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Cats and Not Cats

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by RowanGreen, 20 Sep 2010.

  1. RowanGreen

    RowanGreen Well-Known Member

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    I've been thinking about my dream zoo, which would specialize in cats of all shapes and sizes! I was thinking they could be partly organized by habitat: so there'd be a selection of jungle cats living in habitats around a central walk through aviary. Mountian species might be in paddocks landscaped to include some fake cliffs (imagine seeing a snow leopard moving down one of those...). I'd also like to make it possible to have many species have access on a rota basis to exercise paddocks with a lure run (I've seen film of these being used with Cheetah). I might also use rotating access to different areas to make best use of space and give variety.

    I'd also like to have a rescue and rehabilitation centre for feral and problem domestic cats (maybe on a different site: would definitely need it's own entrance), and maybe a cat museum and shop with plenty of stuff for people's pet cats.

    When it came to breeding, I'd concentrate on breeding the more unusual small/medium species rather than the big guys.

    To expand the zoo a bit I'd like to also exhibit species that are 'cat themed' without actually being cats:

    Quoll: Australian native cat
    Duck billed platypus
    Tiger shark (maybe I'd have a sculpture rather than the actual thing!)
    Lionfish
    Catfish
    Meercat
    Catbird
    Lion tamarin

    Can anyone think of any more for that list? (Sure I had more but they've gone out of my head!)
     
  2. DDcorvus

    DDcorvus Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    if a cat zoo is your dream you might wanna check out Parc des FĂ©lins in France.
     
  3. RowanGreen

    RowanGreen Well-Known Member

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    Thanks!

    (Adding as aparently that's too short....)
     
  4. ZYBen

    ZYBen Well-Known Member

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    how is a platypus cat themed?
     
  5. CGSwans

    CGSwans Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I'm struggling to figure out what about platypi is "cat-themed".

    How about civet "cats"?
     
  6. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    That gave me pause as well. I think the last syllable is being equated to "puss" (as in cat)
     
  7. Hix

    Hix Wildlife Enthusiast and Lover of Islands 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Even though that last syllable is greek for 'foot'?

    Good luck getting one out of Australia!

    :p

    Hix
     
  8. RowanGreen

    RowanGreen Well-Known Member

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    Yep, 'puss'! LOL Stretching things maybe, but it would be very cool! Thinking of Maned Wolf too, Lions being maned...

    Also thought of Leopard Seal (anyone keep those in captivity?) and Sealion.

    Good one on the Civet Cat!
     
  9. CGSwans

    CGSwans Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    This really is quite a weird concept, you know.
     
  10. RowanGreen

    RowanGreen Well-Known Member

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    I think it's a fun list to make though...
     
  11. Paix

    Paix Well-Known Member

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    :rolleyes:Well, this really is a weird concept, and to be honest you can connect pretty much anything with the word Cat! For example:

    Bengal Slow Loris: Relates to the cat "Bengal" Tiger.

    You could go on forever.... :rolleyes:
     
  12. Jabiru96

    Jabiru96 Well-Known Member

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    Yep, just 1.1 at Taronga Zoo here in Sydney, Australia.
     
  13. RowanGreen

    RowanGreen Well-Known Member

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    LOL. It would probably be sensible to ban connections via proper nouns. Though I might allow that one on the grounds that there are Bengal cats as well as Bengal Tigers so it's a double!

    My list so far:

    Lion Tamarin
    Quoll
    Duck-billed Platypus
    Meercat
    Civet Cat
    Polecat
    Racoon
    Tiger Shark
    Sealion
    Leopard Seal
    Lionfish
    Catfish
    Tiger Barb
    Octopus
    Catbird
    Kite
    Leopard Tortoise
    Leopard Gecko
    Panther Chameleon
    Tiger Chameleon
    Leopard Snake
    Tiger Snake
    Tiger Frog
    Leopard Frog
    Leopard Bullfrog
    Tiger Salamander
    Antlion
    Leopard moths (include a species also known as Eyed Tiger Moth)
    Leopard Butterfly
    Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (seem to be a few Tiger butterflys and moths...)
    Leopard Slug

    (Many of these cover several species of course...)

    Looking at many of those I think we might be talking children's zoo!
     
  14. docend24

    docend24 Well-Known Member

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    Weird thread but I don't see a bearcat anywhere.
     
  15. RowanGreen

    RowanGreen Well-Known Member

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    Good one! Thanks for that!
     
  16. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    you're going to have to explain the inclusion of raccoon (relating it to coon cats?) and kite
     
  17. CGSwans

    CGSwans Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    The best I could come up with is that "kite" sounds vaguely like "kitten".
     
  18. Hix

    Hix Wildlife Enthusiast and Lover of Islands 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Or could be mispronounced as 'kitty'
     
  19. RowanGreen

    RowanGreen Well-Known Member

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    You've got it. I know, it's a groaner. LOL
     
  20. Hvedekorn

    Hvedekorn Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I know it's a fictional dream zoo, but some of your "additional" species are just too weird to fit in?

    Unless the only thing you look for is puns, you'll (as a visitor) have hard a time seeing the connection between platypi, racoons, octopi, kites ... Quoll could be okay, if its relationship to cats is explained on the sign.