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I keep seeing videos of a crazy lady snoot bopping big cats
I know they're gigantic danger cats that will kill you for fun, but I can't see them as anything except oversized stray kitty cats. They have NO BUSINESS being as cute as they are. They even do the slow blinks! And purrs!!!!!!!!!!! It's kind of fucked up that something that looks that huggable and petable is also so murderous (or at least, murder capable)
I agree, it's incredible how much of cat body language translates from small to big cat species. But it is also important to note that many of those big cats in those videos were raised from kittens, generally. They might not be able to be released, for medical or socialisation issues, and it is better for their welfare to remain looked after. So their body language and how they act is influenced by their proximity to familiar humans. Wild big cats would communicate similarly between themselves, but would not be able to be captive and happy. Enrichment can only go so far when taking an animal like that from the wild, hence why they always try to rehabilitate and release of possible.
Interesting Cat Fact: big cats (tigers, lions, etc) don't purr or meow. They growl and roar, grumble. But the cheetah does both; it is essentially a big small-cat.
I always like to imagine cats throughout history, and their owners kissing them and being annoyed with them. Like that cat that walked on that monks writings from the 15th century. It's just so wholesome and cute to think this learned fellow was writing and his cat just walked across the ink and his page. Immortalised forever. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/centuries-ago-a-cat-walked-across-this-medieval-manuscript-1766202/
Edit: a better link and photo
Yeah, of course. No matter how rich I was, I'd never keep one as a pet. I've seen people keep servals and similar as household pets, and it always really annoys me. Not only does it deprive the animal of their natural environment, and more often than not, companionship, when something inevitably goes wrong, the animal's going to cop it.
Thankfully it does seem that these days it's moved from "the wild animal tore some dude abducted from the wild tore a dudes arm off! Let's kill it!!" To more of a release or rehome into a safe environment situation, but it still can't be a good situation for the animal itself. That gorilla that crazy lady in America kept really solidified that in my mind.
I did actually see a video of a cheetah meowing in my rabbit hole of adorability, too. It was so cute, and not what I was expecting at all
All that said, when I brought planet zoo, I was gushing over how cute the hippos were as well. Oh, and I think chickens are cute. And goats. And sheep. And kangaroos. Maybe I'm just a defective unit
One of my best memories was visiting with some people in India that had a pet Lynx rescue with a spinal injury. It was semi-tame. About the size of a Labrador. It had quite a strong playful bite but never broke my skin. I got to play with it for about four hours. It's claws and teeth were large enough to no longer be sharp points like domestic cats.
Boyo used to have a ServalX before they became totally illegal here. The stories are neverending as was the couch replacement. Not a favourite person of the Council runaway run.