't make good house pets, hence the need to rescue them. For more info see BCR's web site. They are a wonderful organization that takes care of abandoned cats, does good political work, and helps with conservation.

    John and Jen, go see the servals at BCR. They do not make good house pets.

    Personally, my dream is that in heaven all creatures are vegetarians. On my billowy cloud, I will get to curl up with my friends the lion and the otter, and the three of us will take a nap in the afternoon sun after we eat our ice cream sundaes for lunch. Until that dream comes true, I'll satisfy myself with my two tabbies and a tuxedo who continue to meow at 5am for chow even though the alarm doesn't go off until 5:30.

    ReplyDelete
  38. My friend's ex had a Bengal...that cat was so high maintenance they couldn't even go away and leave him OVERNIGHT without him trashing the condo. He was a retired show cat/stud so maybe he was worse then your average Bengal...but man, I wouldn't reccomend the breed to people who like to travel!

    I wonder how lion-guy will hold up when the lions are full-grown and still want to snuggle on his lap? My 8-lb tortishell still thinks she's a 3-lb kitten, and that's bad enough! :P

    ReplyDelete
  39. One of my dad's friends had two lions, a tiger, and two cougars when I was younger. The lions and tiger lived out side but as long as Monty was with you, you could pet them. You want to know what a Lion licking your face feels like 60 grit sandpaper running up your face.

    The cougars were housecats and used a bathtub as a litter box. Monty had to send his cats to a rescue because the neighbor's goat wandered into the yard and Beau ate it.

    ReplyDelete
  40. John has probably already heard about and seen this vid but just in case here is the link. The man is "reunited" with a lion he raised as a cub, some 20 years later. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGKWoJi5qM
    There is a brief description on this clip and the quality is better, that is why i used this link. Have a great day Jen and John

    ReplyDelete
  41. Is it weird that while I would like to be the guy in the film (or gal-you know), I would almost equally like to be one of the cats!!!!! Good job including adorable humans in your adorable animal videos! :)

    ReplyDelete
  42. Eh, John - you only need one kidney. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  43. John, I have dreamed of having my very own cheetah since I was as little girl. But I've made the decision that house cats are just as good and too many house cats already need homes, there are too many hoops to go through to get a big cat, and most importantly that wild cats belong in the wild, not in our living rooms.

    WITH THAT SAID...

    I'm a bit shocked: you didn't mention Big Cat Rescue. Have you not heard of it? I see that TracyLee mentioned it. YOU MUST GO. Never been myself, but I've heard it's an amazing place. And they always need volunteers! The videos they post are wonderful; their YouTube channel is http://www.youtube.com/user/BigCatRescue

    Also, if you're ever in Vegas, there is a zoo inside the Mirage. I can't remember the name of it. If you go through the main casino, look for the signs hanging from the ceiling to direct you to the zoo. It is in the back and I think it's like $15 to get in. You are quite literally about 4 feet from the cats. The white tigers and lions are on display, as well as the snow leopard and the black leopard. But BE SURE to go around 2 or 3 pm. This is when they are the most awake as they are used to nighttime performances. It's amazing to stand and give I love you eyes to a tiger, and them rub on the cage and give them back. But watch out--they WILL spray! Which in a way means they like you...only they don't understand that humans find that gross. And when you first walk into the zoo, there is a massive pool in there that the dolphins hang out in. You can pet them and hang with them. They are friendly and funny. Once one brought us a ball to try to get us move a gate for him so he could get into another pool. So intelligent!

    We also have Out of Africa here in Arizona. You can get up close and personal with the big kitties. So if you ever come look me up and I'll take you!

    And the next best thing to owning a Serval: A SAVANNAH CAT! Click here for video. An F1 is a first generation Savannah, which is a Serval bred to a domestic cat, usually an exotic breed such as an Ocicat. However, they are VERY expensive and need a lot of attention, and some people don't do a good job of breeding them. So do your research before buying one!

    ReplyDelete
  44. I came to share sentiments similar to Wendy's.... oh yeah.. cat or trainer, I'd be either.

    The eyes on the cats.. dang.. it's like they're looking through you, even with the camera... very intense.

    and then the dude.. mmm Austrailian hottie!!

    ReplyDelete
  45. This is my brother-in-law talking about his place near Fresno, CA. Probably a little far unless you're driving between LA and San Francisco on the book tour! His website is http://cathaven.com/

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLFwsiB0NBg

    ReplyDelete
  46. Big cats are awesome creatures. I had the fortune of spending several years in Tyler, Texas and getting to regularly visit their Tiger Creek big cat rescue. I got a lot of sketchbook pages filled there watching those great cats. Here's a cool video with some of their residents which include lions, leopards, puma, and (naturally) lots of tigers.

    ReplyDelete
  47. If you are ever near Vegas, there's a big cat place about an hour away that you can go to. :) I've never been, but I hear they have a few tigers.

    ReplyDelete
  48. I went to the London Zoo just a few weeks ago and saw a Serval. Such a pretty cat. Apparently, if you want to own one yourself, it'd be about $10,000. That's for the cat, food, and the whole habitat you have to setup for them.

    When I posted pictures from my trip on one of the forums I frequent, a friend of mine said that my picture of the Serval inspired him. He's actually going to save up $10,000 and buy himself a Serval. So, it's definitely possible to own one, but incredibly expensive. I, myself, would prefer just having my two cats.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Oh my goodness. I also love big cats. I've often wondered if anyone would really notice if I had a pet tiger in the backyard. Giant kitty that doubles as a guard dog? Awesome! I have a dream that I'll get to snuggle a baby lion or tiger or other big cat sometime before i die. I am thinking seriously of paying the money to meet the tigers at Tiger Island (I live about an hour away). I want so badly!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  50. p.s. forgot to mention that i loved the movie Born Free when I was a kiddie and the final scene always made me cry like a crazy person. I adore that movie and was always jealous of them being able to have a lioness as a pet.

    ReplyDelete
  51. http://tigerfriends.com/RSF.html is based in myrtle beach florida. I've gone to see there special Tale of the Tiger show every year at King Richards Faire. They have a Liger even! The same place does http://www.myrtlebeachsafari.com/. If I ever get to Florida, i'm going to give it a go :)

    ReplyDelete
  52. Did you ever read the fascinating little SF book "Engine Summer?" Well worth several re-reads, and it has quite a lot of cats -- big as St. Bernards, IIRC.

    Noni
    too lazy to log in

    ReplyDelete
  53. Tiger Island is such an amazing place! I hope they get going quick on that stasis chamber for you! We were so fortunate to visit there years ago when the "Awesome Pawsome" were just tiny babies!!! Have never seen anything cuter in my life...until I saw the guy in this video! mrowwwwww.

    -Moochmom

    ReplyDelete
  54. Here's a link to our blog, which mostly chronicles the antics of our son. This post was from a trip to the Franklin Park Zoo in MA. My hubby was playing around with the new zoom lens on our camera when he got these shots of the Bengal tigers there.

    ReplyDelete
  55. I would give ALL of my vital organs to have been that guy! I am with you John, I've always wanted a pet Ocelot. Get a Main Coon, they're huge!

    ReplyDelete
  56. Grown up lion hug - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bicIwwQhNtc

    Love your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  57. Those kitties are so adorable! Want! I do, however, hesitate at this guy's lack of protection. Kittens have sharp claws, y'all, and those are LIONS. Just because they don't mean to hurt you doesn't mean they won't. Accidents happen. Even some thick elbow-length gloves would go a long way.

    So cute though. I love big cats too, totally with you, John~

    ReplyDelete
  58. Our black and grey tabby is 26 lbs and stretches to 48in long - John - keep feeding Tonks - he'll get there!

    ReplyDelete
  59. Lion trying to eat a baby! Don't worry, it's through glass at the zoo. :) Human and animal cuteness.

    ReplyDelete
  60. when I played this my two giant housecats came trotting in from sleeping in another room to see what all the noise was :)

    ReplyDelete
  61. I watched that video last night and then had a dream about baby tigers. They were so cute and climbing all over me. There was three of them. One was the size of the cubs in the video, one was the size of a newborn puppy and the other was the size of a newborn kitty! crazy dream! lol.

    ReplyDelete
  62. my friends just recently got an f1 savannah cat. apparently they go anywhere between $7000 - $15,000 dollars. yikes.

    ReplyDelete
  63. I'm going to preface this by saying I'm a zookeeper that works with tigers and clouded leopards (among other animals). I will absolutely not deny that being up close and personal with these animals is fantastic, but these experiences also tell me in no uncertain terms that they don't make good pets. One of the people I work with has been working cats for over 20 years; and his stories are both amazing and scary. Some zoos offer the up close and personal experience, but you want to be careful of supporting a zoo that always has cubs - where do the cubs go after they're grown? A small zoo outside of Spokane, WA, Cat Tales (http://www.cattales.org), specializes in big cats and offers the chance to hand feed a lion or tiger (through a protective barrier, of course). They are also a licensed rescue and their cubs are always provided for, whether it be finding homes with other cat trainers or staying at the zoo. The zoo is still looking to update its exhibits and the only thing missing is money - cats are EXPENSIVE to keep. If you are looking for Tiger Island in the USA, Six Flags Marine World in Vallejo, CA has "Odin's Temple of the Tiger" which was modeled after Australia's Tiger Island experience. Six Flags is an accredited institution, which means they do have a set standard of animal care there. Here's the link: http://www.sixflags.com/discoveryKingdom/animals/OdinsTempleOfTheTiger.aspx In the meantime, John should start making some zookeeper friends - we love to share our animal experiences!

    ReplyDelete
  64. A couple of those cubs have blue eyes! too cute.

    John should look into taking a wildlife rehab class or two and then being on call to care for abandoned big cats (or racoons, coyotes, martens, etc). That new vet may be able to give you some advice on who to talk to in your area, it may include him. Most of the wildlife rescue is close-knit so it's helpful to have connections.

    ReplyDelete
  65. My dad has a cat called a pixie bob, that looks like a bobcat. He got it from a rescue and the cat is 25 pounds, and super cuddly. Plus he has a cute tail nub.

    ReplyDelete
  66. I'm with Rebecca--more interested in the trainer (don't tell my husband) than the cubs. I'm not really a big cat person, either. I'm glad they're in the world (they're really quite lovely) and know they need preservation in one form or another, but I'm more interested in the snuggles from my six-pound Persian...though I could listen to that trainer talk about lions 'til the cows came home. (And my five-year-old TOTALLY wants that man's job!)

    ReplyDelete
  67. Jen,
    If you are serious about wanting an African cat, might I suggest a Bengal? My sister owns, loves and from time to time breeds them. They make excellent house cats and will rid your house of bugs due to their strong hunting instinct. You can read more about them on her website.
    www.southhousebengals.com

    ReplyDelete
  68. If John wants to be that guy, then he should definately check out THIS guy. Kevin Richardson is an animal behaviourist with a private sanctuary in South Africa, where he literally plays with full grown lions, snoozes with them, everything. His videos are AMAZING, really really worth checking out: www.lionwhisperer.co.za

    ReplyDelete
  69. I would give one of my non-vital organs to have that MAN on my lap. What a cutie!!!

    ReplyDelete
  70. o.O
    I'm just a puddle.

    I NEED A TICKET TO AUSTRALIA IMMEDIATELY!

    *dies*

    ReplyDelete
  71. I have a friend from high school who bought a serval last year. Although, now that I think about it, I haven't seen her on facebook in a while. Hope it didn't eat her right up.

    ReplyDelete
  72. I would so love to be that guy too. I was about 15 when I started trying to convince my dad that we really needed a savannah cat - or at least a maine coon. Never did succeed. Now I am biding my time until I have a place with enough room for one. Though I do feel compelled to ask John - "Which organ?"

    ReplyDelete
  73. Have you ever heard of T.I.G.E.R.S? Its The institute for greatly endangered & rare species, and they're located near Myrtle Beach, SC. I seriously considered working there after I graduated college, but a college degree doesn't really count for much there. They rescue & work with all kinds of big cats - I got to have my picture taken with a tiger cub at their location at Myrtle Beach!

    ReplyDelete
  74. John! Come visit me in South Africa! There is a Lion And Rhino park (Which for some reason always comes out as Ryan and Lino park when I say it aloud...) about 12kms from my house :-)You can play with Lion cubs to your hearts content. Seriously, come - we have plenty of room!

    ReplyDelete
  75. I'm not sure how far it is for you but - Out of Africa in Arizona has tons of big cats. They are a rescue and educational facility and we loved to go there when we lived in Phoenis. They have since moved to the Verde Valley but you can find them online at:

    http://www.outofafricapark.com/

    Enjoy John!

    ReplyDelete
  76. When my son was a toddler, my BIL took him out to the mall where they were offering pictures with a cougar cub (or some equivalent big cat--I don't remember the specific breed.) The look on my son's face in the picture is one of complete trepidation. LOL When my SIL was in Thailand, she took a picture with a full-grown tiger. I think I'd be more likely to hold the cub than sit next to a tiger.

    ReplyDelete
  77. I got to cuddle with a baby lion that a high school boyfriend kept as a pet. It was AMAZING, right up until he sunk his teeth into my inner thigh. When he purred on my lap it shook my whole body.

    ReplyDelete
  78. Oh, me too! Me too!

    We have a place here, in NC, where, if they have baby tigers... they let you hold baby tigers. I have not made it there, the cost for my family of 3 is a little high... but I will!

    Tiger World!

    Hmmm... so, come to Charlotte on your tour for the salted caramel brownies, and then head up to Tiger World to hold a baby tiger. It's only 45 minutes away!

    ReplyDelete
  79. OMG!!! i have always said my dream job would be to work with the big cats! Everyone thinks i'm crazy but i would give a vital organ to get head butted by a tiger! I am sooooo jealous of that guy!

    ReplyDelete
  80. Hey John, you need to follow this blog (no it's not mine but it is my home country!) http://ngamo.wordpress.com/

    So. Much. Of. Awsome!

    ReplyDelete
  81. John, and all your gentle readers, do not bring home a serval, or a bengal, or a lion cub, or a bobcat - even if hand-raised from infancy, these animals are not domesticated. As they mature, what seemed playful as a cub becomes very serious business indeed. All it takes is for you, your dog, or a child to make a move that lights up the predator function of a big cat's brain. One inadvertent prey display, and the cat will make an instinctual move. It will be sudden, powerful, messy, and it will not end well. Respect these animals' wild natures and do not bring them into your environment. Watch 'em on YouTube, visit them at zoos and sanctuaries that you have vetted for appropriate treatment of the cats and for scrupulous safety of the humans. (And don't get me started on chimps and monkeys!)

    Love your blogs!
    Circus Girl

    ReplyDelete
  82. Come to Australia! Somehow! :) Say it's for book-selling and make it tax-deductible or something? (and along with it, hire the anaesthetist & assistant; maybe just a strong sedative?)

    ReplyDelete
  83. Oh good grief, big kittens AND a cute guy?! I think this video wins the internet!

    ReplyDelete
  84. Check out Dade City Wild things. Probably an easier drive for you if you're coming from Orlando then the Big Cat Rescue in Tampa. They do a tour of the facility where you get literally about 6-10 feet away from lions and tigers, even a bear as I recall. heh It's really decently priced, and for a little extra cash you can help feed the baby cats if they have any on site.

    When I went I got to hold both a baby albino wallaby and a 6 week old tiger cub. I also almost got urinated on by a pair of grown tiger brothers, apparently they really like grossly pregnant women, but that's a story for another day.

    ReplyDelete
  85. Should also point out that Dade City Wild Things takes in cats that are from some of the closed parks in Florida. Sunken Gardens being the one that pops to my mind first. The cubs that they have are brought out to the public to get them accustomed to people before being transitioned to a new habitat for zoos and such in order to make them more accustomed to humans and the people who will be handling their care.

    ReplyDelete

Please be respectful when commenting; dissenting opinions are great, but personal attacks or hateful remarks will be removed. Also, including a link? Then here's your html cheat sheet: <a href="LINK ADDRESS">YOUR TEXT</a>