big cat rescue

Richard570

We had planned our trip to Tampa with the firm intention of going to Big Cat Rescue and we were not disappointed. Just pullling in to the parking lot, we received a friendly smile and wave from someone working there whom we obviously did not know. We were barely a few minutes late arriving at the scheduled tour time and were pleased to see that the guide had waited for us before starting. They have so many exotic felines living in natural enclosures and although it's impossible to visit all of them, the guide knew a great deal about every cat on the tour. We were initially afraid that we'd be in a huge group of like, 20+ people, but ours was less than 10, which gives it a very personalized feel. You could ask questions and our guide was very knowledgeable about all the cats on the tour. Our only deception was that our tour was cut short after half an hour by a sudden torrential downfall, a common occurrence in Florida. The gift shop has everything you can imagine in terms of souvenirs. This place is a must for animal lovers.

232kennetha

The cats were great and the atmosphere really good, but I do think the guide was a bit uptight. Lots of info though, and it was a great visit overall - highly recommended for kids.

693kelliem

My husband and I just did the regular tour. You have two tour guides, but are given a headset. As you walk around, the stories of all the animals are playing through your headset. If you have questions, you can ask either of the tour guides and they will be happy to answer. It was very interesting to see all of the cats they have! They recently opened a 2-week vacation thing for their big cats. Each of them get to spend 2 weeks, twice a year in a 2.5-acre space. The tiger was away where we couldn't see it, but supposedly they are usually frolicking about. They also have a little center set up with the local adoption agency for house cats. They train the kittens to be social, so they can be adopted out to homes. The cats were so cute and most were right at the edge of their cages so you could see them. The only regret we had, was we wish we would have upgraded to the keeper tour. While the headsets were fine, I think we would have enjoyed hearing it from the volunteers instead.

GopalG

I am not a cat person, but visiting this place makes me realize the amazing nature of big cats ! We have taken our guests here and even took the kid tour and it was an amazing experience for adults and children alike.

sarahlY2446OH

Well worth the drive from Orlando, we used a sat nav but it was quite easy to find. The tours are all unique as to which animals are awake/moving around when the tour takes place. Really informative and a great chance to see big cats and know they're being looked after properly.

NewYorkCityThor

My husband and I very much enjoyed the one and half hour tour of the rescue center. The volunteer was extremely good and provided us with a great deal of information about the big cats (tigers, cougars, lions, etc.) that were under their care. She described to us their living conditions (in circuses, private hands ) before they were rescued. I did not like seeing the cats in cages even if they are large but one must remember where they come from: their lives were much worse: they were used for entertainment. Now at the Big Cat Rescue Center they have earned a well deserved rest free from harassment and perhaps even worse. Hopefully, the Big Cat Rescue Center will succeed in their important mission: have big cats banned from circuses and out of private hands.My only reservation is that these group tours are quite expensive and may discourage families going on them. But perhaps there is no other solution: veterinary care and feeding these animals are extremely expensive.

753jeanm

Big cat rescue gives you an opportunity to see many larger cats including tigers and lions as well as many medium and exotic big cats up close while learning about the rescue efforts needed to save them and what their back stories were. It was both fun and educational and I would definitely go back again!

cynocencio

This was a great experience I was visiting Florida and I can't do big parks (health reasons) this was just the perfect length tour for me. My daughter and I went it was amazing this sanctuary is truly for the animals, They truly show how much they care for their animals, If I am ever back in the Tampa area I will definitely go back. Till then I will follow my favorite Big Cats on Facebook.

KTSB

Big Cat Rescue is certified to house and care for former "pets" and sideshow animals. The staff and volunteers do a great job of caring for and enriching the animals lives. If you can't visit, just donate.

318kristad

One of my favorite places to take friends and family when they visit the Tampa area. The kids learn a lot they didn't know and helps build appreciation for the big cats and an understanding of some of the issues that many children are not aware of including the abuse and inbreeding necessary to produce white tigers that you find as attractions in many zoos and the genetic problems that occur when humans try to create genetically unnatural animals such as ligers.

HankScorpi0

My wife and I toured Big Cat Rescue in November after watching their videos on YouTube. The sanctuary puts the animals first, and they take pains to remind you of this at every corner. At times, the tour guide seemed to be really rubbing it in about how cruel people can be to wild cats, but it's because the folks at the BCR are passionate. The animals are gorgeous, and you will not forget them. Take the kids.

flmarg1

The cats all looked healthy with beautiful coats. I expected to see more variety of cats-there are a lot of serval cats which I had never heard of. The workers knew the cats and their stories, questions were well answered. A few more benches along the way to rest on would be handy. I would recommend it.

3Hondas

Our family visited in Oct 2014 for the 1 1/2 hr general tour. It was so interesting and a nice walk under the trees on a paved path with a tour guide. Take a water bottle as it is hot. An audio player was given to each tourist and we listened as we got to each animal's habitat. This was the best tour as you usually can't hear a tour guide if you are in the back of the group. This was very professional and the staff was very nice and the gift shop was not full of junk like at a Disney attraction. One man who couldn't walk was in a golf cart and the guide made sure he could see each animal and hear the audio and didn't miss anything. At one animal's home, the employees brought blood popsicles for some of the cats and it was neat to see how happy they were to get a treat. This is a unique place that you would never dream would be in town surrounded by fast food restaurants and malls. I read lots of reviews before we went and they were helpful. My daughter did a poster/report on BCR for her Large Animal Science Class project at school and the agricultural teachers were very impressed.

mexicocity

My 12 year old son saw a piece on Animal Planet about Big Cat Rescue and has been asking about going. I had no idea what to expect but I thought the tour was well worth the money and very interesting. As others have noted how the cats came to be in the sanctuary is often very sad, there are some "hybrid" cats where mixed breeds (a domestic cat and a bobcat for example) that were particularly disturbing. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and very passionate about the animals. Although they do rehabilitate and release some smaller cats, the larger ones are there for the duration. As others have stated it is 90 minutes outside on dirt paths so do consider the weather, the day we visited was quite chilly (high of about 55) by FLA standards. Their secondary mission is education and advocacy so they will present the different things they are working on in that regard. Well worth the time and effort.

ArunS878

You can have a close look at the big cats and get nice photo clicks. Its worth going once to this place. But check the tour timings before you go to that place and take sufficient food along with you.