September 8 2017

Big Cat Updates

Chaos is enjoying being back outside.

How You Can Help

Many of you have been asking how you can help Big Cat Rescue as we prepare for approaching hurricane Irma. We have had extra expenses for purchasing sand bags, sand and trash bags and plywood and we will have costs to run our generators during and after the storm to keep the meat freezer for the cats running and keep the electricity on in our onsite Command Center where some staff, volunteers and interns will be monitoring the cats during the hurricane. If you’d like to help Big Cat Rescue weather the storm, text CATFUND to 52-886. Thank you so much! (PLEASE NOTE that CATFUND is all one word, no space between the words)

You can also donate the traditional ways at https://bigcatrescue.org/donate

Stay up to date on this page: https://bigcatrescue.org/irma/

See what the weather is like at Big Cat Rescue by checking the live web cams at BigCatCams.com

Big Cat Rescue’s Amazon Store

Two new shirts featuring Chaos Caracal. Each shirt is available in different colors and sizes.

Facebook Live Video Replays

Checking on storm preparations. and Visiting Seth Tiger.

Tigers swimming at Big Cat Rescue.

See how Big Cat Rescuers are leaping into action to protect the wild cats at the sanctuary.

Chaos Caracal Goes Home

Walkabout & Storm Preparations

Recently Asked Questions:

Will the Coolaroos fly around and hit the cats?

We are waiting until it gets closer to time for Irma to get here. Right now, the cats are still enjoying them. When it gets closer, we will move the coolaroos to the safety entrances so they cannot fly around and hit a cat.
Everyone here has worked really hard on making sure EVERYTHING possible has been picked up to prevent things from flying around.
Trees have been trimmed, links and twigs hauled away.

Do the cats act differently knowing a storm is coming?

About the only thing we see is that sometimes before a storm arrives the cats will increase their appetites.

Will the cats drown?

No. The cats are not going to drown.
The past couple of years we have had drought conditions. Our lake here is not connected to the ocean so ocean levels will not effect Tiger Lake. Because of the drought the past couple of years Tiger Lake is way down, so it will be able to handle the extra water.
Dens are elevated above ground level.
We have ditches, trenches, and drainage systems with pumps setup to keep water channeled away from the cats. We have generators ready to run those pumps if we lost electricity.

What if you cannot get food and water, will the cats starve?

The cats will not go without water because we have our own lake.
Our freezer holds 17,000 pounds of meat. We feed out about 500 pounds per day so the cats will not run out of food for a while. We have a generator, and a backup generator, in place to run the freezer.

Who will take care of the cats?

The cats will never be alone during the storm. MANY of the team are stating ON sanctuary grounds to ride out the storm with the cats, that includes, Carole, Howard, Jamie, Dr. Justin, and MANY MORE!!
Let me relate a story to you. My very first trip to Big Cat Rescue was many years ago. I stayed on property for 10 days. Late one night a bad storm hit. Ferocious winds, pounding rain, and plenty of lightening. At 3 am, yes, 3 am, out in that storm with raincoat tails flying in the wind was the dedicated making the rounds checking every cat and every fence. LOL, nothing stops this team. They will be right here tending to the cats’ every need.

Just a few snapshots of preparations:

BigCatTV.com

Afton has created a new video about Cougars. Cougars are the largest species of cat that can still meow and even purr. Check out these cougars as they show you just that! BigCatTv.com Learn cougar facts and hear the cougars making their various sounds, like Reise meowing and purring.

Win A Big Cat Rescue Supporter Band – Show the world that you support Big Cat Rescue by wearing one a Big Cat Rescue awareness bracelet. Band is black with the BCR tiger, paw prints, and the words Big Cat Rescue in white. Each day that you make the Call of the Wild Carole is notified and at the end of every day, Carole will run a randomizer to pick one winner every day. It is important that when you make the Call of the Wild that you use you accurate address because that is the address that Keeper Lauren will then mail a Big Cat Rescue Supporter Wrist Band to the daily winner. Make the Call of the Wild at https://BigCatAct.com If you do not know what the Call of the Wild is check out the info at: https://bigcatrescue.org/cta-call-wild/

Recent Winners: 9/3/2017 Carol L., 9/4/2017 Tracie S., 9/5/2017 Elaine B., and 9/6/2017 Annette T. More to be posted, soon.

Have YOU made the Call of the wild at http://BigCatAct.com yet, this week? Have you asked at least one friend to make the call?

Keeper Corner

Here is a BRAND NEW photo from Keeper MaryLou G. of Keisha Tiger loving vacation.

Keeper MaryLou G.: Banshee Bobcat loves the Coolaroo

Keeper MaryLou G.: Ginger Serval’s back view, what a beauty!

This was posted on Facebook.com/BigCatRescue and wanted to share it here with you as well. Kali Tiger having a quick drink on a hot afternoon before leaping into the pond.