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.
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.
A Cougar at Play
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.
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.
All Cats Love Catnip
Actually, not all cats love catnip. Though the plant, Nepeta cataria, also called catmint, is coveted by many cats. About 30 percent of cats aren’t interested in the herb, but those that are have a wild reaction. Once they find the catnip, they may get very playful, roll around in it, lick it up, become euphoric, and may even look drugged out. After about 15 to 20 minutes of enthusiasm, the thrill wears off, and they will take a nice, long snooze.
Big Cat Rescue decided to do a little experiment to see if big cats like catnip too. The crew placed catnip inside paper bags and threw it over the fence to the ferocious felines. The response was clear. Some of the wildcats took to the catnip with abandon, and a few of the cats were uninterested. Pictured here is Alex resting after a nice romp through the catnip. The cats who relished the treat behaved just like house cats, rolling around, acting ecstatic, and very happy.