BIG CAT DIARY EVERY DAY

My weekday life revolves around “Big Cat Diary” on Animal Planet every day at 2:00 p.m. Lunch, meetings, travel, you name it, the world stops. Both Vince and I have to see the big cats every day. For anyone who has not seen this, you are missing a real nature experience.

This BBC production is extremely well done. The compassion shown by the researchers and crew is evident. They follow families of lions, cheetahs and leopards in the Masai Mara Sanctuary in Kenya. Each of the three hosts is an expert on one or more of the cats. Braving ungodly weather and bugs, the crew brings it to you raw. There is nothing show biz about this show. This is filmed out in the wild and it isn’t always pleasant. Never does the crew interfere, as much as they get emotionally involved, when a cat is hurt, maimed or killed. They are simply there to record the cats’ lives, and they do a fabulous job of it.

Big Cat Diary films several months out of the year to coincide with the wildebeest migration. Jonathan Scott and Simon King began this project in 1996 and were joined in 2002 by Saba Douglas-Hamilton. They guide their four-wheel drives over some rugged terrain, and sometimes as many as 60 crew are assisting in filming and spotting the cats. Every segment is impressive.

The crews follow these cats for months and sometimes years; from birth to adulthood and, unfortunately, in some cases, to death. The cats, as they say, “write the script.” Names are given to the big cats and their cubs, and you soon find yourself developing a bond with the cats. There is one common denominator to every show; the plot. Cats chase prey, cats kill prey, cats eat prey and share with cubs. It sounds gruesome, and it can be. What comes across is that the cats’ lives consists of a never-ending quest to find the next meal for themselves and their families.

Sometimes, the show can be very funny. The lion, cheetah and leopard cubs are adorable. They wrestle and tumble and jump and run, all in preparation for the day when they have to hunt on their own. The moms are highly protective, and they are continually teaching the cubs how to hunt. The dads are kind of deadbeats, but they do defend their families when another male tries to take over the territory.


The lions are my favorites. They are so regal, and they remind me the most of my housecats. I think they have a smile on their faces at times. They are smug because they are the kings of the cats. The lions are the most feared among the big cats because of their sheer size and power. These social animals live in prides and will kill anything that threatens the pride, including the other big cats.

The leopards, by far the most reclusive of the three breeds, are fascinating. They kill their prey, and then drag them up high into trees so other predators can’t steal them. These are the master climbers of the cat race. The crews have the most difficult time finding these cats, and it takes more spotters to locate them than the other breeds.


The cheetahs are not only speed machines, but they have quite a sense of humor. They frequently jump on the Big Cat Diary Jeeps to gain a higher vantage point. In addition to doing several unmentionable things on the Jeeps, they recently ate a still camera that one of the crew left sitting out. The very expensive camera soon became a cheetah chew toy, but the crew could only laugh. The cheetah’s mischievous and humorous behavior was described recently as “…typically cheetah.” Today, as the cheetah once again jumped on the Jeep, Jonathan Scott said, “We are nothing more than a moveable termite mound.” The cheetahs have no fear of humans. They are the most vulnerable of the big cats because of their relative small size, but they have speed on their side.


All the big cats fear the hyenas and water buffalo. If more than a few hyenas gather, the cats scatter…even the lions. And the leopard and cheetahs fear the lions.

I have a soft spot for the big cats because of my own house cats. With seven permanent rescue cats, I see great similarities. Though they have no food worries as the 24/7 cafeteria is always open, the similarities are striking. The big cats may be stalking a wildebeest or Thompson’s gazelle in Africa, but my cats have the same body language, gestures, approach and attack when chasing a fly. I’m glad I’m bigger than my cats.

Cats, cats, cats, big or small - Whenever we go to a zoo, we head right to the cats, whether it’s our great Knoxville Zoo, or any zoo. When we are on vacation, where do we go? The zoo. This summer, even with my broken foot, we hobbled around the Ft. Worth Zoo and the Gainesville, TX Zoo. I’ve been to zoos in almost every state and foreign countries. The Columbus Zoo, Brookfield Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoo and San Diego Zoo are just a few. Some people go to museums; we go to zoos.

The big cats touch my heart. Last year, when we got married, I wanted to do something for the big cats at The International Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Boyd, Texas. Rather than feature fancy centerpieces and favors, we had pens printed with the name and website of the Sanctuary. From what I’ve learned, we raised lots of money for them!!

If you like the big cats and quality TV (for a change), then Big Cat Diary is the show for you. Seeing these magnificent cats in their natural habitat is a humbling experience every day. It always makes my day go better. Just don’t call me between 2:00-3:00!
Photos courtesy Big Cat Diary, Animal Plant; Google Images, Big Cat Diary