BIG Cats Are Beautiful. Should They Be Pets?

Throughout my years of living in Colorado and Nevada, I’ve heard and known of people keeping lions, tigers, jaguars, etc. for pets. Have never seen one of these “pets”, but that’s okay with me. As a very young animal, they can be adorable, cute, and downright funny.

But then they grow up!

You can take the cat out of the jungle, but you can’t take the adorable out of the cat. Here are 30 big cats being adorable.

Big cats can act like house cats in many ways. One of the reasons why our love for cuddly little house cats extends to the largest members of the cat family is because of how similar big cats and small cats are.

Are you thinking now that I’m in favor of keeping a big cat as a pet? No, I’m not for several reasons. The first would be the cost of keeping a big animal as far as maintenance such as food and vet bills.

A lion can eat as much as 10 to 15 pounds of meat a day and so if you only (under) fed the lion 8 pounds of meat a day, it would be nearly $30 a day (at $3.50/lb) or $210 a week to feed that lion at minimum amount. That’s certainly a lot less than those two small cats in the picture.

Since trading exotic animals is regulated, there is a huge black market for them. They are often not transported properly, cared for properly, and they’re sold off to the highest bidder regardless of that person’s ability to properly care for them. Right now there are more captive tigers than wild tigers. There is something definitely wrong with that! This cat is very lucky!!

Big cats are wild animals at heart. It is in their nature to travel, stalk, and hunt down their prey. If that opportunity is taken away, they can become very frustrated. A frustrated, big cat is not necessarily a good thing to have around! Add 500 pounds to this cat and you’ll see what I mean.

Big cat cubs are adorable, cute, and cuddly and usually not very dangerous. However, when they’re grown, their play is  pretty rough because it’s training for hunting. Sometimes they just don’t know their own strength; it’s best not to take a chance. This cat just thinks he’s tough and scary.

Captivity of big cats causes them great stress which can potentially lead to psychosis. This is often exhibited through pacing and acts of aggression (even on trusted caretakers). Many big cat attacks that occur from aggression are born out of this frustration. If you have a big cat as a pet, you’re not only living with a natural born killer; you’re living with one that can literally go crazy on you. Think I’ll stick with my house cats!!!!

Besides, they only think they’re a big cat.

Marion Lovato is the author of Sam, the Superkitty.  Her book describes an ordinary cat changing into a superhero to protect his family from things that go bump in the night.  Available on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle edition.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604588667

 

WHAT Do I Feed My Cat?

I’ve touched on this subject before. However, I’ve read new information which has caused me to rethink about how I’m feeding my own two cats. For years, it was only dry food and water for several reasons. The main reason is the fact that the older one wouldn’t eat very much wet food; the younger one tried to bury it!!!!! Ended up throwing most of it away, so I stuck with the dry food. It also helps to keep their teeth clean.

We look at our cats peacefully sleeping on our laps or in their favorite spot and envision them as warm, cuddly, and affectionate. Biologically, they are actually lean, mean, killing machines because of their strong agile bodies with lightning reflexes, stealthy silent gait, razor sharp claws, long canine teeth, excellent night vision, highly attuned hearing and a superior sense of smell. We don’t like to think of them that way, do we? They can bring so much joy to our lives.

Raw and live prey animal cat food diets are potentially very biologically appropriate. This can be very time-consuming and hard to do in your own home. Commercially prepared cat foods are heavy on the carbohydrates which cats DO NOT need. What’s an owner to do?

Cats are carnivores which means they get their energy mainly from animal tissue. Commercial cat food does contain protein, but not all protein is created equal. Cats need a meat-based protein, not a protein from vegetables or cereals. Have you ever seen a cat stalk a vegetable? No, I didn’t think so. A cat’s natural diet does not contain a lot of carbohydrates, so they have a reduced ability to digest them. When you’re choosing what to feed your cat, always remember to consider the quality of the ingredients and the sources of protein.

Along this same vein of thought is an interesting article “Finicky cats” diet led to their mass extinction 12,000 years ago. Out of the six species of large cats that roamed the plains and forests of North America, only two-the cougar and jaguar-survived. Click on the link to read the article.

Since you’ve never seen a cat stalk a vegetable, you’ve probably never seen a wild cat milk a cow. What???? The idea that adult cats need milk is a myth. Adult cats do not need milk; kittens need their mother’s milk, not cow’s milk. Most adult cats are lactose intolerant and can’t digest it. Remember that cats are carnivores, and live on meat that provides a nutritional diet with sufficient vitamins and minerals. As for the milk, they should be drinking water instead. Some cat owners claim they have given their cats milk for years with no side effects, but these may be exceptions to the rule.

A month ago, I tried the wet food with my cats again. Oh, my gosh, they love it! Couldn’t believe my eyes. Now that they’re getting this several times a week, they’re slimming down and have more energy. I am one happy lady!

Have you experimented with different foods for your cat(s). What have you discovered about their behavior and weight?

Marion Lovato is the author of Sam, the Superkitty.  Her book describes an ordinary cat changing into a superhero to protect his family from things that go bump in the night.  Available on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle edition.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604588667