On owning an exotic cat

Louse, we feed her any read meat, but no pork. The meat is mixed with other ingrediants as well. So far we have used beef as the main meat. The rest of the ingrediants are liver, cooked rice or quick cooking oatmeal, cooking oil and calcium powder(steamed bone meal). I also add cooked egg yolks and "The Missing Link" vitamin powder. The breeder told us this is what they have been feeding their cats and they do very well. Since she is not really domesticated, she still craves that raw meat. She does however, love our cats dry food, Eukanuba. So, in reality she gets both. She also gets raw turkey on occasion and so do my Pixie Bobs.
Maui, I don't have a web site for her, other than the one TCS provides. If you or anyone else are interested in more pictures, just email me at [email protected] I would be happy to send them and will keep you posted as she gets bigger.
Aurora, yes, she rumbles I am usually woken up when I don't have to work by her purr and then she starts to groom my face. Her tongue seems to be a lot more corse to. Sometimes she will groom in the same spot and it starts to hurt. But I don't want to pull away and hurt her feelings. Boy, what we do for our babies don't we

I am very curious now, I don't Ever plan on owning an exotic but I would like to know what the laws are in my state. Where would I go about finding statutes for my state on exotic animal ownership?

I started by calling the Department of Natural Resources, who then sent me over to the Division of Wildlife. I am sure your state has the same things, but may be called something a little different. Once I called them, they sent me all the paperwork and an application I needed for a permit. Someone came out to check the paperwork I got from the breeder and then issued my permit.

Originally posted by AmberThe Bobcat
Maui, I don't have a web site for her, other than the one TCS provides. If you or anyone else are interested in more pictures, just email me at [email protected] I would be happy to send them and will keep you posted as she gets bigger.

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Ya gotta put pics up somewhere so the masses can enjoy — not just one or two people ! Maybe ofoto.com or imagestation.com or a yahoo album ?

Actually I was hoping you would have a website with little commentary and stories about raising a bobcat — not just pics. When you put up pics at ofoto (maybe at imagestation too, i don't know) you can put little titles and blurbs below each pic. I guess I am hinting loud enough eh? It would make lots of us kitty lovers very happy

Ok,I can take the hint I found a place to post pictures and will place the link here as soon as it is set up

Yay looking forward to the Story of Amber the Bobcat!!

Originally posted by Maui
Ya gotta put pics up somewhere so the masses can enjoy — not just one or two people !

Maybe ofoto.com or imagestation.com or a yahoo album ?

Actually I was hoping you would have a website with little commentary and stories about raising a bobcat — not just pics. When you put up pics at ofoto (maybe at imagestation too, i don't know) you can put little titles and blurbs below each pic. I guess I am hinting loud enough eh? It would make lots of us kitty lovers very happy

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AmberTheBobcat.com !!
with AmberCam!!

Ok, I have a link to Amber's new photo page. So far, I only have 1 album filled, but will add more later. I will also include my Pixie Bobs as well. No Ambercam at this time, but that would be cool. I would love for people to see how she likes to play with us and our other cats.

Thank you thank you!

She is gorgeous!!! :kitty5: I love that little tail and the wild tufts on her ears

Questions: On photo 20 (0891) of the second album she is next to a cat that has similar coloring on a window bed, but that is a regular cat? So at 20 weeks she is about the same size as an adult cat?

And is she as bonded to the other cats as she is bonded to you and Terri? My question is more of bobcat behavior. . .like does she have the same range of socialability as a house cat? I think in the wild bobcats are mostly loners. Does she have a similar range of bonding as a housecat? And have you noticed that she knows "cat" (uses same social cues and ways of communicating) as a house cat? Or is there any sort of "language barrier" that the two species had to overcome to live harmoniously?

My Russian Blue was an only cat for 9 years before we got another kitty. Boy o boy does she lack in cat social skills, though she is completely bonded to her humans. I can see that she often sends mixed signals to the calico — who is very socially adept and gets along well with lots of cats. So I guess it might be really hard to tell if Amber's idiosyncrasies are particular to her or particular to her being a different species.

Anyway, thank you for putting the pics up, John. . .very very cool! (er, another idea would be to put up pics of Amber's parents too )

I am glad you liked the pictures There are more on the way, just need the time to get it set up. I am going to post pictures of my Pixie Bobs too. The legend behind the Pixie Bob, is that it came to be, from the mating of a Bobcat with a domestic barn cat. Pictures will be posted soon.
I didn't think this picture, #0891, made it through. I deleted it, becuase I am going to make a folder of Amber with my other kitties. In that picture, she is the same size as my other cats and at 10 pounds. Yes, she LOVES my other cats, but some of them do not like her as much They are older and do not like a crazy kid hanging around them. She keeps them clean, she is always cleaning their ears and attempts to pick off fleas and tics, but they don't have any. Amber has a different vocal style and believe it or not, she barks! She barks at people at PetSmart, it is so cute. She makes this other sound, that is so hard to describe. She always makes this sound when she sees one of the other cats and wants to cuddle with them. She does meow, but not the same as my domestics. She does know their cat language very well and will come running when she thinks one is in trouble. One of my Pixies will cry when I pick her up and Amber comes running making cute adorable sounds. I was told that they can make about 20 different sounds.
I have read that Bobcats tend to be loners too. Most cats are, except for some of the big cats. I know lions live in prides, but mainly all female with 1 dominant male. Amber was raised closely with people and other cats with the breeder, so she was socialized well.
By the way, I will see if I can get some pictures of her parents. Her father weighed in at 60 pounds, but males tend to be larger than females by 10 pounds or so.
Thank you so much for the positive input

I just read this whole thread. The story and the pictures you have posted about Amber are so sweet and touching...I will never think of Bobcats the same way again...I was always a bit afraid of them...but they are really just cats, aren't they? I will forever think of your Amber everytime I see the Bobcat we have here.

Debby, I have just read your post in the "wild things, not a good idea thread". I feel bad about the Bobcat that was accidentally cought in a trap. Yes, they are basically just like any other cat. I do not however, recommend just anyone getting a Bobcat. When I say they are just like any other cat, they are, but on a very large scale. One has to remember how large this cat will get, the food they eat and time needed to be spent with them. They like to run and I play with her every morning before work and when I get home. They need attention. Imagine your full grown cat running and playing like they did when they were a kitten. She still is a kitten, but a large kitten. As I stated before, you can not be a type of person that is never home. Owning Amber, has changed the way I live, but I was ready for that and I am more than happy to do these things for her. I hope I do not come across as making it sound like it is as easy as owning any other cat, it is not, but they are just as friendly and loving. That is why these cats get dumped after people think they can own one, they were not prepared for what they were getting into. If you are prepared and can be a loyal, responsible and committed owner, they make a wonderful part of the family, as you can see in my pictures. I also can not state enough, NEVER take a Bobcat kitten out of the wild. These cats would not make a good pet, because they have already learned what it is like to be wild. I know in Ohio, you can not legally own a wild cought Bobcat. It is funny, when I watch Amber play a do the things she does, I ask myself, do they do this in the wild too? I mean, in the wild she isn't going to find tennis balls, feather toys, socks, toilet paper rolls and all the other things she plays with I guess they do that when they hunt for food. But it is very interesting to see how they learn to live with people.
By the way Debby, did you click on the link and look at Amber's photo page?

My goodness Amber is indeed beautiful!! Her baby pictures are so adorable, and I love the kitty piles in the Amber & Friends section.

I actually do have a question. Obviously, Amber needs vet care just like any other cat. Did you have to find a specialty, exotic vet for her? How does she react to the vet?

Originally posted by AmberThe Bobcat
Yes, she LOVES my other cats, but some of them do not like her as much

They are older and do not like a crazy kid hanging around them.. . .

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Amber has a different vocal style and believe it or not, she barks! She barks at people at PetSmart, it is so cute.

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Oh my goodness. I wish I lived in Ohio so I could see this. I would just die to see a video of her at PetSmart barking.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I love all the background info of how Amber is different and how she is similar to domestic cats. Maybe you should cut and paste all the different posts where you have answered people's questions into her photo album, to fill in all the background info about what bobcats are like. Sorry to keep you so busy but I am soooo very curious about her personality and her interactions with the world.

Animal behavioralists say that one of the most amazing things about cats is how adaptable they are. . .how they were "self-domesticating" thousands of years ago in Egypt in that they saw an opportunity to have good food and a warm hearth by hunting mice near grain storage, and the cats who were more brave and social with humans could take advantage of the opportunity, hence became domesticated. Conversely, cats can also quickly feral-ize themselves acting and living nearly wild — not within generations but within their own lifetime. With a truly wild animal like a bobcat, we can see how very adaptable the cats are. . . .with genes to survive out in the wild, but the adaptability to live with humans and other pets. . .just amazing.

Thank you for all your stories :kitty5:

LOL!! Heidi, I was just about to ask that very same question about veterinary care!

I like walking into the bedroom and finding all them piled up like that. Makes me want to just lay down and take a nap with them
I have a very good vet that I have been going to for years. She does have an extensive background and is a member of many Veterinary associations. She does take care of many exotics, even birds and reptiles. I guess I was lucky to have found her before we got Amber. I am not sure if all Vets would work with a Bobcat or not. How does Amber react to the vet? Well.... At first, when she was only 10 weeks old, we had her there and she had no care in the world. The next time we brought her back, for vaccines, things changed. They had just used some kind of disinfectant in the room and you could still smell it. Amber did not like that smell at all and really wanted to leave. She was letting out some growls that only a Bobcat could make, but she did not scratch or bite. I think she was just protesting. We then took her back for a 3rd time so she could be spayed and microchipped. I guess she was ok, but the vet used the glue on her incision instead of stitches. She told me, she didn't think Amber would let them take out the stitches. This is about the only time you see the "wild" side of her, mainly when she gets scared. Of course, one of my Pixie Bobs hates it even more. I don't think to many animals, just like people, really like going to see the doctor. I don't know if is the smell they hate or if they can sense the pain or fear in the other animals there. I use a cleaner in my house, Simple Green, that Amber does not like. I think it reminds her of the vet's office.
As for keeping me busy, not at all. As you can see, I love talking about her

I just wanted to let you all know that I editted, cropped and posted some new pictures...even kittens

http://community.webshots.com/s/imag...1JLjJih_ph.jpg



I do love demon cat pics though

Sicy, did you see the polydactyl Pixie Bob? Big furry paws!!
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...01422207PYctNZ

I noticed that Amber has a harness but the pixie bobs don't.. . even when she is young. Is that so she gets used to how it feels? or do you take her for car rides a lot?

I love the pics of Amber and her Pixie Bob mates :kitty5:

Ohh how cute!!! I am partial to polys