August 14 2017

Big Cat Updates

According to Gabrielle, even tigers need a Monday afternoon nap.

ACTION ALERT – OHIO Residents

Your Senator Portman is critical to saving big cats!

The bipartisan Big Cat Public Safety Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by a Republican and a Democrat working together. It is making great progress in the House with 73 cosponsors signed on already.

In order to introduce the bill in a bipartisan way in the Senate we need a strong Republican to join Democratic Senator Blumenthal.

Your Senator Portman is our number one choice to be that lead cosponsor. We know he cares about animals, but HE NEEDS TO KNOW that enough of his constituents in the state care about big cats.

Please click here to email his office urging him to end the mistreatment of big cats by becoming a lead sponsor of this critical bill.

MESSAGE TO PORTMAN

Dear Senator Portman,

The Big Cat Public Safety Act is a bipartisan effort to end inappropriate ownership of big cats as pets, stop the abusive cub petting trade, and limit exhibitors to those who do not repeatedly violate the law.

As the state that experienced the horror of the Zanesville “massacre” a few years ago, we should take the lead in making sure that never happens again.

Please do not listen to people whose income and/or fame comes from ripping young animals from their mothers at birth to charge people to handle them or to cart them to fairs or to TV shows to display them. This is not educational or helping conservation. In fact, it sends exactly the opposite message.
Please join Senator Blumenthal as a lead sponsor on the bill so it can be introduced in the Senate in powerful bipartisan way like it has been in the House and end both the mistreatment of the animals and the risk to law enforcement and the public that Zanesville so vividly demonstrates.

OHIO RESIDENTS ONLY!!!

http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/51389/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=23069

After emailing:

You can increase your influence on him ten fold by calling his D.C. office at 202-224-3353 and telling the person who answers the phone: “Please ask your boss to join Senator Blumenthal as a lead sponsor on the Big Cat Public Safety Act.” That’s all there is to it.

Facebook Live Video Replays

VIDEO: Windsong Memorial Cat Hospital Surgery Room – Zimba Serval saw Dr. Justin Boorstein, DVM today about some bad teeth. More about Zimba here: http://bigcatrescue.org/zimba-serval/ This video was streamed live by https://BigCatRescue.org/vet

Answers to questions asked during the live video:

Someone asked about Cooper. Cooper is doing GREAT. He has a page we are trying to keep current. So you can always get the latest on him at https://BigCatRescue.org/cooper/

Big Cat Rescue is on Twitter, let me get that link for you

Carole’s leg is healing up nicely. Looks like she might end up with a pretty nasty scar tho

Dental work is one area where male vets often have a huge advantage because pulling teeth takes a lot of hand strength.

Their eyes stay open when sedated. That’s why they have to put goo in them so they don’t dry out.

One of the things that makes Dr J so cool is that he doesn’t have that god complex so many doctors do.

This is a dental for 19 yr old Zimba http://bigcatrescue.org/zimba-serval/

Cougar Photo bracelet link: https://big-cat-rescue.myshopify.com/products/bracelet-photo-cougars

Sarah, this is 19 yr old Zimba Serval http://bigcatrescue.org/zimba-serval/

VIDEO: Cyrus Caracal was neutered so he can be reunited with Chaos Caracal.

Answers to questions asked during the live video: (I just copy/pasted from the live feed comments to here)

We do not breed here so cats who live together must be fixed first.

Cyrus is 7 years old.

You can help by donating at you can help at bigcatrescue.org/donate

Learn more about Cyrus at http://bigcatrescue.org/cyrus/

Yes, we accept volunteers. There is a button on http://bigcatrescue.org/get-involved/ to find out more. If you want to know what it is like to be a keeper here go to our training website at http://ZooCollege.com it is open to all ages.

Here is a tote bag honoring Chaos, Cyrus, and Zucari. https://big-cat-rescue.myshopify.com/products/tote-cyrus-chaos-zurcari-rescue

Angry faces are sometimes from people who hate us for trying to end the private pet trade in big cats. The people who hate us are those who either make a living by breeding and exploiting captive cats or those who love to see who the next baby cat in the closet is going to be.

Jane when a sterile field is needed we all put on gloves etc. It’s such a minor incision there isn’t a need to get all gowned up, although they did cover their hair. Please see https://BigCatRescue.org/gloves/

HUGE shout out to everyone who has donated items to this hospital. Every bit of the building AND equipment was donated as well as the cash donations for the supplies.

Dr Justin is stitched a flap over the hole so it will heal faster and not get food stuck in there.

Rotten teeth are an open passageway for infection, so it’s important to get them out.

Cat bites can be dangerous both to other animals and to humans. In their mouths, all cats carry a large number of bacteria that are capable of causing tissue infections in bite wounds. One of the more common is highly pathogenic bacterium known as Pasteurella multocida.

That tube down his throat is delivering the anesthesia to his lungs

When people breed exotic cats it is usually so they can pimp out the cubs or kittens, so they take them away from their moms way too early. That means they don’t get a proper diet and end up with bone and teeth issues.

Did you guys know you can buy logo gear like what the vet is wearing that says AdvoCat on it https://catrescue.myshopify.com/products/logo-advocat-mens-printed-v-neck-t

We always give fluids because it will help wash the sedation drugs out of they system when they wake up

Dr. Justin, Gale and Jamie have been doing this for years and they keep a close eye on the monitors

It is cruel to breed wild cats for life in prison and there are no conservation programs that include captive bred cats. http://bigcatrescue.org/breedingkills

He will get pain meds and antibiotics for a few days

Cyrus and Chaos are pretty recent arrivals. More about him at http://bigcatrescue.org/cyrus/

He will be much more calm and relaxed. Intact males pace around all day in frustration at not getting what they want. Once they are fixed they are a lot more at peace.

Cyrus Caracal is being neutered so we can try to put him back with Chaos. Chaos was spayed already, but Cyrus will just pester her to death if we don’t neuter him too.

Jamie wipes all of the non toxic children’s finger paints off Cyrus’ paws. Learn more at http://BigCatRescue.org/paw/

We have to do everything we possibly can while he’s sedated because sedation is risky business and we don’t want to do it again unless it’s a life or death situation.

Gale has been training with Carole’s mother to take over her job of managing the sanctuaries finances and businesses.

Yes, Dr. Justin had a hair cut.

NOTE to Viewers: Today I just posted the answers instead of both questions and answers thinking that would be less scrolling for all of you. Since these Big Cat Update pages are FOR YOU, please let me know if doing it this way is acceptable? It makes it faster for me and less scrolling for you. But if you prefer the questions, too, let me know in the comments of this page.

VIDEO: Cute foster kittens to steal your hearts. Watch more at http://explore.org/bigcatrescue This couch was created by BNC Cat playgrounds

Answers to questions asked during the live video:

You guys can keep watching them over here: http://explore.org/live-cams/player/big-cat-rescue-kitten-cabana

Susan, it is part of our volunteer program to play with kittens, but mostly it’s hard work. You can see the training our volunteers and staff get at http://ZooCollege.com

These are rescued kittens that we foster for the Humane Society of Tampa Bay until they are old enough to fix and adopt out.