We are all familiar with cat hoarding. It refers to collecting domestic cats in large numbers to the point where the caretaker can no longer caretake adequately to the detriment of the cats’ welfare. It is said that the reason is a mental health issue concerning the human caretaker.
However, in the United States where the regulations on possessing wild cat species (exotic cats) in some states is lax and also where a good number of people like to possess wild cats as pets (of sorts) you could arguably extend the concept of cat hoarding to include the wild cats.
There are a group of wild cats that are favorites for the person who like to keep exotic cats. These are usually the:
- tiger
- serval
- lynx
- bobcat
- cougar (Puma)
- leopard (less so)
The current example is about a person in Atchison, Kansas who kept nine “exotic cats”. The word “exotic” is important because these people crave the exotic, meaning something special, different and wild. Perhaps they think it makes them different and special too? They don’t allow themselves to become upset when they throw the carcass of a dead leopard or serval on a rubbish dump about 50 paces away from the tiny enclosures (see photo) of the living cats.
As far as I am concerned all wild cat enclosures are wholly inadequate bearing in mind the home ranges required by these cats, which can extend to 30-100 square miles, and much more. You judge for yourself as to what the cats felt when living in the enclosures – actually cages – provided by this person. These are muddy, very small, ill-kept and neglected enclosures.
I feel sorry for both the cats and the person. I feel more sorry for the cats.
However, the cats were rescued, but…they were abandoned first. Can you imagine firstly treating wild cats like this and then walking away from them? When rescued the cats did not have access to food or clean water.
A number of agencies and organizations were involved, including Big Cat Rescue, in their rescue and re-homing to sanctuaries “around the country”.
The owner of the cats was arrested for animal cruelty under the relevant legislation. Carole Baskin the founder of Big Cat Rescue says….
“Banning the private ownership of big cats as pets is the only answer”…[to eliminating this sort of wild cat abuse]…
Wild cat hoarding is another example of people becoming self-indulgent in satisfying their desire to possess exotic animals without adequate concern for their welfare. It is unthinking, selfish behavior. It also damages the conservation of the wild cat species because demand for these cats is such that they are imported into the US.
The owner of these cats didn’t even live at the property. It is so careless and disdainful of the beautiful wild cats.
Yes the human race needs to stop breeding so freely especially those who breed and expect others to pay for their kids and provide them with homes at the expense of more animals habitat.
I also hate to see wild cats caged,we have no right to do that.
How I despise people who own and cage wild cats!
They just have to have what they want and give no thought to the cats frustration and despair and longing for their natural life.
Yes it’s time a law was passed to stop people owning wild cats as pets.
I have exactly the same feelings. It is a failing of the human race to abuse wild cats and other wild animals like this. We should get rid of all cages. The whole lot. And we should give some space back to the wild cat species and if that means stopping breeding (I are referring to humans) so be it.
I despise them too. I so wish the person who did this a horrible life locked up in jail. He deserves far worse if you consider the dead cats nearby. I can’t believe it. And what do they even get out of it – not even living there. Probab;y barely keeping them alive and then abandoning them. That person deserves the worst of the worst. Those poor cats. Just seeing them there in those cages makes me want to cry. That poor bobcat in the first picture. I can’t imagine how unhealthy they must be. What do they do all day and night just sitting in cages probably starving. Watching their friends/other cats die in front of them and be tossed onto a pile right in front of them. This must break their spirits. They aren’t wild anymore they are probably completely depressed zombies and I hate the person who did this so much I wish they would drop dead.
WHY is it that people who have these animals are also the kind of people who would be cruel to them. I am not saying it is ok to ‘have’ such an animal but why anyway is it that those people who do have them can’t at least be the ones who look after them well…. it’s a bit rhetorical because I guess somebody who cares about them wouldn’t have them in the first place.
I can’t bear looking at the photos of the lion and the bobcat. Just standing there helpless. Can you imagine how they feel… it fills me with so much sadness, anger and hate. What do they do in winter, or in summer when its very hot. These animals surely suffered horribly. There is no chance if one got sick anything was done about it. It’s shocking.
I really hope the guy’s name is released to the public and that he get nailed by the law but I don’t hold up too much hope for the law in the US and it depends on the state anyway. In Switzerland you’d be all over the front page of the papers and you’d be finished for doing something like this.
We should get rid of this person forever in a cell with barely enough to keep him alive so he suffers the same way – outside actually, in a cage.
Those poor cats. I hope they can come back to life in their new homes.