Which Big Cat?

The Cheetah or the Tiger.
The Cheetah, has been a long time favourite. They have my admiration and they are so beautiful.

In a visit to the Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Thailand, I had the privilege of bottle feeding a little baby tiger on my lap. It was only weeks old and about the size of a domestic cat. The darling little cat fell asleep in my arms. I wanted to take it home!
I also bottle feed 4 larger baby tigers in large holding pens.

But the most awesome experience was going into a fully grown adult tiger's cage and sitting beside the tiger with my arm resting on its back. The tiger was chained to its sleeping pad and 4 keepers were with me to keep things under control. The tiger was massive and its coat was not as soft as I expected. Going in the cage was a dare from my husband. The sign outside the cage said "Tiger Photos 100bt." When the tiger and I were both settled, my husband came in to take some photos. In these photos the tiger and I looked relaxed. Then the keepers persuaded him to sit by the tiger as well, and funny thing is, in those photos, both he and the tiger look a bit worried.

Belle Bosse said:

The Cheetah or the Tiger.
The Cheetah, has been a long time favourite. They have my admiration and they are so beautiful.

In a visit to the Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Thailand, I had the privilege of bottle feeding a little baby tiger on my lap. It was only weeks old and about the size of a domestic cat. The darling little cat fell asleep in my arms. I wanted to take it home!
I also bottle feed 4 larger baby tigers in large holding pens.

But the most awesome experience was going into a fully grown adult tiger's cage and sitting beside the tiger with my arm resting on its back. The tiger was chained to its sleeping pad and 4 keepers were with me to keep things under control. The tiger was massive and its coat was not as soft as I expected. Going in the cage was a dare from my husband. The sign outside the cage said "Tiger Photos 100bt." When the tiger and I were both settled, my husband came in to take some photos. In these photos the tiger and I looked relaxed. Then the keepers persuaded him to sit by the tiger as well, and funny thing is, in those photos, both he and the tiger look a bit worried.

Click to expand...

Wow, fantastic story. You are a privileged lady and It is my dream to do what you did. I raise my hat to you.

I'd have to say a lynx. I think they are beautiful and they're used to cold weather, so they'd survive a Japanese winter.

Also they would fit right in with the rest of my cats as they've got bob-tails. A lot of my cats have short tails. I wouldn't want to create any tail-envy.

Tough choice! Tiger has always been a favorite. And then there is the black panther. And the snow leopard. But I might settle on the odd looking - but amazingly cute - Pallas cat or Manul. It's ears are so low on it's head because it often hunts by peeping over the tops of rocks and it would not do to have the ears sticking up and giving it's position away!



Edited to add: it's not a very big cat. I want one anyway!

Well, I would REALLY like to own an Asian Leopard Cat, because they are just so cute, and they would be a great contribution to my bengal breeding program.

However, as they cannot be considered by any means as "big", I Will choose the Cloud Leopard. Any of its subspecies would be gorgeous.

If I could have one or have them all, my choice would be none. They all would be born free, and forever free. Any could come visit me at any time, or I could go visit them in their world. Sounds like Mowgli in the Jungle Book huh?

Alejandra Rico said:

Well, I would REALLY like to own an Asian Leopard Cat, because they are just so cute, and they would be a great contribution to my bengal breeding program.
View attachment 190175
However, as they cannot be considered by any means as "big", I Will choose the Cloud Leopard. Any of its subspecies would be gorgeous.
View attachment 190176 View attachment 190177 View attachment 190178

Click to expand...

Those are some seriously beautiful cats. The two at the bottom are gorgeous.

If I couldn't have one of those, I'd go for a leopard.

Tough call... either an Andean Mountain Cat


or a Jaguarundi

boris diamond said:

Tough choice! Tiger has always been a favorite. And then there is the black panther. And the snow leopard. But I might settle on the odd looking - but amazingly cute - Pallas cat or Manul. It's ears are so low on it's head because it often hunts by peeping over the tops of rocks and it would not do to have the ears sticking up and giving it's position away!

View attachment 190147

Edited to add: it's not a very big cat. I want one anyway!

Click to expand...

If you crossed a Maine Coon with a Scottish Fold you could get a look a like.

I do love lions ..

Europe blood line Maincoon and Savanah F1

Love them all!! Cheetahs have always been special to me though. : )

Wouldn't it be nice if everything followed the rules of your world? Yep, my family would be over-run with animals.

I would love to have daily visits from a Siberian Tiger ... but I would want it to live in the wild and just drop by for a visits I love all the big cats ... it came down to the color of their fur. Plus house cats reminds me of little tigers

I wouldn't, because it is cruel and wrong to keep big cats in private hands. But as far as my favorite big cat goes, well, all of them, of course! Every cat, of every species, is loved by me. But if I had to choose one, I'd choose the lion.

1CatOverTheLine said:

.
I wouldn't have one, of course, but I have to side with Oliver's dad - the Tiger. Blake's immortal question "...did he who made the lamb make thee..." is fitting for an animal which can top a thousand pounds, run forty miles and hour, leap more than thirty feet, and who sees every living land animal (even the elephant and the deadly Nile Crocodile) as nothing more than prey.

Bob is big enough for me - 15.85 kg yesterday morning.

View attachment 190084

Click to expand...

35 lbs?!? WOW!

jmjimmy said:

Tough call... either an Andean Mountain Cat

or a Jaguarundi

Click to expand...

Wonderful choices! A lot of people know nothing about these cats. Great to see someone who does!

boris diamond said:

Tough choice! Tiger has always been a favorite. And then there is the black panther. And the snow leopard. But I might settle on the odd looking - but amazingly cute - Pallas cat or Manul. It's ears are so low on it's head because it often hunts by peeping over the tops of rocks and it would not do to have the ears sticking up and giving it's position away!

View attachment 190147

Edited to add: it's not a very big cat. I want one anyway!

Click to expand...

They would not do well in captivity, but I agree -- the Manul is an irresistibly adorable cat!

Alejandra Rico said:

Well, I would REALLY like to own an Asian Leopard Cat, because they are just so cute, and they would be a great contribution to my bengal breeding program.
View attachment 190175
However, as they cannot be considered by any means as "big", I Will choose the Cloud Leopard. Any of its subspecies would be gorgeous.
View attachment 190176 View attachment 190177 View attachment 190178

Click to expand...

Clouded Leopards are indeed beautiful cats. Asian Leopard Cats, too. Neither would do well in captivity, but both are gorgeous.

Norachan said:

I'd have to say a lynx. I think they are beautiful and they're used to cold weather, so they'd survive a Japanese winter.

Also they would fit right in with the rest of my cats as they've got bob-tails. A lot of my cats have short tails. I wouldn't want to create any tail-envy.

Click to expand...

That's so funny! I've always had tail envy. Seriously! Even of stubbies like the Bobcat.

Belle Bosse said:

The Cheetah or the Tiger.
The Cheetah, has been a long time favourite. They have my admiration and they are so beautiful.

In a visit to the Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Thailand, I had the privilege of bottle feeding a little baby tiger on my lap. It was only weeks old and about the size of a domestic cat. The darling little cat fell asleep in my arms. I wanted to take it home!
I also bottle feed 4 larger baby tigers in large holding pens.

But the most awesome experience was going into a fully grown adult tiger's cage and sitting beside the tiger with my arm resting on its back. The tiger was chained to its sleeping pad and 4 keepers were with me to keep things under control. The tiger was massive and its coat was not as soft as I expected. Going in the cage was a dare from my husband. The sign outside the cage said "Tiger Photos 100bt." When the tiger and I were both settled, my husband came in to take some photos. In these photos the tiger and I looked relaxed. Then the keepers persuaded him to sit by the tiger as well, and funny thing is, in those photos, both he and the tiger look a bit worried.

Click to expand...

I read your post with interest, because that venue is familiar to me. You might be interested to read this:
This map reveals a heartbreaking reality