Amur Leopard

From September 4th, the cubs in the nest.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Hello, everyone!
These are from yesterday!

And these are today's. :)
Momma Darla got really angry with one of the babies , but all was forgotten later.







I wish you all a wonderful Sunday!

The Cubs certainly seem to be having loads of fun outside. Loved the way Mum was sitting on the rock while they were playing. She looked just like the playground monitor , and she certainly put that Cub in its place. Thanks for all the video updates .

Strange about Tiik's behavour. I talked to Mrs S about it, it could be that Tiik was perhaps feeling uncomfortable, maybe a bit of pain from something if he's not eating properly. If he was then he would'nt proberbly feel like being petted, as the position might make him feel worse. Is he going to the toilet properly ?. I would also ask the neighbour you had him off if he's behaved like this before, if it carries on. We hope he's feeling better, and eating properly by the time you read this
WS

Hello, WS! Thank you for writing so soon!
Tiik is a little less strange now , which means he's his usual affectionate self BUT he's still eating very little.
It seems his urine and feces are normal, but he's still meowing a lot.
The previous owner said he would sometimes be like this when it gets too hot, and this week we had a sudden climate change and it is very humid now, so maybe it's only that... We'll keep an eye on him.
Good thing is he and husband are best friends again and I gave him some cat snacks to see if tastier food might do the trick and he ate them eagerly. He also eats a lot when I put the food on my hand and give it to him, even his regular food, so maybe he's just in a bad mood due to the hot weather!
As to the leopard babies, I'm so sorry that those nest videos had no sound... I wasn't recording with my usual equipment, but I thought it was too good not to post it: I had never seen Darla that mad with a cub!
But all is well that ends well, she sure looked like a playground monitor afterwards, very well said!

P.S. Please be kind to send a big thanks for Mrs. S!

Hi Prin*

Thanks for all the videos I have not had time as yet to catch up on them but I will do.....I love watching our Leopard family and catching up on all their antics.

Sorry to hear that Tiik has been a little out of sorts. As WS has said, maybe it is a tooth that is playing up, not eating is usually a sign of toothache but also I know with my cats that sometimes they don't seem to eat as much and my mums cat is the same, this happens from time to time for no reason but especially if it is hot, we have just had lots of hot spells and my cats weren't really interested in their food either. I suppose they can be just like us, when it's hot we can't always be bothered to worry about food but we drink a lot more because it's hot. We can also get a bit tetchy,moody, stressy (call it what you like) when it's hot and so can some animals, maybe Tiik just doesn't like the heat and prefers to be left alone when it's hot.
With the little nip he gives sometimes whilst being stroked, thats quite normal, many cats will give a little play nip, as long as he isn't flattening his ears or hissing when he does it, that would be a worry.

I am pleased to hear that Tiik and your husband are best friends again and I am sure Tiik will be fine but yes keep an eye on him and if you are concerned then call the vets for advice but fingers crossed it's just that your little man doesn't like the heat.
When mine eat less due to the heat they too will still eat from your hand and want their pieces of cheese, it seems to be treats and hand feeding dont alter whatever the weather
Let us know how Tiik goes and we send him a big from all of us here.

littlewid-x-

Hello, littlewid!
Hello, everyone!
Littlewid, I'm very sorry it took me so long to write you back , but bad surprise of the week was I cannot access the forum at work any longer. :| Parental control, I guess... But previously they were not so rigid: I couldn't enter YouTube, Facebook and major media sharing sites, but I could see our forum, as well as the Estonian one! I'm mute during the day now!
Thank you for all your advice on Tiik , I did read it the day you posted it, I just didn't have time to answer it.
I am very glad you already told me cats sometimes just do not want to eat, even if it's not hot, otherwise I'd be all worried again if Tiik stopped eating in a cold day!
And no, he never flattens his ears nor hiss, so I think he's just being playful with his little teeth!
I have no videos of the cubs yet, but this lady at the Estonian forum posted some wonderful pix, take a look!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristanorden/7853406580/in/photostream/lightbox/

Bad news you cant look in from work Prinz*, but like LW who cant it's better not to get in trouble. Just look in when you have time. Love the Photos the Lady has posted they are really good, and as you have'nt had time to do a Video, I've done a little one to cheer you up. One of the Cubs has decided it's bath time for the others
Video Length 1-30secs


WS

Hello, everyone! I hope you are all fine!
I am sorry I was away for some time but, besides not having access from work any longer, my parents came to visit - they live in Campinas, which is 1.000 km from Porto Alegre - and stayed for a week.
It was a very happy time, even more so because Tiik behaved very nicely, licking my father and even cuddling with my mother to sleep!
Thanks a lot for the video and nice words, WS, they really cheered me up!
The girls are really MASSIVE, Doogs, well chosen word!
Here is a video I made today: same as always, cleaning and catering.
Action starts at 3 minutes, sorry about that!
Have a great weekend everyone!

Hello again!

Hi Prin*

How lovely that you have had your parents stay for the last week, i'm glad you have had a nice time with them and how wonderful that Tiik loved them too I take it that was the first time he had met them so it goes to show how relaxed he must be to be licking your dad and sleeping with your mum.....how cute is Tiiks Is he eating again ok now and back to his normal self?

I cant get on the forum either at work, we can use the internet for work related things but not for nice things like the forum so like you I can only catch up in the evenings. I have had the very odd look in at work but we get "Blue Coined" which means the hospital know we have looked in, it's like giving you a virtual slap on the wrist

Anyway, our Leopard family I have watched all todays videos and caught up on a few I have missed. They certainly are huge indeed nd in the last videos they were really chasing around with speed, not sure i liked the playing about with the dead rabbit but thats natural behaviour for them I guess......I just get a bit squeamish about animals eating other animals, even though I know they need to survive I always love watching them playing with mum and the Den ones and the cleaning always make me smile. So thanks for posting all the updates Prin*

Hope youre having a good weekend, Give Tiiks a cuddle from me

littlewid-x-

Hi Prinz*
Glad you had such a nice time with your parents, and its good Tiiks was so well behaved, with them reckon you have a really good pet there.
Wow the Cubs were really chasing around there, as you say LW not nice to see, but its what Cats do wether they are big cats or little just natural behaviour. Thanks for the Video Prinz* its lovely to watch them playing
WS

Hi littlewid, Hi WS, Hi Everyone!
Yep, first time I saw the leopards with a dead rabbit, I felt really bad, but I guess I kind of grew used to it... Even worse was when I watched a tiger cub chasing little quails and playing with them BEFORE they were dead. The amur tiger was being handraised and his Latvian caregiver just threw the little birds there in his enclosure and left. At first, I thought they were mice, but I looked again and they were leaping, and I realized they were little quails... Given to him alive. :What:
I'm just glad that until now my Tiik has found only flies to chase... He grabs them happily and even licks his whiskers after the delicious meal.
He behaved well with my parents - who only got acquainted with him last week - from the very beginning: the licks and cuddling initiated on the first day! I guess my mother, who was never a cat person, has changed her mind now!
Thanks for asking, littlewid, he's back to his normal self: eating normally and following us all around the house. Just yesterday my husband asked if it was normal for a cat to be so attached because I am at the computer and he jumps onto the chair next to me, we go watch TV and there he is on the couch, we go to sleep and he wants to jump on the bed too...
Too bad we cannot access the forum and the cameras at work, littlewid, but as the saying here goes, the good ones pay for the bad ones... So for every person that would do it only during lunch hour or when they don't have anything to do, there are lots who would cheat and skip work. But no big deal: I am very satisfied with my job: about a month ago, I was transfered to a new place where the work itself is much better than in the previous one. As an added bonus, the environment is much friendlier too, so no complains here!
The spirits got me today, I guess!
Here are some videos I made today, girls were pretty active!











Have a wonderful week everyone!

on your new position Prinz* it's really good when you can work in an invironment that you enjoy, and hopefully it will make up for not being able to see the Cubs at work, as you say there's always someone who takes advantage, and spoils it for everyone else.
Great to see Mum having a ruff, and tumble with the kids. Is it me or does one of the Cubs always seem a bit apart from the others ?.
Poppy's like Tiik with Mrs S she follows her everywhere, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, all over she says it's like having a shadow attached to her leg she's a proper Mummys Girl.
Hope you have a good week to Prinz*

WS

Hi Prin*

I'm so glad you are enjoying your new job, it's always lovely if you enjoy your job, we spend so many hours at work it really is a bonus if you like it and have nice peope to work with.......just a shame neither of us can get on the internet to look at the forum or Leopards
I adore Tigers but I would not have liked to have seen the little Quails getting thrown in with the Tiger, that would have had me for sure, I know live prey is what they would have in the wild but in captivity I don't like it at all and like your Tiik my cats don't have the chance to capture anything apart from the odd rogue fly.
I m pleased Tiik is back to his old self it's great that he follows you around so much, I think that house cats do bond with their owners an awful lot and I think that cats who are out of the house most of the day dont have that much of a chance and I think it's those cats that lead people into believing cats are boring. If you had a house cat you would really get to see their personality and also how much cleverer than dogs they are. My lot stick to me like glue as well and everywhere I go in the house you can be sure that 3 cats and a dog will follow, Tiga will often jump into the shower, he is not afraid of the water so he must be one of the cleanest cats I know.

Back to the big cats I have just watched all those clips and I must admit, I think they are the most active clips of the Leopards, they were really zooming around especially in the last two but the second video made me laugh when the cub who was playing with mum rolled over on the stone hill and fell off they are huge now arent they but it is lovely to see them all playing, mind you I have just checked the den and they are all sleeping.

Hope you have a good rest of the week Prin*
littlewid-x-

Hello Prin* sorry I've not been able to catch up with all your clips but i've had no broadband connection at home for ages and it is still on-going so I will have to watch the clips later.

Lai

3 chilled out Cubs


WS

WS - lovely photo of them all lined up and relaxing.

Lai

Hello, everybody!
Great pix, littlewid and WS!
I also loved your cat stories!
How I wanted people to know cats are not the selfish animals they are regarded to be... What also amazes me is that many of my friends think they are dumb, and I feel like saying "YOU are the dumb one!" It's just that they have their own will, they are not your slaves!
littlewid, I just pictured your Tiga jumping in the shower with you, it must be so funny! Cutie!
WS, I am borrowing Mrs S's expression of the shadow attached to her leg... It's great! So sometimes I call Tiik "Sombrinha", which means "little shadow".
Lai and Doogs, don't worry if you aren't able to catch up... The only reason I am able to come and update the thread - and I've been faltering lately because of Tiik and the new job - is because it's my only one, besides checking the Estonian forum, and I'm increasingly late on that one too!
Look, today I only have one video, and it has no sound!!! This happens because I am having problems adjusting the sound of the equipment I use that can record for more than ten minutes, so I can go to bed and leave it on... Too bad the cameras only stay on for 45 minutes or so.



The following one is not a video of the Tallinn cubs, but it's an Amur, and a very cute one!
It was sent to me by one very dear friend, whom I got to know because of the Estonian forum.
The little Amur's nickname is Birba and she lives in Italy. She's the bride of little Baruto:

Hi Prin*

I must say that a lot of people who don't have cats think they are dumb, but as you say, they are the dumb ones because cats are far from dumb, they are very bright, intelligent creatures and if everyone owned a cat they would get to understand that.......the saying.....Dogs drool and Cats Rule..... is so very true

I love the Sombrinha meaning little shadow, I bet that could echo many pet owners animals it brings to mind a few of mine

I hope you get your recording equipement sorted so you can have sound again but I still appreciated the video. They were running so fast at the beginning they were becoming a blur. It was nice to see them using the whole Lair today, I nearly missed them running through at the back and fingers crossed that wasn't another Bunnie one of them was eating

Loved the video from your friend, such a cute video and loved the music as well, I am sure others will fall in love with that clip too.

Thanks for posting them Prin* and have lovely week.

littlewid-x-

Hi littlewid!
I am glad you liked little Birba, I hope Baruto likes her too! They're going to be a couple in the near future!
I adored this saying "Dogs drool and cats rule"... :Ha: I had never heard it!
Sometimes the cubs eat goats too, or pieces of it . There are lots and lots of goats at the zoo, and they are all near the snow leopards enclosure. I remember my husband and I were looking for the snowies and all we saw was goats, goats everywhere, it looked like we were in Goat Planet!
WS , I forgot to answer something you commented a while ago... There is a cub who prefers to hang out with their mother: it's Freya, she's a little darker than the other two. Remember she used to stay in the nest by herself a lot, before they were let out into the garden?
I managed to edit some videos, as Tiik is very sleepy today.

Hi Prin*
How are you and Tiik? I hope you are ok and that you have had a good week. My Tiga has been a bit poorly this week with his colitis and he has been very quiet and wanting lots of cuddles, but he is feeling better now thank heavens, theres nothing worse than when one of your little pets is not well.

I really liked Birba and I am sure Baruto will love her too they will make a very handsome couple I think Glad you liked the little saying, it always makes me smile and comes from a film called Homeward Bound about two dogs and a cat.....a great film if you ever get to watch it
Are the goats at the zoo kept purely for meat or are they kept at the zoo for interest?

Just had a massiive catch up with all your last videos that you posted, I sved them up for when I had a bit of time to watch them all, I love having a real Leopard fix and that surely gave me one

I have just had a peek in on them but they are not in the den, or at least in sight and it's too dark in the Lair and creek to see, but I am sure they are all fine.

Hope you are having a good week Prin* and catch up soon and hugs to Tiik

littlewid-x-

Hello littlewid!
Hello everyone!

littlewid, I am very sorry to hear Tiga is not so well, but it seems the worst part is over, so I hope by the time you're reading this he'll be his old self again, poor dear! Thanks for telling me about Homeward Bound, I will try to watch it!

I apologize I kind of vanished but my husband was in Mexico last week - my Finnish friend called him a gypsy :) - and it seemed there were so many more things to do, which included making sure Tiik didn't feel too lonely, because he really missed my husband, since they play so much together.
Then, on Saturday, it was I who traveled to Campinas, where my parents live. As I had made arrangements with the maintenance man of the building to paint the living room and he and Tiik know each other well, I was not too worried about leaving the cutie for two days, so imagine my surprise when I arrived and found out that the man hadn't been at my place at all!
As I always fear for the worst, I had bought more litter boxes and had left more than enough food and water, but I was very upset, because the weather here is too hot, so I was counting on the man to change Tiik's bowls of water.
And the bizarre touch is that when we called him on Saturday, he said that he had been at the apartment and he had started painting, he said even that the cat was ok... And then we arrived - my husband met me there, at my parents - and found out that he hadn't even taken the brush out of its packing! How can someone tell such a lie, one that will be discovered two days later, and to someone that the person will then see everyday? :?: It puzzles me. :|
Well, thankfully, poor Tiik is fine, but I think he felt so lonely after two days totally alone that he didn't even want to sleep the night we arrived!
I haven't uploaded pictures in a while, but I don't think I shared this album:

https://picasaweb.google.com/111249165589664566102/TiikeriAugust20122?authkey=Gv1sRgCLS375ask47fngE



As to our dear Amur girls, I have been checking the nest since I arrived from work, but no luck either.
My husband said he managed to record some playing yesterday, so I know they are fine, but I haven't seen it yet.
I'll try to post some new videos, but I'm not sure I can do it before the weekend.
Hope all of you have a great week!