Apparently, tigers love milk. This zookeeper just poured the contents of the milk carton into the enormous cat’s mouth as it sat standing. What’s more amazing is that the zookeeper allowed the beast to lick his face. Tiger’s tongues contain rows of spikes called papillae. The barbs are scratchy enough to lick paint off of a wall or to lick through the hides of animals they kill. Tigers use them to scour feathers off of birds!
After a few licks on human skin, the papillae will usually draw blood. Don’t let a tiger lick you! If you are afraid he will eat you unless you allow him to lick you, stare him right in the eyes. Direct eye contact makes it less likely a tiger will attack you. On the upside, tigers’ tongues excrete antiseptic saliva. So, if you do get licked raw, at least your wound won’t get infected.
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.
Tiger Taxi
This tiger does not look like a happy kitty. In general, cats abhor rides in the car. Her expression seems to concur, despite the fact she got shotgun. But we wonder, is this tiger named Sara not terribly irritated that she must be inside a vehicle that she can easily outrun?
Just so you know, Sara broke the 100-meter sprint record at just over six seconds in 2009. She's the fastest animal on earth. We have to hand it to this lady for being insanely brave. We've dealt with angry cats in cars before, and to avoid getting clawed while driving, we put the ball of fluff and shards in a box. Sara is getting transported to the Cat Ambassador Program, where it will be on display for local school children. Perhaps there lies the trepidation.
Are Tigers More Affectionate Than House Cats?
Tigers are arguably the most fearsome of all the big cats. They are larger than almost every wildcat in the world and can weigh in at well over 600 pounds. Its large dense body, ripped with pure muscle and electrified by intimidating and vibrant stripes, horrifies human imagination. Gazing into a tiger’s eyes is as terrifying as it is mesmerizing.
Animal behaviorist Louis Dorfman says tigers are one of the most emotional big cats. He also said that their emotional range makes them unbelievably affectionate. Also, like every other type of cat, they love a snooze in the middle of the day.
Playtime With a Box
Here we have Andre and Arthur, who were happily surprised to find a new object inside their cage. After playfully checking it out, rolling it around, and going in and out of it, the massive cats began chewing it up. (Fluffy, at home, only dreams she could chew so much damage into one of these human contraptions.)
Many people donate old present boxes to big cat sanctuaries because, well, it's no secret that all cats love boxes. Big Cat Rescue is responsible for bringing us these adorable images. The group, located in Tampa, Florida, is a non-profit educational sanctuary that is accredited and non-breeding.