May 14 2018

Sue Messineo's Coordinator Notes for 5/12/2018

It was a great day today! we had enough help and the interns were able to get the home cages for a vacationing cat almost done, just needs grass seed.

We got quite a few operant and enrichment sign-offs done and volunteers had a little time to do operant and enrich other cats. Running Bear really enjoyed his spice bag, that was so nice to see.

*** Adding grass seed and watering it is something we have to do off an on and with this many enclosures it is something that is an ongoing project. If you would like to help us provide these kinds of things for the cats you can donate securely online at BigCatRescue.org/donate

Lynda Licht's Coordinator Notes for 5/13/2018

Happy Mother's Day to all. We all consider ourselves mothers (and some fathers) to the cats here so it counts for all of us with fur-babies.

We finished a vacationing cats home enclosure finished today by raking all around the outside and inside some of the tunnels, clearing the roof and picking up all the sticks, scrubbing down the platform and grass seeded. Interns, Rebecca, and I worked at various times throughout the day to get it all done.

Interns got the enrichment and operant sign-offs they needed and Lisa did her last feeding tour.

Picky cats did fairly well today so we ended the day on a high note. We were motivated to get out before the rains so we were done and out of here at 6 pm. Great job everyone!!

Lynda

King Tut, the Savannah Cat, loves his new enclosure along the tour path. King Tut arrived here October 16, 2012.

Two exotic cat hybrids who had been dumped by their owners and were starving to death. The cats had been trapped by Animal Control and no one had claimed them, so the Audubon Society drove them to us to see if they could get a second chance here. King Tut is one of those two cats.

Through the years King Tut has had a variety of health concerns.  A couple times we feared he wouldn't make it.  But because of the excellent vet care he receives and the attentive loving care from his keepers, this boy is thriving.  He still has health issues but all in all, he is doing well.

Meet King Tut at http://bigcatrescue.org/king-tut/

A few of you have asked is Big Cat Rescue will be attending CatCon this summer.

There are four of us attending Cat Con: Chris Poole, Lauren B., and Carole. If you are there, drop by and say hello to us.

Just a little note about Clover and Shamrock. They are so cute! They have been playing with each other at the fence that separates them, often. They play every night and also during the day.

Shamrock REALLY wants to play and sometimes so does Clover. Sometimes Clover looks at her like she's an annoying sibling, lol. They both, have put both of their front paws on the fence to try to play and yesterday during my shift Clover was biting the fence to try to get through, lol.

She also would go down off of her platform, in between the fence and her platform, and try finding a way through. Shamrock is usually the one to be desperately trying, but yesterday Clover was too.

Other times Clover focuses on Lucky and acts as if she wants to get back to him. She talks to him a lot and looks over at him a lot. They both have so much energy and are constantly moving at times. They are SO fast sometimes, running around, that there is no way to move the camera fast enough to keep up with them. It's exhausting, lol, but I love it!

Clover has been catching her prey and eating like a pro, the same with Shamrock. A few days ago, Shamrock must not have been very hungry in the evening, because she played with the rat instead of killing it. She batted at it like a toy, but not in a way to kill it. I'm sure she did later when she was hungry, though. I attached some photos I took of them playing through the fence and a couple of them just being beautiful. :-)

I wish you a blessed Sunday and a very Happy Mothers Day!

Warm wishes, Kristine Metzner

PS. I took the photos from Clover's side, so you see Shamrock on the right through the fence. Also, they were taken over the last two or three days.

Rehab Bobcat kitten, Shamrock has new gear!!  This shirt is available is a variety of colors, sizes, and styles.

Shamrock Tee Shirt

Lots of new Big Cat Rescue merchandise available at BigCatRescue.biz or CatRescue.biz and Smile.Amazon.com/bigcatrescue then search for Shamrock!

One of the MOST IMPORTANT things we can all do to help end the abuse and exploitation of big cats is to be diligent about making the Call of the Wild EVERY WEEK at BigCatAct.com

The only way the Big Cat Public Safety Act is going to get passed into law is for ALL OF US to not only be consistent in making the Call of the Wild ourselves but to also make it a regular topic of conversation with friends and family and to regularly encourage them to make the Call of the Wild as well.

Is YOUR STATE showing up in the top five states, yet?  Here is the graph showing top five states from May 4th through May 11th.

Zac is raising money for BCR

See Zac's video at: http://www.good4utah.com/good-things-utah/gtu-featured-guest/how-you-can-help-11-year-old-zac-save-siberian-tigers/1157562170

May 12th was a typical day at BCR. Much better than going to the gym.☺
Locking cats out prior to feeding. Feeding big cats on Back Route. Preparing and giving the Keeper Tour. Double checking Outback. And finally with Susan Reed and Barbara Zingg changing out the fly traps.
6hrs of walking 6 miles burned off 3000 calories in 21000 steps. Way over my goal of being active 1 hr 20 min a day. ???? ~Keeper Desmond Fowles

Reported By Afton

I brought in Babycakes’s house from his outdoor enclosure to see if it would fit in his cage. Narla approves!

Look at that happy boy!!! He has been in there curled up in his nap sack all day. Don’t worry, Narla is getting her very own next week.

Babycakes got a remodeled cage. I put in his home from his outdoor enclosure. Knowing he is a nocturnal animal and his room is pretty bright during the day, I figured he would benefit having his house back.

The last sighting on the camera trap was May 3rd.  Gale spoke with the gentleman checking the traps and he is willing to continue setting them for a bit longer.  If we hear anything new we'll be sure to let you know.

These shirts on Amazon benefit the big cats here at the sanctuary.  Each of them is available in a variety of sizes, styles, and colors.