FURRY TAILS: Welcome to the jungle

While standing in line at Trader Joe’s, I reached into my purse for my debit card and pulled out a pair of elephant tusks. OK, they weren’t real elephant tusks but, rather, wooden tusks that once belonged to a hand-carved elephant that now lay in pieces on my living-room floor.

Three hours is all it took for Jack to knock down, pounce on, and break the “Big Five” (Lion, Leopard, Rhino, African Elephant, and Cape Buffalo), which I'd schlepped from Zimbabwe through several airport security checkpoints, on four international flights and through three time zones.

"Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this." (Anonymous)

Cat fanciers have long known that our furry friends have wild roots. I was fortunate enough to glimpse those roots firsthand during a recent South African bush safari. I will never look at “domestic” cats quite the same way.

Within 15 minutes of my first game drive in the South African bush, we came upon a pride of African lions. I was immediately struck not only by their beauty but also their playful cat-like behavior.

It was amazing to see how our own lovable, enigmatic domestic pals communicate, hunt (pounce), groom, sleep and play exactly as their wild cat ancestors do.

Lions and tigers descended from early carnivores called miacids. From there the modern wild cat developed into three main types; European wild cat, African wild cat and the Asiatic desert cat.

The domestic cat is long believed to have evolved from the African wild cat because of its tabby markings.

And after thousands of evolving years, it still holds the same personality traits.

So the next time your cat pounces on you and lets out a “meow,” just remember: Your baby instinctively is in the jungle, hunting and roaring with joy.

Even if it is an urban jungle.

(ALL PHOTOS by DEBORAH JACK for CLIFFVIEWPILOT.COM. NO RE-USE WITHOUT PERMISSION)

Once the advertising director of a Wall Street publishing firm, Deborah Jack now heads one of the most successful pet-sitting and dog-walking franchises in the country. Fetch! Pet Care is nationwide; serving 38 states in more than 2,000 cities and towns. Deborah and her team of pet lovers service the Gold Coast, providing the kind of attention that, until now, was very hard to find -- all at affordable rates. Deb has several highly successful clients, but she spoils every pet the same, with a satisfaction guarantee. Check out: FetchPetCare.com. Be sure to tell 'em CLIFFVIEWPILOT sent you.

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