Joe Exotic and the Integrity of Owning a Wild Cat

Have you seen the Netflix docu-series “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness?” It’s a bizarre story about “Joe Exotic,” the eccentric keeper of tigers, lions, and other big cats at his Oklahoma zoo.

Joe Exotic’s wild cats are magnificent. Their majesty makes it easy to fantasize about owning wild cats as pets. But what is it really like to own a big cat?

First, before we dive into owning wild cats, here in the U.S., every state has regulations regarding owning wild cats as pets. Some completely ban ownership, some partially, and some just have licensing requirements.

Wild Lion. Taken by Dr. Kent in Africa, 2019.

Are Wild Cats Expensive?

The short answer to this question is yes.

The cost of buying a young tiger cub is about $7500, which is relatively cheap in comparison to the cost of an F1 Savannah Cat.

Like all pets, your big cat needs food. But this expense is a bit more than what you’d pay for your domesticated feline’s food. That’s because the volume of food consumed by a captive wild cat is much greater, about 9-18 lbs. of meat most days. It’s not unreasonable to expect to pay around $10,000/year to feed and supplement your big cat.

Health Care for Wild Cats

Be aware that your wild cat will need a veterinarian who specializes in big cats - not every veterinarian does!

Wild cats require care that’s similar to their house cat counterparts like vaccinations, worming, and flea prevention. These basics can cost you a few hundred dollars every year.

And there’s always the chance that your cat might become sick or injured and need emergency care, which can be expensive, often costing thousands of dollars or more. To my knowledge, there’s no pet insurance that covers wild cats.

Upkeep for Wild Cats

A big cat requires special accommodations, many of these driven by regulations that specify the size of the cage, height of the fencing, and the amount of land needed. Five acres of land is not an uncommon requirement for wild cat ownership in some states.

Owning a big cat guarantees that you won’t be moving to a new home during its lifetime. The Captive Wildlife Safety Act prohibits moving big cats across state lines.

And another thing, most homeowner’s insurance carriers will cancel your policy if you own a big cat.

Wild Cat Behavior

That cuddly tiger cub eventually grows up. Since nature has hard-wired big cats to be solitary, they will view you warily as competition, regardless of how lovingly you may have raised them. (Mature, big cats will kill their own mother in the wild.)

Big cats are also territorial and set their boundaries by spraying urine. Captive wild cats will do this too, no matter how young they are when spayed or neutered. The urine smell is overwhelming.
In the wild, big cats travel vast distances to hunt, seek mates, and stake out territory. In captivity, lack of this natural wide-ranging activity is stressful, and can cause neurotic behaviors such as pacing, tail chewing, or excessive grooming.

A wild cat is a dangerous pet. Combined with the tremendous costs and responsibilities that come with ownership, a better companion choice is the domesticated house kitty.