Cheetah Cubs!
October 14, 2021 3:07 PM Subscribe
Rosalie the cheetah has given birth to a litter of five cubs! And of course, there's a live webcam where you can view mama cheater and her cubs.
Webcam currently shows all the babies having a post-feeding snooze. Good resting time for Mama as well.
posted by cynical pinnacle at 3:21 PM on October 14, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by cynical pinnacle at 3:21 PM on October 14, 2021 [3 favorites]
precious baby murder kitties!
posted by praemunire at 3:39 PM on October 14, 2021 [8 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 3:39 PM on October 14, 2021 [8 favorites]
This is bringing me a lot of joy, thank you.
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:17 PM on October 14, 2021
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:17 PM on October 14, 2021
Kitties kitties kitties
posted by The Underpants Monster at 5:25 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 5:25 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
BAAAAAAAAAAAABYYYYYYYYYY CHEEEEEEEEEEEETAAAAAAAAAAAAHS
posted by medusa at 5:37 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by medusa at 5:37 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
My younger cat, who is not a mother and never will be, was nevertheless very interested in these babies and their noises.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:02 PM on October 14, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:02 PM on October 14, 2021 [5 favorites]
I need them to wake up and frolic on demand please. How do I wake them up?
posted by erebora at 7:06 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by erebora at 7:06 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
The FAQ is worth a read.
precious baby murder kitties!
Thrice redundant.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 7:25 PM on October 14, 2021
precious baby murder kitties!
Thrice redundant.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 7:25 PM on October 14, 2021
My younger cat, who is not a mother and never will be, was nevertheless very interested in these babies and their noises.
Allomothering is very common in both primates and cats. Almost all the female cats (and occasionally male ones) in the feral colonies I've worked with, regardless of their own age or maternal status, happily pitched in with the care of others' kittens. Mama cats who have litters near the same time will co-parent like nobody's business. It's probably why you see all these stories of mom cats adopting the young of other species. Same deal in chimpanzee and gorilla communities I've read about. Probably why so many of us humans have a bunch of unofficial aunties. I'm told that my sister, roughly a year older than myself, turned into my second mother at a very early age.
My dear departed Sam (raised from a bottle-baby and lived to 21, for many complicated reasons was never able to get spayed but never went outdoors) decided she was everybody's mama cat. Not just the other cats in the house, or any of the foster kittens that came and went, but also every human member of the family. She fussed over every illness and injury I had during her lifetime. Without any bio-kittens of her own, without having her own mother long enough to remember, she mastered that particular meow that mama cats use to call their babies. It always worked on whatever cat she was trying to summon. Even after she went deaf in her golden years. She had this look she would give you until you finally gave in and lay down so she could cuddle you to sleep. I have no doubt that she could have mothered five cheetah cubs in a pinch.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:12 PM on October 14, 2021 [27 favorites]
Allomothering is very common in both primates and cats. Almost all the female cats (and occasionally male ones) in the feral colonies I've worked with, regardless of their own age or maternal status, happily pitched in with the care of others' kittens. Mama cats who have litters near the same time will co-parent like nobody's business. It's probably why you see all these stories of mom cats adopting the young of other species. Same deal in chimpanzee and gorilla communities I've read about. Probably why so many of us humans have a bunch of unofficial aunties. I'm told that my sister, roughly a year older than myself, turned into my second mother at a very early age.
My dear departed Sam (raised from a bottle-baby and lived to 21, for many complicated reasons was never able to get spayed but never went outdoors) decided she was everybody's mama cat. Not just the other cats in the house, or any of the foster kittens that came and went, but also every human member of the family. She fussed over every illness and injury I had during her lifetime. Without any bio-kittens of her own, without having her own mother long enough to remember, she mastered that particular meow that mama cats use to call their babies. It always worked on whatever cat she was trying to summon. Even after she went deaf in her golden years. She had this look she would give you until you finally gave in and lay down so she could cuddle you to sleep. I have no doubt that she could have mothered five cheetah cubs in a pinch.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:12 PM on October 14, 2021 [27 favorites]
Sam is a cat who has mastered the art of the right angles.
posted by BlueHorse at 10:06 PM on October 14, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by BlueHorse at 10:06 PM on October 14, 2021 [4 favorites]
Oh yes, I forgot to mention...
CHEATTYS!!!!
posted by BlueHorse at 10:08 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
CHEATTYS!!!!
posted by BlueHorse at 10:08 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
Ha, early morning, mom had a clandestine stretch, then all the babies started stretching, too.
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:31 AM on October 15, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:31 AM on October 15, 2021 [3 favorites]
One thing I didn't see covered in the FAQ: are these cubs going to get issued their own emotional support dogs when they're old enough, or is that just a thing for zoo cheetahs and not conservation breeding program cheetahs?
posted by radwolf76 at 4:16 AM on October 15, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by radwolf76 at 4:16 AM on October 15, 2021 [2 favorites]
High drama this morning as one of the little guys attempted to nurse on a fellow kitten and then on mom's arm, then accidentally climbed over mom's arm out of the little nursing enclosure she makes and squirmed around a bit chirping, then made his way back in but couldn't figure out how to find a nipple amidst the crowd until mom sort of squooshed down for him.
Looks like baby cheetahs don't open their eyes for 4-11 days after birth.
posted by praemunire at 8:21 AM on October 15, 2021 [5 favorites]
Looks like baby cheetahs don't open their eyes for 4-11 days after birth.
posted by praemunire at 8:21 AM on October 15, 2021 [5 favorites]
I went to an exhibit at the Museum of Sci. and Ind. a while ago in town, when they had an exhibit that had models and videos behind the biomechanics of various animal characteristics. Like the impact of the Mantis Shrimp's extraordinary shell breaking punches etc. And one of the biomechanics videos was about the accordion effect on the spine of Cheetahs that allows them to go at speeds that make it the fastest land animal. It was fascinating.
And I also realized; that like Howlin Wolf; compared to these critters; I am built for comfort not for speed.
posted by indianbadger1 at 9:17 AM on October 15, 2021 [4 favorites]
And I also realized; that like Howlin Wolf; compared to these critters; I am built for comfort not for speed.
posted by indianbadger1 at 9:17 AM on October 15, 2021 [4 favorites]
I'm need to go to bed, but I am watching Cheetah Cam, and if I miss a single second of the babies wiggling in their sleep, I shall wither.
posted by mostlymartha at 12:35 AM on October 16, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by mostlymartha at 12:35 AM on October 16, 2021 [2 favorites]
Good news! There are still cheetah cubs on this webcam.
posted by Going To Maine at 12:05 PM on October 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Going To Maine at 12:05 PM on October 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
Oh, my, a tiny cheetah feeding frenzy as they all decided it was “nipple now!” time. Mom looks rather regal.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:05 PM on October 16, 2021
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:05 PM on October 16, 2021
Cheetahs purr, loudly. A human-raised cheetah is pleasant company. They purr like a cat, but get excited and race around like a dog. Lots of fun!
posted by Goofyy at 3:05 PM on October 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Goofyy at 3:05 PM on October 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
Aw, babies are getting a good grooming, and, yes, that is loud purring.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:08 PM on October 19, 2021
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:08 PM on October 19, 2021
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posted by Going To Maine at 3:08 PM on October 14, 2021 [2 favorites]