While this article was suppose to be the lead-in or precursor to the designer cats or the hybrid cats article, though I believe it still is in a way. There are a few things I need to bring out or to get off my chest as the saying goes. I have already had a double mastectomy I might as well endure another. I suspect to see a few sharp scalpels thrown my way.

I am often told that wild animals don't belong with humans. I disagree. I firmly believe we learn humanity through animals.

If wild animals didn't belong with humans we would never have known the love of a domestic dog, cat, or exotic pet.

Zuzana Kukol and her tiger Picasso.

Photo by Scott Shoemaker of REXANO.org


Wild animals, exotic pets, or pets, was there ever a pet that hadn’t been a wild animal, no not ever. Our maker did not create domestic pets for our convenience. Every pet we have today came from a lineage of wild animals. Yes each and every one of our pets has the roots of a wild animal.

There are fossil remains as far back as 500,000 years ago proving there was an association between canines and humans, as shown with archeological evidence with Peking man and his canine companion. It was long suspected that the first domestication of the cat, from a wild cat, had begun in Egypt. That conclusion was reached only because of the rich find of mummified cats that provided the proof the wild cat had been domesticated in Egypt but not necessarily the first domestication of cat.

New research suggests that the domestic cat had origins in the Near East. Test studies concluded from the study of 979 domestic cats, their genetics demonstrated they were the direct ancestors of not one species of wild cat but five; F. s. cafra (southern African wildcat), F. s. ornata (central Asian wildcat), F. s. lybica (Near Eastern wildcat), Felis silvestris silvestris (European wildcat)and F. s. bieti (Chinese desert cat).

The cat was originally brought in to rid the farmers of rodents. Not only were the cats good at mousing but they charmed the pants off of humans. A mutually beneficial relationship developed between wild cat and human.

I found an interesting statement. "The felidae family is well known as a successful predator - very deadly, very ferocious, very threatening to all species including humankind. But this little guy actually chose not to be that, he actually chose to be a little bit friendly and also was a very good mouser." Stephen O'Brien, of the National Cancer Institute

I suspect the relationship with the wild wolf also developed from need. We seem to have a built in desire to love animals. I can visualize a caveman throwing bits of meat to a hungry wolf-like critter or prehistoric dog, gaining trust and developing a symbiotic relationship of need and love.

The first fossil canid skull NOT wolf skull was dated back to 31,700 BP. Other prehistoric dogs were found at the Chauvet Cave, Mezhirich in the Ukraine, and other places, and I am sure many more to come. The first skull from the Goyet Cave was a wolf skull in a transformation stage of turning to dog; most likely due to human interaction (diet change and so forth).

The point being is that every domestic pet we have today came from a wild relative. Humans and animals have coexisted for probably as long as humans have existed.

In my article “Socially Unacceptable” Exotic Pets - Socially Unacceptable I touch on exotic discrimination, as far as I am concerned people are handicapped only if they have not coexisted with an animal companion. Humans and animals have a symbiont relationship, each benefiting from the relationship. We will never learn humanity unless we learn it from animals. If children grow up learning to properly care for and to love an animal I suspect bullying would lessen considerably.

I had tremendously enjoyed an article in the August 2010 issue of Reader’s Digest. The article titled Amazing Pets, about animals that saved lives to animals that helped (even with dishes). I was appalled at a couple of the letters in React (Reader's Digest October 2010); basically they were a letters to the editor type thing. One letter was from Samantha in Colorado, "We’re a bunch of besotted fools. Pets are basically useless." I bet Teresa from Omaha didn't feel that way when her dog Jobe saved the life of her son. Another React letter, from Barb in Illinois, "I’m so sick of pets! I rolled my eyes when I saw this issue's cover, and I didn't buy it like I usually do. Pets have become the opium of the masses-a crutch." Do you think the parent of a five-year old girl from Montana who had epilepsy, who found relief in riding the horse Rocky, not only the riding part but also Rocky protected the young girl and stood sentry until help arrived during a seizure.

If people haven't had an emotional bond to an animal I doubt if these people are capable of having a close bond with a human. Perhaps she should have read the article, bought herself a pet, and discovered humanity.

Christian the Lion Meets Old Owners Reunited Though this is a beautiful video and shows that the lion still loved and remembered his human family after becoming a pride leader and having a family of his own I had serious concerns about having the link to the Christian the lion video. I am at Exotic Pets BellaOnline to educate the public on responsible pet ownership and having a lion in an apartment is just not how to raise a lion! Here is a sensational article by Zuzana Kukol of REXANO.org (Responsible Exotic Animal Ownership) Christian the Lion and the Hypocrisy of the Extreme Animal Rights Movement

"As a responsible exotic animal owner, I have to say that getting a lion and raising it in an apartment is a very irresponsible act. Anybody who wishes to privately own big exotic cats needs to have proper caging set up before getting the animals, as they grow very fast." Zuzana Kukol

You enjoyed the tiger pictures in this article you will also see wonderful lion pictures in the article Christian the Lion and the Hypocrisy of the Extreme Animal Rights Movement(of Bam Bam and Zuzana Kukol).

christian the lion video

Here are lion pictures, tiger pictures, lion videos, and tiger videos.



Dog Vs. Tiger
REXANO’s BigCatHaven video The dog is Fuzzy Bear and golden tabby tiger is Princess.

Lion Hugs Rescuer – lion video
Lion hugs and kisses woman

I just love watching the big cat videos and looking at the pictures of lions and pictures of tigers. I end up watching the videos over and over.

The beginning of the hybrid cat or designer cat series begins soon!

Forbidden Creatures: Inside the World of Animal Smuggling and Exotic Pets






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