Everyone loves opening presents; it’s honestly one of the only serotonin highs in this life. Anyway, unlike all the other big cats, cougars cannot roar. And, like the little cats, cougars purr. Despite the differences, cougars love to play, just like cats of all sizes.
The trick is finding a toy large and durable enough for a wildcat to play with. The folks at Big Cat Rescue brought all kinds of toys in for all kinds of big cats to play with. We spy a ball there, which is always a hit with cats, no matter their size. And boxes? This cat’s in feline heaven.
Lounge Act
How comfortable and relaxed does this enormous tiger look? Sprawled across this chaise lounge, he clearly has claimed the best seat in the house. Short of a sibling, we can’t imagine anyone who would contest the 200-pound beast's cushy lair.
At home, a house cat might try to claim the best couch too. Cats tend to take over the furniture. But at least with a house cat, it's an even contest. Our only concern (well, our main one, at least) is that even housecats can do some irreparable damage to couches. So, we can't imagine what number this little guy will do to it.
I'm Feeling Boxed In
Cats are confident, majestic, in-charge animals. They always land on their feet. Cats rarely misjudge jumps or attacks. This snow leopard, we can only assume, is absolutely mortified. He must be indignant that its box would do such a thing to him as get stuck on his head.
Luckily for this playful leopard, the box was shaken off soon enough. Who knows if he’ll go after a box again after this incident? Although, with their legendary curiosity, he will probably try to conquer that box once more someday. Legend has it that they are still fighting to this day.
Christmas at the Toronto Zoo
Santa did not forget about these snow leopards at the Toronto Zoo! Ena, Kita, and Mylo were good all year, and we enjoyed watching them rip into their Christmas present. The zoo said it was an enrichment gift as part of its 2018 “12 Days of Enrichment” program. Many other zoo animals were included in the festivities.
Cats are curious, and these snow leopards were very curious about the Christmas present sitting in the middle of their territory. They went up to them and gently unwrapped the ribbon and paper, thanked their handlers for the thoughtful gifts, and shared them between themselves. Just kidding, they tore them apart like they would a gazelle and played until the sun went down.
Sleepy Snow Leopard
Awww! Here’s a two-week-old snow leopard hiding out in a blue bucket on the day of his first vet exam at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington. At the first exam, zoo vets reported that the cub was female. Upon closer examination, the second visit found a surprise! The young cub was determined to be male, according to the Woodland Park Zoo blog. The community voted to name him Aibek. It means, “will live for many moons” or long-living.
Snow leopards originate from the high mountain ranges of Central Asia and Russia. Populations of the striking wildcat are endangered, with fewer than 8,000 snow leopards roaming wild. In their native habitat, these beautiful beasts are often hunted for their fur and bones, which tribes use in traditional medicines. They also get killed by herders while preying on livestock.