Tikam is a victim of the wildcat trade in Europe. After the 8-weeks-old puma cub was smuggled from the Czech Republic to Germany, he lived with his owner in a small apartment in Baden-Württemberg. After several residents and the landlord informed the veterinary office, when they saw the man with the Puma on a leash in the city park, the competent authority controlled the attitude. The owner was ordered to bring the puma immediately into a species-appropriate environment. Due to the lack of vaccine protection, however, Tikam first had to be accommodated in the quarantine ward of the Rüsselsheim animal shelter for a few weeks after finding his forever home in February 2019 at TierArt. 🖤
Fun fact: Cats’ tongues are covered in little spines. Called “papillae,” they look like tiny hooks. You can see them in this picture if you look closely! They’re made of keratin, just like human fingernails.
These minuscule structures serve multiple purposes. For one, they enable the cats’ tongues to act like a comb as they groom themselves, brushing down hairs and loosening debris from their fur. The detangling also prevents mats, which can cause pain and immobility if they continue to knot. Those licks remove fleas and dirt, spread body oils and improve circulation.
Secondly, the pointy papillae helps cats scrape meat from the bones of their prey, like a tiny paring tool. A feline’s amazing genetics are proof that they are meant to be survivors! 🥩
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