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Cats Meowing

September 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

01310739829_cute-kitty2.jpgThe sound of every species of the animal kingdom is very unique and intriguing. From the pleasant chirps of birds to the deep roars of lions one will surely have fun just listening to them. To most of us it is the sound of our house pets that seem to be the most frequent and heartwarming to hear. Perhaps the animal with the most intriguing and captivating sound is the cat. Cats are normally very silent creatures but they are still capable of producing a sound called a “meow” which can range from very high pitches to very low tones. 
Cats meow for many reasons and due to a lot of circumstances they experience and encounter. One thing that may cause your cats meowing is of course their biology or their natural bodily functions. Cats meow primarily due to their sexual hormones and drives.
When a female cat is in heat or in estrus, she will meow very loudly continuously and incessantly.
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Cat behavior is more difficult for most people to understand than dog behavior, because they communicate so much differently. If you experience behavior problems with your cat, like biting, scratching, excessive meowing or avoiding the litter box, eliminate any physical causes and then patiently retrain your cat, to try to eliminate the undesirable behaviors. Remember, there aren’t bad cats, just uninformed cat owners. Cat Stress Symptoms – 8 Principal Signs of a Cat in Stress

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Did you know the first Siberian was brought to the United States in 1990? Learn dozens of facts about 15 different cat breeds, their history, and when they were recognized. Every cat lover should read this article.Her meows invite nearby male cats letting them know that she is ready to mate and reproduce. Female cats in heat have meows that are very high and loud and often painful sounding, which will usually cause inexperienced owners to worry and be troubled. The sound she produces is completely normal in female cats and she will continue to call every two to three weeks until she has been successfully mated. Having her spayed will also cause the meowing and the behaviors associated with her desire to mate to cease.
Male cats meowing very loudly and incessantly, are caterwauling meaning they are answering the mating calls of the female cat in heat. They do this so they can get to know each other better before the start of mating and copulation. If mating has been done successfully, all cats will go back to their normal state which is being relatively silent.
Meowing in cats may also be done in order to communicate with you that they want something or want to have something done for them. An example of such authoritative status is when a cat asks one, particularly his or her owner, for food and water. The cat may produce sweet meows and try to lead you to his or her food and water bowl by looking at you while trying to explain what he requires. Sometimes a cat just wants and demands attention, he or she may meow and rub herself against your leg to you to show that she is being affectionate and that you should give her the attention and petting she wants and demands. Due to the cat’s innate intelligence, they are able to produce a variety of cat meows that they utilize in order to gain what they want and desire, as they have learned this is the best way to communicate with humans.
 
The sound of cats meowing may be melodious to some due to its tiny and sweet sound. To others it can be quite irritating and annoying especially if done at three o’clock in the morning when everyone is asleep except for those nocturnal and intelligent creatures we call cats.

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The Right Way To Defend Your Bird House From Cats

September 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

21310739827_aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.jpgHundreds of millions of birds are killed every year by predators, especially the house cat. Some of these millions of deaths could easily be prevented by following some basic guidelines on protecting bird houses, feeders and nesting boxes. By sticking to the following rules, you can guard your backyard birds from harmful predators.

Keep your cat inside your home

Many bird enthusiasts may also be animal lovers, so it’s not much of a surprise that backyard birders have cats. For people with a cat, the single most effective way for preventing them from hunting birds which might be feeding or nesting in your backyard is to keep them indoors. The American Bird Conservancy (ABC) boasts a program aimed toward keeping cats inside as a benefit to both animals. The ABC argues that cats who live inside have longer lives than outdoors cats, and they also don’t kill as many birds.

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There is one important thing which house owners aren’t able to tackle, this is the realization they find it hard to overcome the reality that resulted in the home foreclosure with their residences.In the event you can’t bring your cat indoors, at the very least be sure it has a collar which includes a bell, so the birds hear when it’s near.

Pick the best area for bird houses and birdfeeders

Bird lovers with backyards which might be frequented by feral cats need to take additional steps to safeguard bird houses and birdfeeders. First, selection a birdhouse location conducive to bird safety. For instance, position the house or feeder on a tall pole in any clearing. This prevents cats and raccoons from getting a hiding spot to leap at birds unexpectedly. Also, putting your bird house on a tall pole is likely to make it hard for cats to climb to the top with no birds getting frightened off. Lastly, avoid affixing bird houses to trees where raccoons can easily jump down and attack birds.

Think about getting baffles and other devices

Although squirrels typically are not predators to birds, they have a meticulous propensity to steal bird seed.
Attaching a baffle or any other squirrel deterrents to the pole of the birdhouse doesn’t only prevent squirrels from eating your bird food, but will likely behave as a buffer in between the birds and predators. Another excellent strategy to protect your birds from cats or raccoons leaping from trees is a birdhouse or feeder cover. The key function for this would be to guard the birds from rain preventing squirrels from sneaking down hanging feeders, but in addition, it puts a shield above the birds for additional protection.

Get effective nesting boxes

Birds that are nesting and baby birds are at the biggest risk of being attacked by cats. Research by The Journal of Ornithology reported that in suburban areas, cats are classified as the top risk factor for baby bird deaths. Even though you can’t necessarily force birds to nest in safer areas, you possibly can encourage them to nest in one of your nesting boxes. Be sure your box is positioned in an area in which the birds would like to nest, but additionally be strategic in the area you set it. As an example, don’t put it near a place cats frequent or a place where it could be feasible for cats to access. Dependant upon the particular bird species that nest in your yard, an excellent nesting box really should have holes just small enough for any bird to slip into.

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The Wonderful Animated World of Disney Movies

September 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

01310739068_bottlenosedophins.jpgEven though Disney has produced myriad movies, it is more popular for its animated ones. After starting the animated journey with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in the winter of 1937, Disney movies have not looked back. One can obtain a list of more than 150 animated Disney movies that have been produced and distributed to add to the joy of children across the world.
After a certain age, kids grow out of Sesame Street, Tellytubbies and BooBaahs. At this time the next level of entertainment that attracts them generally are the Disney movies that appeal to a slightly older age group. The great thing about these movies, which has probably led to the huge popularity of the Disney movies, is the fact that they appeal to adults and children alike. A mother does not mind sitting through a Disney movie with her child but an episode of Tellytubbies can be wearisome.
To the uninitiated, it may be a surprise that each Disney movie comes accompanied with a Disney movie book. These books are published under the Mouse Works banner and contain a simple version of the story. This can help in encouraging children to not only see the Disney movies but also to read books, which hopefully will extend to other forms of reading at some time.
Though the company is proud of all its Disney movie productions, some of them have attained the stature of classics based on their popularity. Abound with simple, yet meaningful songs these Disney movies can expose the child to emotions, morals and ways of the world while telling a story. Toddlers seem to enjoy the light evilness of some of the characters like the witch in Snow White and Cruella De Vil in the 101 Dalmations. Alternately, some of the most endearing characters that Disney movies have created are Tramp in The Lady and the Tramp and the Beast in Beauty and the Beast. But most of the leading characters in Disney movies inspire awe and amazement aided by the color, grandeur and dazzle.
Some of the Disney movies that have become all time favorites of most kids are The Lion King, Toy Story, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book, The little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Lady and the Tramp, Cinderella and of course Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Some of the less known but equally enticing Disney movies are the sequels to the Lion King, Dumbo, Lilo and Stitch, Pooh and Kim Possible series.
In spite of the high levels of endearment that the Disney movies enjoy among most people, there are rumors galore about how there are countless hidden references to perverted things in the animated movies. The most known references are made to the tower on the cover of The Little Mermaid that resembles the male genitalia, the apparent erection of the priest in the wedding scene of the same movie and the dust taking the form of the word ‘sex’ in The Lion King. Hearsay has it that Donald Duck has used vulgar words umpteen times during angry outbreaks.
Some opine that these subtle references have become a tradition at the Disney studios. This tradition started due to the fact that Walt Disney did not assign relevant credits to the creative animators. These animators, then, took to including hidden codes in the animation scenes to get back. One such example is that of the shorts that Goofy wears. If you look close enough, you will probably see names of artists written on these shorts. Though the given instance seems possible, the inclusion of debauchery in the animated Disney movies is debatable and it remains a question as to whether it is a fact or the Rorschach effect.

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*bad Big Cats!!

September 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

21310739235_1243998194523595.jpgHow much is that “kitty” in the window?

If you are thinking it might be really cool to have a big cat as a pet, take a few minutes to consider the costs. But first check out the slideshow to see what it means to the cat. Play Slideshow. Most people think the cost of the cat is the big expense, but that is just the beginning. (Although keep in mind that statistics show that 98% of the exotic animals bought as pets die in the first 2 years.) We have 100+ cats representing 16 species and eleven years of experience in caring for them so our estimates can be trusted as pretty accurate, if not conservative. It is cheaper by the pound for us to buy 17,000 pounds of meat at a time than for you to buy a week’s worth for one cat. People have done it for less, but the cat suffers from nutritional deficiencies or physical and psychological impairment due to lack of space and opportunity to be a cat.

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Correcting bad behavior in cats is very important. You need to fix the cat’s bad behavior before the problem becomes so bad that both you and your cat are stressed out.If you think these figures are high, just try and cut corners and see how huge your medical and subsequent bills will be.

Exotic cats range in price from a $900.00 Bobcat to a $2500.00 tiger cub. Most of the mid size cats, like Servals and Caracals cost $1500.00 to $2200.00 and Ocelots can run as high as $15,000.00. The more rare the cat, the higher the price. Even though it may be a cute and cuddly cub right now, within the year it will reach almost it’s full size and will be spraying (no matter how young you neuter him or spay her) so you must have some things ready when the cat comes home.

Email this 1 MB video to a friend, right click here and “Save Target As” to your hard drive.
You will have to have a Veterinarian on call who has already agreed to take care of your wild cat.
There are not very many with experience and fewer still who will want deal with the liability of having their staff exposed to your big cat, not to mention their regular clientele. You will have to have a stainless steel squeeze cage that is capable of holding your cat at it’s max weight. One of our tigers weighs 800 pounds and is 12 feet from nose to tip of tail. A small squeeze cage will cost you 250.00 used and you could easily spend $2000.00 for one big enough for a lion or leopard. You will need a forklift to move a tiger and they rent for $300.00 per day with an operator. Even our vets, who do nothing but cats, and have done ours for many years, will not bring a big cat into their office unless it is already confined to the squeeze cage.

How will you transport your cat to the vet for all of it’s yearly vaccinations, check ups and boo boos? Even a little cat, in it’s squeeze cage isn’t going to fit into your compact car. You will need a van and it has to be in tip top shape because being stranded on the side of the road in the middle of no where, or worse yet, traffic, with a freaked out wild cat in the heat, rain or snow is a nightmare of extreme proportion. Been there, done that and bought the $28,000.00 van to keep it from ever happening again. If you are dealing in small to mid size cats you might find a dependable mini van for $15,000.00. You can’t rely on borrowing one because believe me, when a cat needs emergency veterinary treatment it is always at the most inconvenient times.

Most states have cage requirements of varying standards. In some states you must have no less than 5 acres if you want to own a big cat. Acreage where I live is $75,000.00 per acre, but a lot of rural places near you may be as low as $10,000.00 per acre. Most states and federal guidelines require then that you have an 8 foot perimeter fence which on 5 acres can easily run $8000.00. You are not allowed to use this outside wall as any part of your cage, so your cage will be another $2500.00 for a small to mid size cat, like a lynx to $7500.00 for a lion, leopard or tiger. You will need a roof to prevent escapes so consider in your design how you will support it. These are just your first year, start up costs. You will never be able to move with your big cat because the Captive Wildlife Safety Act prohibits moving big exotic pet cats across state lines. Many progressive states are banning the practice of keeping wild cats captive and you could be investing tens of thousands of dollars and then when your pet dies you cannot buy another one.

Some costs keep reoccurring every year. Good food and vitamins for a mid size cat will run you $730.00 per year and for a big cat closer to $2000.00 per year. You have to be able to defrost it for them every day and 15 pounds of bleeding meat in your kitchen every day is a health hazard unto itself. If your cat just gets it’s annual shots and doesn’t need any emergency care your vet bill will be about $127.00 to $250.00 depending on the size of the cat. They have to be vaccinated every year for rabies and all the regular cat diseases. Worming your cat every month, if you do it yourself will cost $45.00 to $60.00 and flea prevention costs $120.00 to $250.00 per year per cat depending on size. You will have to learn a new trick every month for fleas and wormings as the cats hate both and can smell you coming a mile off.

You will need state and federal permits and if you have never dealt with these governmental agencies you are in for a life time of headaches and heart breaks that just won’t stop. None of them want to deal with “pet people” and they will do every thing in their power to make you wish you had never brought home that little bundle of joy. You have to pay for the privilege and these licenses and dues can run you well over $200.00 per year. If you don’t keep your permits up to date they can confiscate your cat and kill it. These agencies will often require you to carry liability insurance and that can run you $1000.00 to $14,000.00 per year depending on your safety record. Most homeowners insurance policies will cancel you if they find out you have an exotic animal and many states are purposely reporting your permit status to the public to make it easier for your insurance carrier to find out. If you have a mortgage on your home, you have to have insurance and may not be able to get it, which means you could be foreclosed.

Some things are fun, like buying toys for your exotic cat, but you can’t buy them stuff on the racks because they will destroy and eat it and then you’ve got some major medical bills. Our big cats like an indestructible ball that weighs 125 pounds and costs $250.00 including shipping. The smaller cats can get along with a $50.00 ball, but that is just one ball and they need lots of things to keep them entertained.

All wild cats, neutered or not, male or female, will spray bucket loads of urine all over everything they wish to claim as theirs (including you) because this is how nature has taught them to guard territory. See it HERE. Having worked with 150+ cats, representing 23 species for nine years I can assure you that there is no way to prevent this behaviour. Anyone who tells you otherwise doesn’t have a mature cat on their hands yet. The reason I mention it here is that the urine is very caustic and will destroy their cage walls in a very short period of time, so you will be constantly rebuilding. You don’t even want to know what it does to the sheet rock walls of your house or to wood. Those trips to the vet will leave your car smelling like a sewer and nothing will get that smell out.

Buy Big Cat Hat, Shirt or Tee
Consider also that nature has hard wired exotic cats in such a way that once they are mature they no longer feel any love for their mother and if they run into her in the wild will kill her for the territory. Even if you raised them with all of the love and nurturing that their natural mother would provide (and she would die to protect them) they will not feel love, nor respect for you as the parent when they are full grown. Thousands of years of instincts tell them that you are competition and that their survival depends on them being solitary.

This is the most frequent email we get from exotic cat owners: “Hey, I’m really in over my head here! I got this thing as an infant. I bottle-raised it. Everything was great. But I can no longer handle this cat. I cannot housebreak it. It tries to attack people. I just don’t know what to do with it.’” This was an actual quote about a Serval, but we have had hundreds of similar letters about every kind of exotic cat.

To sum it all up, you can expect to invest almost $22,000.00 your first year into owning a small to mid size wild cat and your annual expenses will cost you around $2300.00. If you want the big cat experience, the set up cost is over $94,000.00 and the annual care is over $8000.00 IF you have no emergencies and no one gets hurt and sues you for millions of dollars. Everything has a price and this is the price of doing right by the animal. Are you really prepared?

Read what happens to all of the animals who don’t work out as pets HERE.

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Crate Training Tips: How to Crate Train Your Dog

September 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

f_21310739635_funny-cat08.jpgA crate is a valuable and useful training tool. Its main purpose is to provide security, safety and protection for short term confinement while training a puppy or new dog about its own and house boundaries.

A crate may look like a jail cell, but when used properly is your dog

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Pit Bull Terrier Dog Training: Lessons From An Expert

September 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

f_01310740133_00290011-1.jpgThe number one, most basic dog training command is sit and come. Teaching your American Pit Bull Terrier these two commands is extremely important for him to learn. Both of these basic obedience training commands are used for many different reasons such as in competition or dog show and keeping him behaved when you have company. When walking your Pit Bull off leash, you expect him to come to you when called, not run around the park with you chasing after him shouting at him to

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Good Things To Know About Dog Beds and Cat Beds

September 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

f_11310739338_dog.jpgJust like every single person has his or her ideas about the perfect bed they wish to rest in, the same thing happens for our beloved pets. There is no general rule that one can apply when it comes to choosing a suitable bed for the animals we care for, only that it must suit their size and needs. Pets cannot tell us what they wish for, so all the work falls on the owner

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Why Animals, and photos of Animals Fascinate Us

September 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

21310739056_jaws.jpgAll cubs, chicks, puppies, kittens and babies are cute, but then–
Animal families are not dysfunctional; the kids know their place. A lion cub will never tell his dad where to get off. The King does not pull any punches, get out of line and junior is literally dead meat.
Mom lion catches the dinner, dad gets his first, and the kids get the spoils. No question about the pecking order here. Dad lion is a major chauvinist pig and nobody gives him any lip about it. It is what it is. We could learn from this.
Animals have no concerns about being politically correct. Ducks are ducks, geese are geese, eagles are eagles…everyone knows who they are and where they stand. And bears are allowed to do their business in the forest without environmentalists getting all worked up about it.
We also mimic them. Most species stick together in communities. Just like Irish neighborhoods, Italian neighborhoods Chinese communities, Indian communities and so on and so forth. Very few melting pots in animal communities, and they can also get downright nasty if you tread into their territory. Sounds familiar–they must be from East L. A.
Squirrels hoard food for the winter. Look at the price of gold–we hoard too, but our motivation is more greed than need–we certainly differ there.
During a salmon run Grizzly bears jockey for position in a stream. Ever notice fisherman during a salmon run, they even get up before daybreak to get the best spot.
Carnivorous animals do not cheat–they do not need guns or other tools to kill their prey or their enemies. That is a huge difference–animals believe in fair game. The rabbit has a chance to outrun the fox–tough to outrun a bullet.
Everyone has seen video footage of women waiting for a store to open. The poor guy opening the door has to run for his life to avoid the stampede. Lemmings blindly run off a cliff as one and animal herds stampede, wolves hunt together, maybe there are some similarities there too. Herd instinct, the pack?
Ducks and other fowl fly south for the winter. To avoid the cold humans flock to the south too, however the birds of flight look much leaner than the human birds one sees on a Florida beach. Maybe a more accurate comparison would be bears putting on fat for the winter.
No government health care on the savanna. When the pups grow up they are out the door and they certainly do not live at home until they are twenty-six.
Herons fishing on a sea shore are very territorial; they prefer to be alone with plenty of distance between them and the next heron. They get pretty cranky if another heron invades their space. Does this remind you a little of a crowded human beach. Some long beaked humans get mighty cranky if you get in their space too.
Gophers and prairie dogs build housing communities, where do humans live?
Fish go to school.
Humans also eat meat, and greens, and fruit and seeds and grains, and seafood, and sometimes each other–yuck.
Animals do not need counseling. That in itself is fascinating considering the food chain. They know exactly who they are; prey or hunter, and they act accordingly, they get it. Same thing in the human kingdom, there are hunters and prey, but humans do not get it. We go to therapy to try to sort it all out, and we still do not get it.
So here we are, politically and environmentally correct, governments over-protect us, and it is still a jungle out there. Maybe it is the animal in us, or is it that we need more animal in us?

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Animal Print Vehicle Add-ons – Pick out the Animal That Suits You

September 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

11310738969_ringneckdove.jpgThey tend to search additional like complex rosettes than just dots. The key of wearing an animal centered pattern style pattern successfully is to relate the volume of pattern to our identity.
 
Leopard Print Clothes:
 
It is a fashion trend that steadily grows in summer season, and will proceed to be prominent via the autumn and winter months. One particular way that the animal print pattern is building is that it involves other animal skins, for illustration, ocelot, cow, tiger and jaguar. They go nicely with jeans or black pants and will make a uncomplicated outfit look extra modern. Warm tones like cream and beige look really superior on women.
 
Zebra Print Major:
 
They are typically black and white, but can arrive in several other colors as well. Zebra tops with thicker stripes seem more appealing than thinner ones. This design and style looks terrific on all pores and skin tones, and can be made use of for daytime, nightlife or at do the job. The zebra tank major can be worn by the two guys and gals and is also a preferred amid the vacationers. Generally silver and metallic add-ons go perfectly with the animal print top rated.
 
Zebra print has by no means been far more common than it is today. You only can’t flip on the television or open a journal devoid of seeing it on both furnishing and garments add-ons. The purpose for that recognition is that animal and zebra print fashions and furnishings pieces are timeless and sophisticated when nonetheless staying fashionable and stylish.
 
Some of the leading zebra household d?cor merchandise include things like zebra print rugs, throw pillows, blankets, chairs shower curtains and zebra print bedding. When it comes to vogue the leading offering zebra pattern accessories consist of zebra shoes, belts, handbags, shirts, skirts and even dresses.
 
Decorating with zebra pattern is really transitional as this attractive, classic pattern can be mixed with a quantity of other patterns as properly as amazing pops of coloration. The identical holds true for clothing (as extended as it’s not performed in extra!)
 
Blending this well known pattern into a place is quick. Start with a zebra rug and assemble from there or if you just want a very few touches, add a couple of pillows to the chair and sofa and perhaps a vase or a black and white patterned piece of artwork or sculpture. Be guaranteed to add some color to seriously make the bold distinction actually pop and give the place a wonderful visual influence.
 
Adding it to your outfit is very simple, slip on zebra shoes with your leggings, skirt or jeans. Heels, sandals or flats or even boots are all absolutely 12 months round best zebra accessories. Don’t want the focus on your ft, seize a zebra handbag and go! Put on it with just about something besides much more zebra. Significantly, 1 piece is adequate – stop and believe before you start dressing up like you have jungle fever!
 
For the rather greatest choices in equally zebra patterned d?cor and style objects, start off your searching on the net. The Internet offers you the vastest assortment at the finest selling prices and all from the comfort of your private residence. Though you’re purchasing, preserve in brain that zebra print add-ons make wonderful gifts for your preferred style divas and house decorators as properly!
 
Animal print car add-ons have always been well-known, they are distinctive and display individuality, but the choice of print is vast and at times perplexing.

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Big Cats Go Green! How Tigers Recycle!

September 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

01310739235_balanced-by-hozzell.jpgEnrichment Adds Quality to Life

Bobcat Enrichment (photos are from pumpkin enrichment)

At Big Cat Rescue, the volunteers formed a committee to focus on the development of appropriate enrichment for the animals in our care. When using different enrichment techniques, the animals can be stimulated to investigate and explore their surroundings. This can be accomplished by presenting novel food items (or presenting food in different ways), as well as novel objects and smells. The presentation of new items and scents can help relieve boredom and improve the overall welfare of the animals. The committee decided to focus our enrichment on trying to encourage increased natural behaviors in our captive cats.

Being a sanctuary to approximately 150 cats we had to decide exactly where to start. As a committee we determined the easiest way to approach our task was one species at a time.

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Using paper lanterns is one way to effectively help contribute towards a cleaner environment. When buying a paper lantern, be sure that it is made from one hundred percent recycled material. When used properly, paper lanterns can provide both beauty and light in an environmentally friendly way.We started with our bobcats for a number of reasons. We are home to a significant number of them (over 40) at a wide range of ages. Also, they represented a variety of backgrounds. Some were pets, some came from fur farms, some were hand-raised and some came from the wild.

For our study of bobcats and enrichment, we used the SPIDER model, which was presented by staff from Disney’s Animal Kingdom at a recent conference attended by some our our volunteers. SPIDER stands for Setting Goals, developing a Plan, Implementation, Documentation, Evaluation, and Readjustment. This presented a simple and organized system for us to follow.

The committee then used a list of questions to research bobcat behavior in the wild. These questions related to their hunting techniques and prey, territories and markings, threats, interactions with other animals as well as other observations.
We also reviewed the histories of our current bobcat population and examined their enclosures. We investigated what bobcats did in their natural environment and then brainstormed ways to try to encourage and recreate those behaviors in their enclosures here.

From our research, we were able to target a number of behaviors that we wanted to encourage with our bobcats. These included grooming, water play, sunning, climbing and denning. When the committee developed ideas to recreate these behaviors, the ideas were then submitted to our staff and veterinarian for further approval. (It is important to consider individual health issues for each cat when determining the appropriateness of different types of enrichment.) Thesesteps covered the goal setting and planning part of our model. Next came the fun part, the implementation!

For grooming, we used scents that we could spray into their enclosures. We used star anise and vanilla steeped in water. We then put the scented water into squirt guns and sprayed logs and trees in the bobcat habitats. (Just a note: the star anise was much more popular than the vanilla.) The bobcats would usually find the scent and either roll around or rub against the area we had sprayed. We found that when multiple bobcats were housed in the same enclosure, they would often start to groom each other as well. This was probably one of our more successful enrichment goals and it was fun to watch the responses of the cats. They loved it!

During our research, we discovered that bobcats will sometimes spend time in the water. We purchased a galvanized tub that was large enough for the bobcats to play in, but small enough to be easily moved from cage to cage. The tub was placed inside an enclosure and was filled with a few inches of water. We found that some of our bobcats really enjoyed splashing around and investigating the water.

We also wanted to find ways to encourage our bobcats to sun themselves and climb, which were other natural behaviors that we studied. This involved examining our current enclosures. We had to determine which cages naturally had rocks and logs in sunny spots or trees for climbing and if or how we could improve or change the others. We used scented treats in the higher spots of their enclosures to encourage them to climb. The bobcats seemed to enjoy this as well. We did note, however, that on our types of cage wire, the cats that were clawed sometimes had difficulty climbing the cage itself. We restricted any treats on the cage itself to cats that were declawed.

Our research also revealed that bobcats will often create temporary dens. To encourage this behavior, we placed large boxes in their enclosures. The boxes had holes in them large enough for the cats to enter. The results of this were mixed. Some of our bobcats loved them (although they did not necessarily use them for dens) and some of them were not interested.

After each implementation of enrichment, we evaluated our successes and failures, determined what changes we needed to make and sometimes tried again (the readjustment part of the model). The adjustments we made were noted above.

As far as documentation, we decided the easiest way for us to record our enrichment was to make a list of all of our animals. When one of our volunteers gives an animal enrichment, the date and type of enrichment is logged on the list. The lists are updated monthly.

The enrichment committee at Big Cat Rescue has found this model to be helpful in organizing, researching and documenting our progress. We have learned so much more about our animals through this process and with that knowledge, feel like we can give them better care while they are with us. We hope you can use some of the information we have shared here. For more information about enrichment or Big Cat Rescue, you can visit the web site at bigcatrescue.org.

Former Volunteer, Carolyne Clendinen

Reactions ran from leaping, pouncing, rubbing, drooling, spraying, guarding and eating the pumpkins. Like most things, the best things in life are free.

These were some of the ploys used by zoo keepers across America to entertain captive cats. Our Volunteers implement them here for our animals enjoyment.

Laser Mouse: The red pin light pointing device. The cats will chase this thing anywhere, just dont point it in their eyes. Even during the day, the beam is bright enough to catch their attention.
All Spice or just about any other cooking spice will “spice” up an old toy or cause the cat to rub all over a log of specific spot. Ask for outdated stuff at groceries or spice dealers.
Catnip
Cantaloupe, coconut, apples in water bucket
Use yogurt containers to make blood- cicles for the cats to lick in the heat. Use bucket forms to make them for the Tigers. You can get plenty of blood at food prep at 7 pm each night.
Move their cage furniture around to make things more interesting, just be careful not to make an escape route.
Do not use staples, tape, wire or string in making permanent cage toys.
Pinecones, dipped in blood with meat chips smushed in are great amusement, but not on Mondays as the cats might be hungry enough to eat the cone.
Civet poop is very aromatic. Have a sample tested by the vet to make sure there are no parasites to pass along.
Pumpkins full of crickets. The crickets will hang out in the pumpkin for food and the cats will have fun chasing them if they dont. Use natural vine to hang chicken wings so that the cat can pretend to capture its food. Be careful that the cat cannot hang it’s self. Tape recorder playing bird calls sealing in a plastic ball. Geoffroy cats, put their litter boxes as high up as you can as they use trees in the wild.
Astroturf, outside Lemur cage, but within reach. Spread with peanut butter and let them pick at it all day. Be sure to wash thoroughly.
Toilet paper rolls make great places to hide treats for cats, lemurs, civets, coati etc
Training dummies soaked in hunting scents, like rabbit and grouse, hung from heavy duty plastic chains, at just above nose height, will keep
Mark this as a “Favorites” page and then check out these great enrichment ideas: http://www.enrichment.org/sample.html

The animals enclosure should supply them with ongoing things to do.

Above right, Pisces, the Fishing Cat catches a fish in his stocked pond.

All tigers should have access to a pool. Three of our tigers have access to a lake in which they can swim. 11 of our tigers retired here in their golden years and had never had the opportunity to swim, so shallow cooling pools were created for them to insure they didn’t drown. Their pools over look the lake and have pumps that keep the water from the spring fed lake circulating through the pool and then back to the lake via a water fall. This creates a nice atmosphere in which the cats can lounge at the lake’s edge and dream about the swans and ducks they could catch.

A very inexpensive way to amuse cats for hours is to use paper towel, toilet paper and fabric tubes to hold various meats that aren’t the cats typical fare. The tubes are sometime sprayed with perfumes, or marinated in spices. All of our volunteers collect these card board tubes and save them up for enrichment days. One of our supporters, Kay King has a fabric related company and donates the fabric tubes for the larger cats. Photo by Anissa Camp of Mary Ann Reeds hands.

The cats will spend hours carrying the tubes around as if they caught the “prey” themselves. They roll on them, drool on them and eventually shred them to pieces to get to the good stuff inside. This stimulates all of their natural predatory instincts and provides a safe form of amusement. Photo by Anissa Camp of Shadow the Western Cougar sniffing his tube to see what the mystery treat of the day is.

Enrichment on a Budget

Being a non-profit sanctuary poses several obstacles for enrichment activities. Many resources, primarily money and time, are extremely limited. Volunteers are required to wear multiple hats to ensure a safe and healthy life for our animals. To add enrichment activities to the exhausting cleaning, maintenance, and fund raising was a daunting prospect. But despite the struggle, Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, FL has implemented a successful enrichment program.

Many of the enrichment types we utilize have already been mentioned in several places, so this article will focus more on how weve implemented the program, giving some insight into the challenges we faced.

One of the first actions taken was to determine what enrichment activities absolutely could not be accomplished. Mimicking foraging and other food-based enrichments are usually major activities at large institutions. We see the benefit of such projects, but are not able to implement any for our carnivores. Due to the fact that all animals are housed outside in Florida weather, mealtime comes just before dusk for all meat-eaters. Any other feeding time would run the risk of increasing our bug and parasite populations. Another negative aspect is that the volunteers who prepare meals are not always the ones overseeing enrichment, so there is room for error in diet.

Instead, bite-sized treats are used in food-puzzles or as motivation to inspect a new object. Using frozen fish for enrichment has proven very successful. We feel that because fish is not an item used in our regular diet preparation, it is a novelty itself. Frozen fish purchased by the bag is inexpensive, and the long shelf life helps with our time constraints. A common use of food in our enrichment program is to hide a piece of smelt inside a paper towel roll with the ends curled in. Weve received positive responses from Cougars (Felis concolor), Servals (Felis serval), Caracals (Felis caracal), as well as Binturongs (Arctictis Binturong) and African Civets (Civettictis civetta).

After determining what enrichment activities were unsuitable for our program, we then brainstormed the ease of implementing the activities left on the table. It may seem that the animals are being short-changed by our realistic approach, eliminating very effective and useful activities. But it is our careful thinking and knowledge of how the sanctuary must be run every day that allows the program to continue and flourish.

After all the planning, we ended up with a selection of easy to implement, use and monitor activities to enrich all of the species (over 25!) at the sanctuary. Many of the materials needed can be saved from the trash (yogurt cups make the perfect size bloodcicle to fit through our cages). We modified projects that required purchasing items to use things that were cheap and easily available. For example, a project that intrigued us was to cut holes in a gourd and stuff it with liverwurst. Gourds are seasonal and can be expensive, so we modified the activity to use potatoes. An apple corer is used lengthwise on the potato, and then the left over center can be used to either plug the potato, adding a level of difficulty to the activity, or the center is rolled in sweet basil and pumpkin spice and given to our Geoffroys cats (Felis geoffroyi). The Geoffroys have shown much more response to olfactory stimulation than any other toy or food.

What ties our enrichment program together is a database where all activities are recorded. This database tracks the date, species, name, enrichment type, and the animals reaction. The species, animal name, and enrichment type are fields that must be chosen from lists. We are alerted when an attempt is made to add an item to these lists. This gives us an opportunity to realize something new has occurred and we should discuss it with the rest of the group.

Besides reports on all the animals, the database can search on any of the first four fields (date, name, species, enrichment type). This allows for all sorts of questions to be answered. In an instant, we can learn who received enrichment last, what types of enrichment a certain species has responded to and how, as well as take a look at individual cases.

In particular, we have many cougars that were privately owned and truly enjoy human company. While this is an added bonus to help care for them, they often prefer the enrichment volunteer to the enrichment activity. It is extremely useful to have at our fingertips an individual history on each cougar of what has been offered them and how they have responded.

Big Cat Rescue houses over 200 animals on 40 acres. With volunteers undertaking the daily workload, starting an enrichment program seemed impossible. But with careful planning before implementation and the open communication of the database, we have logged hundreds enrichment activities and have seen wonderful reactions from all of our animals. Now that the initial hurdles have been conquered, we are taking steps to implement some of the more labor-intense enrichment activities previously discarded.

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