Say hello to Boris Part 2

[amberthe bobcat]

I was able to get more pictures today

Carmella relaxing with her rope toy.

Awww, cute little Carmella.

Relaxing by the window.

Hey, I want to take a nap, where are the blankets?

 

[amberthe bobcat]

Ok, a few more

Amber on the look out.

Pretty girl

Handsome boy Nakoma

Nakoma says, one more flash from that camera and I'll.....

 

[rapunzel47]

I was just about to turn in for the night, John, and decided to have a quick look in FP -- I was NOT disappointed. Your crew just get more gorgeous every day. It's great to see Nakoma settling in and looking like the King of the Castle, and sweet little Carmella -- what a lovely girl she is. I'm glad Boris has gotten over his displeasure at her arrival. Of course, it wouldn't take long to discover that there was still plenty of love to go around! He and big sister Amber are as gorgeous as ever.

 

[sar]

I had wondered who your new addition was, John!

Carmella is just gorgeous!

I can just imagine what a handful she must be! I bet you don't get a moment of rest!

Amber, Boris and nakoma are all looking so well! I'm pleased that Boris has now accepted Carmella - they'll be playing around so much soon!

I can't wait for more pictures, I love your crew!

 

[rockinrhonda]

amber is beauiful its been a while siance i looked at this thread on amber the bobcat getting so big cant belive it thanks for sharing

 

[amberthe bobcat]

Oh, well. Just have to keep the antiseptic handy

Oh yeah, or the looks I get when people see my hands with all the scratches on them

Your animals are absolutely gorgeous! I sat here for several hours one day to go through and show my bf all the great pictures! I'm pretty new to the site and I'm sure this has been talked about, but how long have you been raisin bobcats and cougars? It sounds like a wonderful, if challeging, life!

I have had bobcats now for a little over 2 years. This is our first cougar, but my wife and I have worked around lynxes, cougars, tigers and lions as well. Yes, wonderful and challenging is a good way to describe it

Amber and Boris are closer to being mature, so they are closer to getting out of those bad kitten habits. Boris has a little more growing to do yet. But Carmella, she is so full of energy and gives you know time to rest unless SHE is sleeping

John I can not get over how much Nakoma has changed. He looks so good.

I am happy that it shows. The proper diet has really brought his good looks out, not the HOT DOGS that he got many times, from the old owner

Nakoma does seem very happy here now. He has friends of his kind to play with too. He wags his tail and gives eye blinks when you talk to him, but he does not like to be touched

That part of his life, he never got to experience as a kitten it seems, from his original owner. I can sit by his side and he is ok with that. If he never lets me pet his soft beautiful fur, that is ok. I just want him to feel happy and secure in his new life with us

 

[jcat]

Carmella's paws are huge!

 

[arielrain]

If carmella is missing, it's because she's at my house!

Sure wish I could have a cat like that! Here kitty kitty! You sure do keep us entertained with all your pictures and stories John. I just love coming here !

 

[lisalee]

Beautiful pictures and beautiful cats!!

I'm just in love with Nakoma, such a handsome boy!

I just love the look on his face.

 

[kathylou]

This is the first time I have seen pictures of Boris. Wow! He is beautiful. Looks real sweet.

 

[stormy]

Love the new pics!!!

 

[amberthe bobcat]

Originally Posted by Arielrain

If carmella is missing, it's because she's at my house!

Sure wish I could have a cat like that! Here kitty kitty! You sure do keep us entertained with all your pictures and stories John. I just love coming here !

Do you want to borrow her for a few days, so I can get some sleep?

5:30am I woke to a cougar cub on my head. This was a day off and I thought I would sleep in a little. Ha!! Well, we have a huge pillow on the bed that I put over my head. She can't get me that way and leaves, because she loses interest.

Beautiful pictures and beautiful cats!! I'm just in love with Nakoma, such a handsome boy! I just love the look on his face.

I have to agree on this

 

[arielrain]

Do I want to borrow Carmella for a few days? No because I might not give her back.

 

[joecool]

Beautiful cats! Very cool to live with, I bet. I was under the impression that it was impossible to live with bobcats, even if they are hand reared. However, there are a lot of pictures of you guys holding them, and aside from being large and wild, they seem much like domestics! I don't know if i could live with a couger, though....How big did you say they get?

Maybe when i'm older i could get a bobcat, i'm really good with domestics...It'd be a lot of work though...
Did you say that boris and amber have their own enclosure? Do they live inside most of the time? Do they enjoy human contact, or are they agressive towards humans? Sorry to ask so many questions,
Joecool.

 

[arielrain]

Hi Joecool! John will be more than happy to answer all your questions when he gets back here.

 

[joecool]

Thank you. When will he "get back"?

 

[amberthe bobcat]

Originally Posted by joecool

Beautiful cats! Very cool to live with, I bet. I was under the impression that it was impossible to live with bobcats, even if they are hand reared. However, there are a lot of pictures of you guys holding them, and aside from being large and wild, they seem much like domestics! I don't know if i could live with a couger, though....How big did you say they get?

Maybe when i'm older i could get a bobcat, i'm really good with domestics...It'd be a lot of work though...
Did you say that boris and amber have their own enclosure? Do they live inside most of the time? Do they enjoy human contact, or are they agressive towards humans? Sorry to ask so many questions,
Joecool.

Hello Joecool

Yes, it is very much a joy to share our lives with these beautiful cats, but it is also a tremendous amount of work. No, it is not impossible to live with bobcats, but you have to make some BIG changes in your life and must be willing to give a lot of your time to their care and needs. You must always be responsible, I can not state this enough. Amber and Boris live inside our home with us. Our 3rd bobcat, Nakoma, lives outside in an enclosure. Nakoma was rescued from a terrible abusive owner and did not receive the proper human contact he needed as a kitten and was never raised indoors. Is he friendly? Yes he is, but he does not enjoy being pet, touched or held, like Amber and Boris. He never received this type of human contact as well. However, he is a wonderful addition to our bobcat family and we are very pleased to have him in our lives. Amber and Boris do enjoy human contact, because they were raised properly from birth. However, you must always use caution whenever strangers come around and you must never allow unsupervised contact with the cats. This is part of being a responsible exotic cat owner. People are only able to come in contact with these cats if I or my wife say so and only after we know the cats are willing to accept a stranger near them. I never allow anyone in our home that we do not know, only family and I NEVER allow children near them. Again, being very responsible. With ANY animal, whether exotic or domestic, you should always use caution around chidren. I know my cats would not harm a child, but I never take ANY chances with our cats. Being responsible means protecting the welfare of the animal as well as the safety of the public. This is so very important

In almost all cases, Amber and Boris will be willing to greet you with bobcat kisses

As for cougars and with bobcats, their size depnds on their range of habitat. Northwest or northern bobcats are larger than southern bobcats. Amber, Boris and Nakoma are northern bobcats. Northwestern cougars are also larger than their southern relatives. Carmella, our cougar, is an eastern cougar, who is also a smaller variety than the Northern. Females of both the bobcats and cougars are smaller than the males. Our male bobcats can reach an adult weight of 45-65 pounds, give or take a few. Amber, our female, will weigh around 30-45 pounds. Carmella, the cougar, will weigh anywhere from 60-100 pounds when she is mature. Male easterns would weigh up to 150 pounds or so. However, Carmella's dad was 210 pounds. Western cougars can range from 150 pounds or so for females and over 200 pounds for males. As you can see, working with cougars takes even more work and responsibility. You should never attempt to own such a cat until you have the experience. As for the questions, feel free to ask all you want. I am here to answer them and to promote responsible ownership of exotic cats as well as being a responsible owner of our domestic companions as well

 

[amberthe bobcat]

NEWS FLASHWell, Carmella went in to have her spay surgery today. So, after about an hour and a half, the vet calls. So I started to think, oh no, what happened. Well they tell me, guess what? Your sweet little girl is well, a boy

Now, I am very familiar with the feline anatomy. When we got Carmella and we were told she was a girl, I did notice things that made me think

However, since he/she is covered in black spots that fade as they grow, I really never gave what I saw a second thought

So, our girl is now a boy. I now have to think of a new name, which will be hard, because she knows her name and comes when she, I mean he, is called. I also have to prepare ourselves for a cat that won't be 65-95 pounds, but one that will be closer to 100-130 pounds. As for the name, maybe I can think of a boys name that sounds close to the name Carmella. Or just leave it as is and who will know he is a male, other than my wife and I and well, everyone here

 

[gemlady]

What news! You can call him Carmello?

You really need that chicken farm now, John!

 

[amberthe bobcat]

I feel like such a goof

But, when you have all the paperwork from the breeder that says female, including the vaccination schedule, I never really gave what I saw a second thought