Big Cat Rescue
The Tampa Bay area comes stocked with an array of attractions to match any metro area in the country—and from white-sand beaches to world-class museums, you’ve got it all at your fingertips as a guest of ours here at the Westshore Grand.
One of the most unique destinations in the area is Big Cat Rescue, where some spectacular felines rescued from captivity and abandonment find a new lease on life amid compassionate caretakers. Dedicated to ending the use of exotic cats in the pet trade—and the animal abuse that so commonly and tragically flows from it—Big Cat Rescue has been doing its good work since 1992.
Cats of All Stripes (and Spots, and Lack Thereof)
You’ll find a wide variety of species under the facility’s care: from the biggest of big cats (lions and tigers) to ornately patterned servals and ocelots. Within the Big Cat Rescue menagerie are two wildcats native to Florida: the bobcat and the mountain lion, which exists in the Sunshine State in the form of the imperiled subspecies the Florida panther. All of these lovely carnivores have fallen under Big Cat Rescue’s care out of any number of challenging straits: abuse or abandonment by unscrupulous owners, careers in performing acts, the fur-coat industry, or orphaned via hunting or poaching.
Visiting Big Cat Rescue
The luxury accommodations at Westshore Grand are a mere 10 miles or so from Big Cat Rescue, so we strongly urge you to check out the place during your stay with us: The guided tours provide unbeatable up-close-and-personal looks at some of the most magnificent animals on Earth, not to mention plenty of insight into the organization’s worthy mission.
The facility offers a wide variety of different sorts of visitor experiences: regular daytime tours; special kid-friendly, feeding, keeper, photo, and nighttime tours; private tours; and special packages for weddings and other parties. Whatever sort of session you join, you’re sure to be minting memories as you lock eyes with huge tigers, lithe caracals, royal lions, and other spectacular felids: the sort of vibrant and deeply wild creatures that never should be subjected to cramped cages or human neglect.
Hang With the Cats on Your Next Tampa Bay Visit to the Westshore Grand
Next time you join us here at Westshore Grand along sparkling Tampa Bay, consider an easy daytrip to Big Cat Rescue, and get to know some of our area’s most eye-catching and regal residents: a passel of exotic cats given a second chance at a healthy and well-looked-after existence thanks to this dedicated and tireless staff.