August 16, 2017

Big Cat Updates

Facebook Live Video Replays

 Keeper Corner

Keeper Jen R: For the month of August I will be coming in to do projects in Saturdays and Sundays. This weekend I started clearing behind Seth’s cage.  With 67 acres, cleaning is an ongoing every day project.  Our super pawsome viewers sent in great gifts for the sanctuary and part this weekend I got them put where they belong.

Keeper Marie Schoubert: Poor Joseph got his supplements all over his face.

Keeper Jen R:  Interns working hard to make our tour path even.

Memory from LaWanna:  Someone asked me this morning what we do if a cat refuses their meds.  Let me share a memory with you.

It was June 2013.  While at BCR for a couple weeks to take photos I followed some of the keepers for a day with the camera.   One of things going on was keepers trying to give Joseph his meds.  It was an all day thing. First, I followed Keeper Marie from food prep around the lake and across the sanctuary to Joseph. He meds were hidden in mush. No matter what she did he refused. She said that was how he took his meds the day before. Since it was a powder med there was no getting it back out of the mush.

She went back out about an hour later. She sliced a piece of red chunk meat about halfway through and hid another dose of the powdered med inside it.  Across the sanctuary and around the lake back to Joseph.  He bit in and spit it out, growled at her, walked away and laid down with his back to her.   She stood there for ever calling and coaxing and Joseph’s response was to growl at her and move further away.  So, back around the lake and across the sanctuary to put Joseph’s name on the board for someone else to try.

I followed Keeper Chris (Cole & Marmalade’s human) out an hour later and he had a chicken thigh that he raised up the skin and hid the med between the skin and the meat. Yep one bite, growl, walk away, lay down with rear end facing Chris. Back around the lake and across the sanctuary to food prep we went. This time he split the med powder up in smaller amounts and hid between the skin of three chicken legs. Back around the lake and across the sanctuary to Joseph we went.  After much coaxing from Chris and much growling from Joseph, Chris gave him a chicken leg with no meds in it.  Joseph was pretty suspicious but he ate it.  So one more chicken leg with nothing in it.  Okay Joseph was now fooled and ate the remaining three chicken legs with the med hidden.  Yep, FINALLY HE ATE HIS MEDS!!!

The next day that is what was tried first and NO WAY, he was no fool, he not eating that!  How dare they keeper try to fool him like that!  GROWL!!  The whole process started over.  It is a pretty far hike from food prep at the front of the sanctuary to Joseph at the back of the sanctuary.  So the dedication of these volunteer keepers is so above and beyond.  The keepers get very personal about cats taking or not taking their meds.  They discuss with each other what worked the day before, what little tricks they tried that worked, etc.  If you have never been there, never seen their level of commitment to these cats you have really missed out.

So, to answer the question, “What do you do if a cat refuses their meds?” is the keepers just keep trying different things clear up till dark if they have to, until the cat takes the meds. If nothing works the coordinator is informed and it gets charted for the vets to see at the end of the day.

Keeper Sharon Henry:  A sweet moment in time with my Tiger love, Zeus. Photo credit: Intern Tory Wright.

KEEPER REQUEST:  Keeper Lauren sent me an email today saying that two Senior Keepers have brought to her attention that we are running really low on Regular Fly Traps. She said, thanks to all of you, we have plenty of yellow jacket traps so we don’t need that kind.  Here is a link to the Flytraps on Amazon so you cans see which kind the keepers are asking about.

We have found these in two places:

1. Amazon.com has them in a 3-pack..  https://www.amazon.com/Rescue-FTD-Disposable-Non-Toxic-Trap/dp/B071DSZTZV/ref=sr_1_4?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1502907203&sr=1-4&keywords=fly%2Btraps&th=1
2. If you are a prime member at Amazon.com you can get them for $3.41 each, but only if you buy other pantry items, so this may not be the best option unless you are already getting other items.. https://www.amazon.com/RESCUE-Non-Toxic-Disposable-Fly-Trap/dp/B01LN3YLL6/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&qid=1502907041&sr=1-27&keywords=fly+traps
3. Another viewer found them cheaper on Walmart.com.  They are $3.41 there.  Another viewer said Walmart stores has them on sale for $2.99 but I cannot open the link they sent.  I am searching for that now. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Rescue-Fly-Trap-Insect-Control-1-unit/17134651#about-item

If you can find the same item elsewhere at a better price, please email lawanna.mitchell@bigcatrescue.org to have the link added here.

INTERN COORDINATOR REQUEST:  If any of you live in our area, and know how to fix bicycles we have a number of bicycles that the interns use, but most of them are broken or need some kind of maintenance. Do any of you wonderful volunteers or local viewers have the skills to help us out?

Wildcat Walkabout 2017 Gear

Shirt – 2017 Wildcat Walkabout 3/4 Sleeve

Celebrate Big Cat Rescue’s 25th anniversary and help support conservation projects aimed at saving tigers, ocelots, cougars, bobcats, and lions in the wild with the purchase of this awesome 2017 Wildcat Walkabout Tee. Front of the tee features the Wildcat Walkabout logo silhouettes of tiger, ocelot, cougar, bobcat, and lion and the text “Wildcat Walkabout – Big Cat Rescue – 25 Saving Big Cats for 25 Years – End Exploitation, Support Conservation. Back of Tee features Wildcat Walkabout logo, event sponsors, and BigCatRescue.org

Proceeds from the sale of these tees go towards; Primorskii Regional Non-commercial Organization in Russia, S.P.E.C.I.E.S. in Trinidad, The Mountain Lion Foundation and the Felidae Conservation Fund in California, and Working Dogs for Conservation in Africa.

Tultex 245 poly-cotton blend 50/50 polyester/ combed ring-spun cotton. Made in the USA. Unisex (women may want to size down for a slimmer fit).

 Viewer Pix

Viewer Lee Durbin:  Taken on the Tiger Lake web cam.  YOU can take photo just like this at:  https://explore.org/livecams/big-cat-rescue/big-cat-rescue-tiger-lake

Lee Durbin:  Peekaboo!!! Those interns can’t find us here!!!

Maegan Shanks:  Seth, the tree hugger!

Robin Frye:  Andy’s Funny Face

Keeper Note:  In this photo you can see how the cats’ dens are elevated above ground level.  That ensures that when we get the heavy rains that often accompany nearby hurricanes, the cats dens are high and dry.  Of course, the silly tigers are often out playing in the rain getting soaked anyway.

Lee Durbin: My Milo checking out his new mouse from BCR J He wasn’t interested at first but he sure found it in the middle of the night to bat down my hallway and wake me up! J

 Viewer Videos From Explore.org/bigcatrescue

Something touched my foot! Something touched my foot!!

Seth in the lake, looking for Andy

It’s a rat!! Don’t worry, Cooper will take care of it!

Cooper can smell a rat

Andy doing a little dance with his ball

Something touched my foot! Something touched my foot!!

Happy Tiger, Priya

A longer swim for Priya Tiger

Quick walk through the pond

Run Priya! Run!

PLEASE checkout these other viewer video channels!

Here is a list of YouTube channels that feature videos of the cats here:

• Jamie Veronica:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsY6X3rUv8UlIUbrxNeu-Aw
• Susann  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUFOZiTvzKRvj-oVbzdByvg
• Ruxandra https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvCsjKptd1gM9BhfDkGQGNg
• Donna P:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcFbhMc8Sqr-8MreWuYr4Bg
• Shawna https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfl9S-vDPJIgjl8QpM6Aypw
• Cathy S https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ynHBFLKj0BVnK5jo2gTnw
• Janie M https://www.youtube.com/user/donutgirl100
• Jaime T: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsY_oF0NhXc5OS8CcTaUi2A/videos

 Quick Links

As per viewer suggestions, Quick Links now has it’s very own page http://bigcatrescue.org/quick-links/

Bookmarking it will help you find things quickly.  That will come in handy for:

• Helping us answer questions on social media
• Finding answers to some of Carole’s Facebook Live questions

 WANTED – Graphic Artists

Carole is looking for a graphic artist who really gets what we are all about and would would like to help us with some graphics for shirts.  If that is you or if you know someone like that, please have them email Carole at cat@bigcatrescue.org