Big Cat Rescue is the world’s largest sanctuary for big cats who have been abused, abandoned, retired from performing acts, or saved from being slaughtered for fur coats. The sanctuary houses over 100 tigers, lions, leopards, cougars, bobcats, lynx, ocelots, servals, caracals and others, a total of 16 of the 35 species of wild cat, many of whom are threatened, endangered, or now extinct in the wild.

Where do the abused and abandoned cats come from?  The dominant cause of abandonment of wild cats is generated by the “ pet trade”. Breeders make a living convincing people that these cute cubs can make good pets. The vast majority of purchasers end up abandoning the cats, often leaving them with lifelong infirmities that result from not knowing how to properly feed and care for them. A number of our cats were owned by drug dealers and confiscated by law enforcement when the owners were arrested. These wild cats do not belong as pets. But most states do not prohibit sale or private ownership, so breeders thrive and the number of abused and abandoned cats continues to grow. Use of the cats for commercial purposes is another major source of abandoned and abused cats. Performing acts and roadside zoos use the cats, often abusing them to force them to perform or keeping them in horrible conditions, and then discard the cats when they are no longer “useful”.

Scroll down to watch a heart warming video to see how Big Cat Rescue is making a difference in the lives of these magnificent big cats.