Exotic Cats at the Haven where I worked

Hey guys just sharing with you some videos from the exotic cat haven I worked at this summer.

EDIT: No youtube embed I see...

Ricky, the male Jaguarundi, excited for feeding time


My colleague playing with Tizzy, the Snow Leopard


Playing with Whirlpool the bobcat, who I loved and sorely miss


Cous-Cous the male Barbary Lion failing in his attempts to court the Plains Lioness Pely.


And just in case I gave anyone the false impression that wild cats are friendly, loving creatures:


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

Still in the process of uploading more videos so maybe more will come in the next few weeks.

Some very unique cats, and I'm sure they are well taken care of, but it saddens me to see caged animals.
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Originally Posted by Katkuddler

Some very unique cats, and I'm sure they are well taken care of, but it saddens me to see caged animals.

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I understand your point of view but I'd like to make a couple of points:

a. Working with these animals, all of them were treated with utmost care, and received loads of affection from all of their keepers (if they were willing to receive it)

b. The conditions at havens such as these is IMO generally superior to Zoos and far better than circuses or other more commercial situations these animals may find themselves in.

c. A cat's territory is determined by its needs. In this case all of the cats' needs are taken care of in a small space, thus removing much of the need for a larger territory. Also all of the cats had enclosures tailored mto their individual needs. The leopards had plenty of things to climb on, the tigers had a pond to swim in, the cheetah had a big mound to sit on. None of the cats ever tried to escape from their enclosures, and in fact were offended when we went inside them.

d. These cats are not kept for fun or for profit but to generate money and public interest for their endangered counterparts in the wild.

e. Not that this necessarily means they are happier, but cats in captivity live far longer and have much higher survival rates.

I"m jealous

Why does the bobcat have a harness on? Is he taken for walks? And is the last one a Servel? (spotted one).

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I"m jealous

Why does the bobcat have a harness on? Is he taken for walks? And is the last one a Serval? (spotted one).

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Yeah Whirlpool gets taken on walks. She was even on the Jay Leno Show. When ever she is around people she jumps up on someone's shoulders and starts licking their ear.

Very friendly cat.

Sikia is indeed a Serval. She doesn't like men but she can be quite affectionate with some of the female keepers.