Our Cats & Their Stories

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Zoey Tiger

An animal trainer in the Miami County Circus in Peru, IN retired from the circus. Upon retirement, the trainer took the many animals he owned and placed them in a single barn. Two years after he put the animals in the barn, Zoey was added to the cramped quarters. Not only were tigers kept in this barn, but also lions, horses, and an elephant. Zoey was given a small 5x7 cage to pace in, which seemed large compared to the circus cages her other feline friends were kept in. After 7 years in that cage, Zoey and the other cats were rescued by the Exotic Feline Rescue Center in 2010. Zoey, like other animals kept in small cages for long periods of time, suffers from a neurological tic. Although she does not do it as often anymore, Zoey has a well-worn circle in the dirt of her enclosure from pacing. In times of stress or excitement, her brain will revert back to the comfort of pacing in a circle. Zoey’s time now-a-days is spent playing hide-and-seek with tours and enjoying her new neighbor, Baby Drago. Zoey is one of the few big cats that actually enjoys eating feathered food. She can be seen with a mouth full of feathers on the days she gets those for dinner.