Thursday, 
June 4, 2015

10 Cats You Shouldn't Cuddle With

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There's no doubt that domestic cats are cute and cuddly, but when it comes to their wild brothers and sisters, we strongly advise keeping your hands to yourself. [caption id="attachment_35613" align="aligncenter" width="590"]Connor by Darrell Ybarrondo photo: Darrell Ybarrondo[/caption] With two- to three-inch long canine teeth, Connor would rather chow down than cuddle with you. [caption id="attachment_35620" align="aligncenter" width="580"]Jaguar by Bob Worthington photo: Bob Worthington[/caption] We suggest you steer clear of Nindiri, or suffer the same fate as this poor rabbit. [caption id="attachment_35615" align="aligncenter" width="580"]Serval by Ion Moe photo: Ion Moe[/caption] Kamari might look cute, but servals are perhaps the best hunters in the cat world. They make a kill in about half of all tries, which means you probably wouldn't survive a snuggle session. Snow leopard The legendary snow leopard is rarely seen by humans. Cuddling with one? Don't kid yourself. Sumatran tiger One look at Teddy and you know he isn't in the mood for some TLC. [caption id="attachment_35618" align="aligncenter" width="580"]Cheetah by Stephen Moehle photo: Stephen Moehle[/caption] With the ability to reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, you don't want to be on the receiving end of this cheetah's gaze. [caption id="attachment_35612" align="aligncenter" width="580"]Fishing cat by Bob Worthington photo: Bob Worthington[/caption] If you're thinking "Aw, this looks just like my fluffy Felix," think again—fishing cats can be very aggressive. Izu Izu barely has enough patience for his cubs, so he probably isn't interested in your warm embrace either. [caption id="attachment_35616" align="aligncenter" width="580"]Oshana by Ion Moe photo: Ion Moe[/caption] The same is true for Oshana. [caption id="attachment_35627" align="aligncenter" width="580"]photo: Deric Wagner photo: Deric Wagner[/caption]
Mountain lion, puma, cougar, panther—this cat is known by more names than just about any other mammal—"cuddle buddy" isn't one of them.   Jenn Beening is the social media planner for San Diego Zoo Global. Read her previous post, 11 Incredibly Awesome Animal Moms.