I volunteer for an animal rescue organization in town. St. Francis Society was the first no-kill rescue to be established in my town back in 1997. They are the second group I've worked for (the first being Furry Friends Rescue in California) and one of the best. St. Francis Society has managed to assemble a good group of innovative and compassionate people, and has tripled in size since I joined in 2003.

Yesterday, we volunteers attended a "thank-you" event that comprised a private tour through Big Cat Rescue. I love Big Cat Rescue. I've been there on tours numerous times, and I completely agree with their mission: to convince people that big non-domestic cats are not good pets. They rescue big (and not so big) cats from circuses (retired tigers from Ringling and Siegfried & Roy), fur farms, roadside zoos, injury in the wild and private owners who suddenly discover that caring for these always-wild animals is far more trouble than it's worth. (Want an ocelot? They're cute but they spray everywhere and the pee smell never goes away.) They offer tours to help spread their message and raise operating funds. Every time I tour their establishment, I end up dropping lots of money in donations and gifts. St. Francis Society even donated a lactating momma cat to help raise Hope, an orphaned bobcat, to return her to the wild.

We met at the guest house (a converted double-wide) at Big Cat Rescue for coffee and pastries before the private tour began. Inside, I had a chance to look at the display cases where they had gathered articles on roadside zoos as well as the preserved skulls and pelts of the cats that had passed away of natural causes at the facility. I was surprised at how tiny the skulls were. The clouded leopard skull (much smaller cat) had canine teeth the same size as the cougar skull, though the clouded leopard is a much tinier cat. It's considered the saber-toothed cat of the modern world. The other thing I noticed is how small the braincase for the lion is. The lion skull has a huge ridge for the jaw muscles, but not a lot of room for brain space.

The tour started. We split up into groups of 15 people, shepherded by a tour guide and a backup. Our tour began in the quarantine area for sick cats (not included on the main tour), though the quarantine was relegated to two cats who had recently had dental surgery (a lioness with two root canals—ugh). We went through the usual briefing: Don't stray from the group and don't pass the outer boundary fencing. What I had forgotten was how close the boundary fences are. They are three feet high and three feet from the main fencing, which comprises basic 1/4" rebar used to reinforce highway projects (this is very sturdy, but doesn't look it). After being in zoos with wide moats and huge bars, there's practically no barrier between you and a 500-pound tiger.

The first thing you see is the facility where the keeper-interns reside and a cage where, according to the Federal Department of Agriculture, it is legal to keep a big cat for up to six months. The barred enclosure is about eight feet long and a few feet wide. Imagine keeping a pacing lion in your bathroom for six months. That includes feeding place and litter box. I wish I had taken a shot of the cage.

Next, we went to see some tigers. All of them were curious and chuffed at us in greeting. A couple of them seemed to "talk" to us in low moans. One turned her backside and sprayed, but missed us. The leopards were rolling in the dirt, showing off their spotted bellies and hamming it up. All the cats live in large "cat-a-tats" filled with native plants and trees, and most have bathing pools with the water pumped in from the nearby lake. They have dens and places to hide, so it was great to be able to see most of them out and about.

The weather was perfect, cool and breezy, and most of the paths were in the shade. The cats were active and curious. I felt bad for the lioness, though. I was looking the other way on the way back and nearly stumbled in to the outer boundary fence. Just beyond that fence, at the edge of her enclosure, she crouched with her ears flattened and her face contorted in anger. I got away from her and the tour guide asked the rest of the group to step back. One guy with a camera ignored the warning, and the lioness charged him. The male lion lay only a few feet away, seemingly bored with the whole thing.

If I had any regrets, it's that I couldn't get my camera to work most of the time. Stupid thing. I miss my old film camera.


This is how close we were to the cats. This is not a zoom shot.


Here's a shot of the entire cat-a-tat for one of the tigers.


One of the leopards says hi.


Zabu the white tiger likes to stalk certain staff members behind the cage—our guide included.