We became involved with big cats purely by accident. Jim came home with a 12 week old cougar kitten (Choctaw), and we fell head over heals in love with him! After raising him and gaining knowledge, Jim felt he was ready for the tiger cub he had always wanted.

We already had the facility for young cats, leopards and cougars. Jim looked into USDA licensing and we applied. This is usually a very difficult license to obtain, however, we are proud to say we passed inspection with flying colors. We are both USDA Brokers in the "Animal Welfare Act". It is our responsibility to ensure the safety, welfare and survival of these endangered species.

Then came Sinbad, a 7 week old bengal tiger cub. As we were bottle feeding him, we built his facility to allow him to grow into it. The saying, "one thing leads to another" is so true ! We now have 3 black leopards, 1 spotted leopard, 2 cougars, 2 tigers and 1 african male lion. Soon we will have an african lioness to grow up with our male.

This is no longer just for our enjoyment. It has become a "Lifes Work". We occasionally take in donated cats that are not in a safe situation. Space and money dictate to us how many we can help.

Caring For Your Cat Many people are fascinated with these cats, and do not real- ize the unbelievable amount of attention and expense that is involved in caring for just one cat, let alone this many. We urge you to educate yourselves thoroughly before getting involved with these cats, and realize that it is a 24 hour, 7 day a week responsibility. No more vacations or spare time. Alot of people obtain a cat when it is small and adorable, not realizing how large and difficult to control they will become. It is the cruel, inhumane person, and uneducated person that is a danger to these cats, themselves and others. Their neglect and/or lack of basic knowledge sometimes causes them to abandon their cats, or they simply do not feed them properly, causing rickets (calcium deficiency) or other life threatening diseases. A balanced diet and proper vitamins are essential to maintain- ing a healthy animal. We use Chapparal vitamins (505-344-2343). These are zoological vitamins for all exotic animals. We use double the dose for the large cats. Two teaspoons of this powder on their food for each cat is good. It is critical that these cats receive the proper amount of calcium while they are growing. You can contact your local farm supply store and ask them if they carry, "Horse Health" products. This product is called, "Dicalcium Phosphate". If the formula for horses calls for 3 teaspoons, then you reduce that dosage in half for cats. This is to be used carefully, for not enough will cause rickets, a calcium deficiency otherwise known as metabolic bone disease. Too much can cause bone spurs to develop in the animals joints. A golden rule to follow is to always go by body weight, and once you get up to 1/2 0z., NEVER increase this beyond that dosage. You should give this to lions and tigers until they are grown, (approx. 4 years), and to leopards on down until they are 2 years of age. The Chapparal vitamins should remain a permanent part of their daily intake. Pregnant females will also benefit from the Chapparal vitamins. Feeding these animals is basic common sense. We feed beef and chicken daily. A cougar will eat about 5 # of beef/chicken, and tigers and lions will eat approximately 10 to 20 # daily. Never feed anything but raw meat, with no spices. You can estimate the amount you should feed, by the wasted food they may not eat. Cut back alittle at a time. Always take into consideration the time of year and weather conditions. If it is extremely hot, they will not want as much to eat, however, in the cooler months they will require more food. After discussing the issue of some cats not eating the food with the vitamins on it, and constipation and hair balls in adult cats with our veterinarian, I have come up with my own recipe as a daily treat. I call them "Power Balls". You mix 5 # of ground raw beef, 1 1/2 sticks of melted satur- ated butter, 1/2 cup of liquid oil (wesson), and 2 cups of raw oatmeal. Mix in the chapparal vitamins and add (calcium) if the cat still requires it. Just give them a handful daily. This is very palatable to the cats, and it remedies 2 problems. Getting them use to this as a daily treat will keep them from becoming constipated, and aids in the prevention of hair balls while ensuring they receive their vitamins. Cats require oils to keep regular, and raw oatmeal serves as fiber. You can give your cat fresh grass for fiber, however, make sure there are no pesticides on it. Babies under 6 months of age need to be fed their meat two times a day. We pull them from their mother at 10 days old, this makes the transition from mother to human much easier. We use preemie nipples, enlarging the hole in the nipple alittle. Never bottle feed on their backs! This can cause liquid to get into their lungs causing pneumonia. We like to use esbilac powder for puppies. You can purchase 5 # bags of this through any veterinarian supply catalog, we use Jeffers Vet Supply (1-800-Jeffers), or your local farm supply store can order it for you. I cut the amount of powder in half, using the regular amount of water. The esbilac when made too strong will cause consti- pation. It is critical to add dicalcium phosphate to their formula! To prevent bacteria in their intestines, you can add one teaspoon of plain yogart to each bottle. If they are in any discomfort from constipation, use one teaspoon of clear kayro syrup in a bottle once or twice a day until you notice relief without strain. Give as much as they will drink, burping once in the middle of the bottle. You must stimulate these babys by rubbing/wiping their anals to give them the urge to go. This may not be enjoyable, however, quite necessary. This is what their mothers do. They will usually require to be fed a bottle every 2 to 4 hours until it is time to add meat to their diets. Place a shallow metal dish of water down for them to learn to drink water. You can give them ground turkey alittle at a time when they are 7 weeks old, then add deboned chicken pieces to teach them to chew. Begin the chapparal vitamins and calcium by mixing it in their meat. Once they are about 12 weeks old you can give them a chicken leg with their vitamins on it, or under the skin, which ever way you can get them to eat it. You be the judge on when to stop bottle feeding. Anytime after they are eating well is o.k. Think before you act, get involved as a volunteer at your local zoo or refuge. Learn all you can about these spectactular animals. Only then will you be able to make an educated decision. You need to check with your local county judges office to see if there are any restrictions on owning an exotic animal before you bring it home. Some counties require that you obtain a permit from them, and have the animals facility inspected by them. There are a growing number of counties which have completely banned the ownership of exotic wildlife. USDA has a new rule requiring a person to show proof of a minimum of one years experience with these cats before they will accept an application to be processed. There is nothing wrong with wanting to help care for these amazing creatures, however, you must make sure this is the right decision for you. You may prefer to volunteer some of your spare time with another facility. We feel the majority of cat owners have no business owning them. Most people don't want to take full responsiblity, and the animals are the ones that end up paying for it. Don't be fooled into thinking you can make a pet out of these cats. Just because you raised the cat does not guarantee they won't turn and maul you. These are NOT and NEVER will be domesticated pets! Exotic cats have a mind of their own, and will never respond to common disciplinary actions we take on our dogs. You must not hit or scream at these cats. They will learn what the word NO means. When they are young and bite, you pop them on the end of their nose and firmly say no. You must never allow them to run and jump on you and do things that will harm you when they get too big. They will think it's just another game. Any questions, please feel free to email us. We are here to help.

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