These Photos Prove That Big Cats Are Just Like House Cats
When you think of big cats such as lions and tigers and jaguars you probably don't imagine them curling up on a couch or settling into a cardboard box. These big cats are top predators, and they should be treated as such. Still, it's interesting to see where our little house cats got their mannerisms from.
Keep reading to see ocelots playing with toilet paper, cheetahs getting their head stuck, and lions playing with oversized cat toys.
Playing With A Pumpkin
It must be Halloween at the zoo in this photo because this beautiful white tiger is playing with a giant pumpkin! Maybe it's November 1st and the zoo decided to give their leftover pumpkins to the big cats.
For some reason, big cats love to demolish pumpkins. It gives them hours of entertainment and it's pretty darn adorable to watch. A little kitty might prefer a mini pumpkin, though. Only big paws can handle a pumpkin this big.
All Cats Love Boxes
If you have a cat, you know that there's nothing cats love more than empty cardboard boxes. For whatever reason, cats will jump into any cardboard box that's placed somewhere they can access it.
Big cats work exactly the same way. Only When this big kitty sleeps, no one dares to wake her up. Nobody is going to be touching that box for a long time. This big cat has claimed it all for herself.
Even Big Cats Chase Lasers
Have you ever used a laser pointer to exercise your cat? Well, this is the same idea. Big cats love lasers too, apparently. Big Cats Rescue posted a video of lions, tigers, and leopards jumping at a laser pointer at night. That's why this photo was taken in night vision mode.
“They have to chase it,” said Susan Bass, director of public relations at Big Cat Rescue. “You can go up a wall, under things, like I do with my cat.”
Sharing A Meal
Does your cat beg for food when you're sitting at the dinner table? Some cats like to meow at their owners' feet whenever the hear a can of tuna being opened or whenever they smell a fresh fillet of salmon. At the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, photographer Wojciech Kalka caught this photo of a monk sharing his food with a tiger.
Tigers are well respected in many Asian cultures. We just hope that this tiger doesn't want more than rice for lunch.
Rolling In The Snow
Indoor cats don't really get to play in the snow all that much, but if you live in a cold climate and you have a cat that likes to spend a lot of time outside, you've probably caught them rolling around in the snow on more than one occasion.
Tigers love rolling around in the snow too. This photo was taken at the Bronx Zoo. The zoo’s Amur tigers enjoyed a day of fun in the snow. If not for the giant claws and teeth, people might have joined them!
A Big Toy For A Big Cat
Big cats love to play with toys just like house cats do. Cats need a lot of mental stimulation to be happy and healthy. When you give a cougar a ring toy, they’ll gladly play with it. All you need are oversized toys for these large furry animals.
Did you know that unlike other big cats such as lions and tigers, cougars cannot roar? They make a purring noise similar to a little house cat.
Pawing At Water
Some house cats like to paw at water before they take a drink, and sometimes they even lie to like the water of their paws rather than put their whole face close to the water bowl. Big cats are no different.
Zookeepers videotaped these caracals swiping at the water and then shaking their paw dry just like house cats do. Unlike house cats, though, big cats are willing to swim for traveling and hunting. House cats tend to hate getting wet.
Always Time For A Cuddle
House cats love cuddling up to their owners, other cats, and sometimes other pets. From this photo, it looks like lions are exactly the same in that regard. This photo was taken at the Toronto Zoo. This lioness is using her partner as a pillow.
Lions love sleeping even more than house cats. Most lions sleep for close to 20 hours per day. Because lions have few sweat glands, they cool down and conserve their energy by sleeping. Lions tend to become active at night when it’s not as hot outside.
They Love Opening Presents
Who doesn't love opening presents? Cats love tearing at ribbons and packaging. This photo was also taken at the Toronto Zoo in Canada. The delightfully adorable fluffballs you see here are snow leopards. They were given some very generous gifts for Christmas.
The zoo shared a photo of these big cats with their gift, captioned, "Watch as our snow leopards Ena, Kita and Mylo enjoy some special Christmas present enrichment as part of the Zoo's #12DaysofEnrichment."
Searching For Treasure
Zoos know how much cats love cardboard boxes, so they give their big cats big cardboard boxes to play with. This video of a cheetah getting his head stuck in a cardboard box was uploaded on Youtube in 2013. “Just like a silly little kitten playing,” the caption said.
When a cat rubs his face on an item, he lives his scent there--an action called “bunting.” This cheetah might be claiming the cardboard box as his own.
He Fits, So He's Going To Sit
The reputation cats have for sitting in boxes remains true for big cats. Felines sit in boxes because of an instinctual desire to hide from predators. But a jaguar is a predator, so why should he sit in a cardboard box?
The simple answer is that he wants a cozy place to sleep. A cardboard box is a luxury for jaguars at the zoo. Imagine seeing a lithe and ferocious jaguar, but he’s adorably snuggled up in a box.
Stretching Out
What if a cat doesn’t fit inside of their favorite cardboard box? Doesn’t matter. If it doesn’t fit, the big cats will lie down and soak up the afternoon sun. Nothing can interrupt a feline’s love of boxes and naps, simultaneously.
Like domestic cats, tigers will spend around 16 to 20 hours sleeping and lying in the shade every day. For giant predators, they sure love their cozy time. Don’t wake up the tiger on his cardboard bed!
Going For A Ride
The king of the jungle requires a chariot. This lion’s chariot happens to be a green wheelbarrow that someone left in the enclosure. Those workers will never get that wheelbarrow back as long as the big kitty is in it.
In the lion community, the females hunt in groups while the males stay behind and lounge. So this could very well be the lion’s throne, at least until the female comes back with food.
Chasing A Big Ball
This ferocious-looking white tiger is named Zabu. She looks a lot more cuddly when she’s playing with her giant red ball, which she often does. Her enjoyment proves that no matter the size, a cat is just a cat.
That giant ball is a stall ball, made for horses who have to be kept inside of their stall. It’s the only ball that can handle a tiger’s sharp fangs. Isn’t Zebu a gorgeous big cat?
Ripping Up Tissue Paper
When employees at Big Cat Rescue placed toilet paper in an enclosure, everyone enjoyed the results. Bobcats, lynxes, servals, and ocelots all swiped the toilet paper rolls around and tore them up. They’re just like their domestic cousins.
It’s video proof that big cats will play with any new toy they come across. Who wouldn’t enjoy a bunch of giant kitties playing? Except, perhaps, the employee who had to clean up all that toilet paper.
A Cheeky Pose
You know how domesticated cats often roll on their backs? This lion is doing the same thing. Rolling over means that the cat feels secure and desires attention, usually as a plea to say, “Hey, play with me!”
This lion seems eager to play with the photographer. How can anyone say no to those kitten eyes? If you can handle around 600 pounds of fluff and claws pouncing on you, then you know what do next.
Getting A Foot Massage
Here’s an adorable photo of a zookeeper giving a lion a foot massage. The zookeeper’s name is Alex Larenty, and he trusts the 550 lb lion so much that he’ll also brush his mane and bathe him. The lion is likely Jamu, an eight-year-old male.
Larenty told The Telegraph that he built this relationship over six years, and most people can’t massage a lion this easily. While we can never do what Larenty does, we can still admire its cuteness. Look how happy Jamu is!
Sitting Up Like A Person
Some cats will do anything to get their food. This white tiger, named Mohan, will stand like a human to get his share of milk. While standing, he’s as tall as that employee is! If you didn’t know that cats could stand, your day just got better.
Cats stand to make themselves appear larger. For domesticated cats, they try to ward off predators by standing. For big cats like Mohan, they likely want to feel on par with their human caretaker.
Anything Can Be A Bed
This two-week-old snow leopard is relaxing in a bucket after her first vet exam in the Woodland Park Zoo. Although she looks like a domestic kitten now, she’ll soon grow to 72 pounds. But that doesn’t stop people from admiring her cuteness.
If adult big leopards act like house cats, then leopard kittens act even more like domesticated cats. They’ll curl up and sleep anywhere, and they can handle being picked up. Even predator cats need naps.
A Belly Rub For A Tiger
Would you give a tiger a belly rub? With tigers looking this adorable, it’s hard to resist. Tigers are generally playful, especially toward their caretakers. No matter how ferocious they can be, they still want pets.
According to animal behaviorist Louise Dorfman, tigers are some of the most emotional and affectionate big cats out there. That’s probably why they’re so eager to roll over for a good belly rub! No wonder the girl in the photo looks so happy.
Always Watching
Have you ever seen a cat lounge in a corner and watch people? This panther is doing the same thing at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Bonus points: he’s in a box. Nothing screams “domestic cat” more loudly than this photo.
Boxes provide some insulation for big cats. When they’re not expending energy, cats like to warm up, according to cat researcher and vet Mikel Delgado. To the panther, this box is the equivalent of getting under the covers.
Climbing To New Heights
Many cat owners have seen their cat on top of a shelf and thought, “How did she get up there?” As it turns out, big cats are no different. This mountain lion defied the laws of physics by climbing a dead tree.
When most people see a mountain lion, it means that the lion has been stalking them. That mountain lion was likely watching the photographer for a long time. Good thing she was acting like a house cat up in that tree.
Two Cats In One Box
These tiger buddies were minding their own business at the zoo one sunny afternoon, when they spotted this unusual contraption. What was it? They had no idea but decided the best thing to do was to get into it together, and we couldn't be happier that they did.
One big cat hanging out in a cardboard box is good enough, but two of them? That’s just too good. These ferocious tigers look almost like little kittles the way they’re playing with their newfound treasure.
Tiger Cubs!
It's true -- kittens are kittens no matter their size or species. These precious kitties happen to be Indochinese tiger cubs, who just can't resist the draw of a big wicker basket that's large enough to hold them all.
These cubs live at the Tierpark zoo in Berlin, Germany, and they've been there for their entire lives. It's home to them, and they make it clear just how happy and comfortable they are here.
He Looks Suspicious
Here's yet another example of just how appealing boxes are to cats. This fuzzy feline is a lynx, and it's clear that he's feeling pretty chill from his comfy spot in his cardboard box.
This particular photo was used in a viral meme based on the video game Skyrim and Oblivion, which has a cat-human species called Khajit. In the meme, the quote "Khajit has wares if you have coin" is superimposed over the photo.
Taking Up The Whole Sofa
Have you ever come home after a long day and wanted nothing more than to have a seat on the couch, only to find that your cat, Whiskers, has already claimed it for herself?
That's exactly what happened here, only the sofa hog in question isn’t a little housecat… it’s a 200+ pound tiger! And we don’t want to be the ones to ask her to move. We’ll just sit on the floor, thank you very much.
Time To Play Catch
It's no small secret that cats love playing with toys. All kinds of toys… even something as simple as a piece of string can provide a cat with hours of fun. And the King of the Jungle is no exception when it comes to loving to play.
Here, we see a fully grown lion playing with a toy just the same way a housecat might. Watching him frolic, you could almost forget for a moment that he’s one of the most feared creatures in the jungle!
A Big Lick
Now THAT's a really big thank you kiss! This tiger is going out of her way to let her keeper know how much she appreciates the milk treat he’s brought to her. Apparently, the big cats enjoy milk just as much as Mittens or Felix do.
Come to think of it, we rarely get a thank you from our cat no matter what we do. We can only imagine how scratchy that enormous tongue must feel!
Stuck In A Tight Spot
How undignified. But if you love boxes as much as cats do, you're bound to get stuck in one at some point in time. This snow leopard was clearly having a little too much fun with a box, because here he is with his head stuck in it.
Even without being able to see his face, you can tell by his body language that this big cat is feeling pretty embarrassed for himself right now.
Sitting Just Like A Cat
If you needed even more proof that big cats act just like house cats, then here you have it. On the left is a regular orange tabby, and on the right is a (much larger) tiger. Notice anything that the two have in common?
They're both sitting up on their hind legs, just as casual as can be. This is a common way for cats to sit, either while they're at play or if they spot a predator
A Cheetah In A Car
Here is a sight that you just don't see every day: a cheetah riding in the front seat of a car, while a woman calmly drives him around. Based on the big cat’s expression, we can only imagine that he is on the way to the vet’s office. That’s the exact same look our cat has when it’s vet day.
Large or small, it’s safe to say that a dislike of going to the doctor is a trait that all cats share.
Cuddling Up With A Leopard
You know that amazing feeling when your cat decides to stop ignoring you and instead, gets super cuddly and affectionate for a while? That must be how this caretaker feels, times about 30. That gorgeous spotted cat is gazing at her with what can only be described as a look of true love.
He's probably purring away, too. We’d love to be able to cuddle with a big cat like this!
Hanging On
No matter how big they are, cats are always ready to play. This lion, named Heidi, lives at London Zoo. It's the big cats' annual weigh-in, and she is eager to reach the goodies (meat) in that burlap sack.
When she stands up, zoo staff can tell how tall she is! That's a pretty cool way to get her measurements in. Heidi's buddy looks like she's eager to join the fun too. One at a time, kitties!
Getting Clean
You can almost hear this little tiger cub saying "awwww, Mom! Not now when people are looking!" as the mother gives her baby a bath with her tongue.
The little guy still has a lot to learn, including that when your mom tells you to do something, you do it without complaining! We're sure he'll catch on soon enough and will maybe even grow to enjoy his special bath time with mom.
A Playful Encounter
Now, how cute is this? In an unlikely friendship, we see a lioness and an otter playing together on a sofa -- surely not something you see every day. These two buddies live at a sanctuary in South Africa, where they became great friends.
It's just like any old housecat to want to get up onto the comfy sofa, and Kumari the lion is no different! She just has a little more variation in her friendships than your average cat.
