Word on the street was that the Emdoneni Wild Cat Rehabilitation Centre just north of us was well worth the visit. Not being what one would call a "cat lover", the idea left me feeling somewhat cold. In fact, "Why bother rehabilitating them at all?" was a thought that flashed naughtily through my mind every time Simon suggested a visit.
As well as that, they didn't even have lion.....I mean really, what was the point?
So rather than a pre-meditated visit, we kind of just "happened" upon the place which was a hop, skip and a jump from our accommodation in Hluhluwe.
African Wild Cat
So here is the African Wild Cat. "So what?", I hear you say. "Looks like any old house hold moggy." And so it does, however, if you look a little more closely, the giveaway sign is the rust red colouring behind the ears. Ho hum. I'm unconvinced - still looks like a household pussy to me.
Anyway, while they continue to demonstrate poor moral fibre by flirting with domestic tabbies and ferals, their existence as a species is endangered.
Caracal (Lynx)
Now this handsome devil is a Caracal. As you can see, they too have a fairly funky set of ears, in addition to a set of quite bizarre back legs which are long and extremely powerful.Serval
And this gorgeous feline is a Serval - they didn't mind a bit of a pat, and we even got to cuddle some Serval kittens (yes, the one below is a kitten!)
Cheetah
Aha. The main event. This is what we were REALLY here for. The centre had several cheetah, two of which had been orphaned and raised by the gamekeeper. Given their contact with humans, they were well beyond rehabilitation for release, however, the instructions before you went in to their enclosure were fairly clear that their instincts to hunt and chase were well and truly intact.
- Enter at your own risk
- Cats are unpredictable, even if considered 'tame'
- Stay together as a group - don't lag behind (they prefer the weaker ones at the back)
- No straps, gadgets, camera bags etc - they love to play, but don't expect to get your toys back in one piece!
- No running - unless you fancy being bought to the ground rather rapidly
- Make sure the cat can see you at all times
- Keep your children quiet - no loud noises, shouting or crying....
So, needless to say, we were all a little tentative as we entered the cheetahs' enclosure. Despite looking sleepy and listless, they woke up for a pat, looked around and even gave a lick or two. Quite awesome.
And so...
...to avoid getting my eyes scratched out by any cat lovers (metaphorically speaking, of course), I'd best make a confession that while I categorically remain a "dog person", cats have been starting to grow on me, and given we came away with all our limbs intact, this visit did nothing to hurt their improvement in status.
For those who remain on the fence in the cat vs dog debate, here's a little something to help you decide...
