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Native & Exotic Cats at WRR

The members of the cat family who live at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation have been many and varied over our 30 years. You will notice that the WRR logo has been a bobcat since the organization was incorporated in 1978. One of the first animals who WRR founder, Lynn Cuny, rescued was a young bobcat kitten. She had been declawed with a pair of pliers and was found in a pool of her own blood in a so-called pet shop.

Bobcats, lynx, cougars, lions, jaguars — all of these and more, probably just about all species of wild felines — are exploited by the cruel and hideous wildlife "pet" trade. They are held in small, usually cement floored cages and bred, and when their young are born they are taken away and sold to individuals who are foolish and often selfish enough to buy them.

Of course, wild felines are but one of the countless species of wildlife who are exploited by this inhumane trade.

Here at WRR, all of the cats in our care have come from either the exotic animal trade, roadside zoos, or were confiscated by law enforcement officials. It is hard to believe that anyone would even think of a cougar or African lion as a pet, but because of the unscrupulous tactics of breeders and dealers, uninformed people are led to believe that these magnificent wild creatures will behave like a companion animal. Nothing is further from the truth.

The enclosures where the cougars, jaguar, and bobcats live here at the sanctuary are all over an acre. In the case of the cougars, they have over four full acres of trees, rocks, and deep grass to call home. The jaguar has just over one acre, and the bobcats have that as well. The lions do not have as much space, as we have yet to have the funds to enlarge their home, which is just under one acre. But it is filled with large trees and tall grass. All the cats are given a varied diet of raw meat. And all have small pools or troughs for water.

We do not name the wildlife here at WRR. I feel strongly that there is no need for this and it would only serve to promote the fallacy that wildlife are like you and me or like the companion animals who so depend on us. Wildlife should be allowed to be wild, to live as nature intended, to be left in peace by humans. All wild animals who must live in captivity — yes, even those here at WRR — live very diminished lives. They can no longer roam totally free on their own terms. Even the largest enclosure is still a cage. And no one should have to live in a cage.

All of the photos below were taken at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation (WRR) in Kendalia, TX.

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