• Donate Now
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us
Big Cat Rescue
  • Get Involved
  • Cub Facts
  • The Sanctuary Cats
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Donate
No Result
View All Result
  • Get Involved
  • Cub Facts
  • The Sanctuary Cats
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Donate
No Result
View All Result
Big Cat Rescue
No Result
View All Result
Home News World

Vegas school kids allowed to pet tiger cub’s tail "for luck"

Carole by BCR
January 30, 2010
in News World
0 0
0
0
SHARES
76
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

Jan. 26, 2010

DOUG ELFMAN: Kids get to pet tiger’s tail for luck

Tropicana illusionist Dirk Arthur, who works with big cats onstage, took a 10-week-old white Bengal tiger to a Hebrew academy on Monday to let 430 kids pet the cub’s tail for luck. Weird, right?

“There’s a myth that touching a tiger’s tail is good luck,” Arthur told me backstage (in this, the Chinese year of the tiger).

“I think that myth,” he said, “came from India, where if you were to touch a tiger’s tail in the wild without getting killed — you were lucky.”

With little cub Saber in his arms, Arthur walked up and down the auditorium of the Adelson Educational Campus (where Arthur’s producer’s son attends).

The cub got a tad nervous, so he hugged onto Arthur, occasionally licking Arthur’s ear, as kids from kindergarten through high school gave him a pet.

Yes, Monday’s event was cute, and there were a lot of “awww’s.” More than one girl said, “Oh my God, I want one.”

And yes, I’m aware some animal activists aren’t fans of big cats living in captivity, but today’s column isn’t about that.

Instead, I took the opportunity to ask Arthur some basic questions about the lifestyles of this cub and his other cats.

Question: Aren’t cubs, even this small, really powerful?

Answer: Yes. Saber is already “super strong,” Arthur said. If he grabbed or gripped you, he would do so with the strength of a man about the size of John Goodman. When he’s grown, he’ll be about as strong as 10 Arnold Schwarzeneggers.

Arthur said the cub isn’t dangerous yet, not in his hands, with his 28 years of training.

Q: Where did Saber come from?

A: This cub came from a Texas breeder who exchanges cubs with Arthur so both breeders can avoid inbreeding within their own animal collectives.

Q: How many cats does he have?

A: Fourteen.

“We have the largest collection, and the rarest collection, of performing cats in the world right now. We’re really proud of that, including snow tigers, African leopards, Asian leopards, black panthers, white tigers and an incredibly rare liger, which is part lion and part tiger.

“All the wild animals are always ‘wild.’ We never say ‘tamed.’ We just say ‘trained,’ because that’s the reality. We always have to be careful.”

Q: Where do these cats live?

A: On a couple of Arthur’s acres (tree-lined, grassy and “jungle-ish”) in southwest rural Vegas. They get transported to the Trop for shows, then are taken back home.

“They get lots of exercise,” Arthur said. “Every cat gets out every day. They’re all trained to walk on the (chain) leash. They love going to the show because everything is like a game for them. It’s fun.”

Q: Do they frolic together?

A: “Tigers and leopards live solitarily, so most habitants live separate — except when breeding or when a mother has cubs and raises cubs together.”

Q: Why did Arthur want to bring a cub (plus a brief film showing his animal habitat) to kids?

A: “People can watch ‘Animal Planet’ and see cats on TV and go to zoos. But when they actually see a tiger up close and can touch a tiger, I think it makes a much greater impact on people. We want people to know it’s important to preserve wildlife and preserve the jungles and forests of the world.”

Q: What does Saber eat?

A: Three or 4 pounds of raw meat each day. Now he’s on ground turkey and vitamin supplements for a high potency calcium diet.”

Q: Do his big cats play with catnip?

A: “Some people do give the big cats catnip. I’ve never had luck with it.”

Doug Elfman’s column appears Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. E-mail him at delfman@reviewjournal.com. He blogs at reviewjournal.com/elfman.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/kids-get-to-pet-tigers-tail-for-luck-82667692.html

————

Learn more about big cats and Big Cat Rescue at http://bigcatrescue.org


Tags: News World
Previous Post

Kanye West wears lynx coat to Paris Men’s Fashion Week

Next Post

World’s SCARIEST Cat?

Next Post

World's SCARIEST Cat?

Leave a Reply

  • Default Comments (0)
  • Facebook Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Help Feed Big Cats

One of the best ways to help is through general donations that can be used however it is most needed at the time.To make a general donation just click the Donate Now button below.  This is the best way to give as it has the lowest credit card processing fees and is immediate help for the cats.

Give to Big Cat Rescue

If you prefer to donate via Pay Pal, please use this link: Pay Pal

Recent Articles

  • Summer Bobcat LIVE! June 26, 2022
  • Cat VS Dog…Fennel? June 22, 2022
  • Black Leopard Bath time! June 22, 2022

Save Big Cats

Donate to Big Cat Rescue

Sanctuary Cats

  • Jaguars
  • Leopards
  • Lions
  • Tigers
  • Bobcats
  • Canada Lynx
  • Cougars
  • Ocelots
  • Savannah Cats
  • Servals

More from Big Cats

  • Big Cat Rescue is Live 24/7 on Webcams
  • Rescue Missions
  • About Big Cat Rescue
  • Big Cat Rescue News
  • Reviews
  • Our Recent Work
  • Sanctuary FAQs
  • Big Cat TV
Summer Bobcat LIVE!

Summer Bobcat LIVE!

June 30, 2022
Cat VS Dog…Fennel?

Cat VS Dog…Fennel?

June 22, 2022
Black Leopard Bath time!

Black Leopard Bath time!

June 22, 2022
  • Donate Now
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us

© Copyright 2022 BigCatRescue.Org. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • 2018 Appeal
  • About BCR
  • About our Cookies
  • Account
  • BCR in the Media
  • Big Cat NFTS
  • Big Cat Rescue Caring for Cats and Ending the Trade
  • Big Cat Rescuers
  • Big Cat Times
  • Blog
  • Board of Directors
  • Browse Submissions
  • Connections
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Credentials
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Donate Crypto
  • Embed Link
  • Followers
  • Following
  • GET THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT CUB PETTING
  • Global Big Cat News
  • Intern Program
  • Join Us
    • Registration
  • Kids
  • Latest from Big Cat Rescue
  • Licensing
  • Login
  • Login
  • Logout
  • Logout
  • Malaya Bobcat
  • Map
  • Map of Big Cat Owners
  • Member Directory
  • Members
  • My Profile
    • Edit Profile
  • Netflix
  • News about Big Cats
  • News Gallery
  • News@BCR
  • Our Live Feeds
  • Password Reset
  • PressRoom
  • Privacy Policy
  • Register
  • Register
  • Register
    • Edit Your Profile
    • Update Billing Card
    • Welcome
    • Your Membership
  • Rescues
  • Search result
  • Series Archive – Default header
  • Shop
  • SnowLeopard
  • Social Stream
  • Staff
  • Submission Confirmed
  • Teachers
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Terms of Use
  • User
  • USFWS
  • Vets
  • Videos archive
  • Get Involved
    • Automatic
    • Sponsorships
    • Volunteer
      • AdvoCats
      • Click to Feed
      • Intern
    • Legacy
    • Roar! Speak Out for Big Cats
    • Ink
  • Finances
  • How We Started
  • Abuse Issues
    • Issues
      • Exhibitions
      • Private Ownership of Big Cats
      • Zoos
      • White Tigers
      • Circus
      • Fur
      • Trophy Hunting
      • Canned Hunting
      • Why Regulations Don’t Work
  • Our Evolution
  • Photos & Facts
  • Videos
  • Our Volunteers
  • Your Privacy
  • Donate
  • Site Map
  • Field Trips

© Copyright 2022 BigCatRescue.Org. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist