We try to do a LIVE walkabout every day at Big Cat Rescue so we get a lot of newcomers who always ask the same questions. This is a quick and easy answer list to the top 5 (or 6) most frequently asked questions, but be sure to click the links to get the full explanations with photos and videos.
If you have been sent to this page here is the most important thing you need to know and do:
Big Cat Rescue is leading the sanctuary community when it comes to changing hearts, minds and laws to protect big cats and their cubs. You can help us by taking action at CatLaws.com
For a more extensive list of Frequently Asked Questions go to https://bigcatrescue.org/quick-links/
SUGGESTION: When you start watching a Big Cat Rescue LIVE video, if you will have these pages open in another tab on your browser you will be able to find links and answers for newcomers who are asking questions in the comments. YOUR HELP IS APPRECIATED. If you see questions being asked that you think should be added to the FAQ pages, please add it in the comments at the bottom of this page.
I'm zoomed in so that the cat fills the screen. Our cages are much larger than what you can see from the camera angle. They start at 1200 square feet for small cats and range in size up to acres, with vacation areas for even more space. https://bigcatrescue.org/cages/
No wild cat, born in a cage, like these guys were, can ever go free. It's illegal and impossible for a lot of reasons. https://bigcatrescue.org/gofree/
Exotic cats are solitary by nature and don't want to share space. There are a few exceptions, but the cats who live alone here are housed alone because they prefer it. https://bigcatrescue.org/solitary/
Big cats should never be pets and we should never do anything that might make someone want one as a pet. https://bigcatrescue.org/dont-they-miss-being-petted/
Big Cat Rescue feeds out over 500 pounds of raw meat per day in the early morning. The video you were watching is just evening snacks for cats on meds, or those who need a little more food for the day, if they didn't eat well this morning. Read more https://bigcatrescue.org/feed-cats/
The main difference between Big Cat Rescue and a zoo is our philosophy. At Big Cat Rescue we believe it is cruel to breed a wild cat for life in prison. They belong in the wild and seeing them in cages hasn't protected them from nearly going extinct. In fact, we believe that the practice of keeping wild cats in cages is causing their extinction because as long as people can pay $10 bucks to see a cat in a cage they aren't going to do the hard work of protecting habitat, where they might never see one.
Zoos are in the business of showing animals for a fee, or for donations. They know that nothing drives attendance like having plenty of babies for people to gawk at, but no wild cat born in a cage can ever go free, so despite their claims of breeding "for conservation" it is really just to separate you from your money. Some zoos make relatively small donations to work in the wild, just so they can say they support it, but if you look at the amount of money generated by zoos and the pittance that goes to protecting wild animals in the wild, their motivations become apparent.
Big Cat Rescue is investing heavily into virtual reality and 360 videos of wild cats as an alternative for zoos. They have the fan base (people who need amusement for their kids) and the infrastructure and the good will of politicians to turn these sad, archaic prison cells into theaters of interactive experiences via the technology that already exists. That tech will only improve as more zoos adopt a virtual animal only policy. They could then become huge revenue generators to support conservation in the wild where the real wild animals belong.
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