Big Cats
 

In response to a couple of folks reservations about owning big cats. Yeah, they are dangerous. Extremely. Even if you raise them from kittens, you have to be extremely careful around them. Like Sleemanj and CharlieG say, they can hurt you very, very badly. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there that don't realize that. So, they get them as kittens, and when something goes wrong (like they bite Miffy-the-toilet-brush-dog's head off), they abandon them to a local animal shelter. The shelter's typically have someone they can turn too, but, often times they have to destroy the cat, because there is no one that can care for it properly. I would like to be someone that cares for them.

Psssh, well, of course <i>Jaguar</i> is going to think that way ... you're way too close to the issue to be unbiased, man!

Personally, I've always wanted to have a black Jaguar in the garage. :cool:

Re: Big Cats
 

Sadly, it's the same with many pets of all species though - once the novelty wears off they pet goes out the door. Every xmas the RNZSPCA runs an ad campaign here, something like "A dog is not just for christmas." - something to that effect anyway. My family has personally taken in several cats & dogs no longer wanted by thier owners over the years (currently we have 3 dogs and somewhere in the region of 10 cats :-)).

I don't think a private individual would be permitted to keep a big cat in this country anyway, indeed in many areas attempts are underway to ban housecats (they pose a threat to native birds).

Ban <i>housecats</i>???

You gotta be kidding, right? Or do you mean, ban housecats being allowed to be outside.

sapienza

I took our Aussie in to be "tutored" (old Farside Pun) today *sniff*. Of course this hits Jag close to home as well, so I will speak of it no more.

El gato grande, Sap. Some clown near my place was rumored to have ah... misplaced a mountain lion a few years ago. The Game Commision denies the existance of a lion population in PA but I know a few folks who claim to have spotted one and the Wylusing Rocket (newspaper) ran a story about a series of sightings in the Mansfield PA area. Under these conditions, its important that every person own a dog who is either faithful... or slow.

The Bengal Cat may be of interest to the exotic cat lovers in the Cellar.

domestic/big cat hybrids!
 

Love these big babies!!!! I agree that most people don't have the required facilities/permits/knowledge and training to have wild cats at home...but this is exactly why exciting new breeds are being created by outcrossing domestic and wild cats.The result are great,intelligent,beautiful animals with sweet temperament AND the amazing look of a jungle creature!!
There is the Bengal cat (from the Asian Leopard Cat), the Savannah (from the african Serval)...the Safari (from the Geoffroy's Cat),the Bristol (from the Margay),the Chausie (from the Asian Jungle Cats),the Kanaani or Canaan(from the Felis lybica gordonii)...etc etc!
There is actually an hybrid being created specifically from the fishing cat,called a Bagral-or Machbagral. (visit www.embercreek.com for more infos)

There's a lot of information about these new breeds on the Net(www.hybridbeauty.com)....I own two Bengal crosses myself,and they are the most athletic,intelligent,inquisitive and well-behaved cats I ever owned!!! They are quite fascinated with water,and the older one loves to play fetch-just like a dog!
The new breeds are the results of careful outcrossing,removed 2 or 3 generations from their wild "grandparents",so are mostly domestic in nature-use cat litters faithfully,eat regular good quality catfood,and are actually easier to train since they are quite intelligent.
I wouldn't worry about a Bengal or a Savannah attacking me in the middle of the night,the worst that can happen is that they outcrowd you in bed!!!! >^..^<

How is this amazing? Tigers swim all the time.

Quzah.

I don't know if that's the worst that "CAN" happen. My buddy had a plain old tomcat that was pretty big (24 lbs). He could do a lot of damage if he was so inclined.:D

Heh. I was wondering why Tony didn't use the phrase "It turns out that...". It's because this thread nearly 1 1/2 years old! :)

By the way, these hybrid species are clearly completely made up, since we all know evolution is B.S. :cool:

ban 'em...mace 'em.... gas 'em....any aeresol or chemical that you can light with a match.

I personally don't understand why we have to breed all sorts of new cats, when there are millions of other cats already that need homes. Because they're bigger?

Just do like I did... Get a cat from a shelter and feed her well.

Re: domestic/big cat hybrids!
 

Hey Sophie, I've never seen anyone use my little kitty face before, well I actually use >^~^<:)