WOMAN ADOPTS A LION CUB THAT EVENTUALLY TEACHES HER AN UNDISCOVERED LESSON REGARDING HER OWN LIFE

 

Have you ever gone to someone’s house and realized that they are not like other folks? Well, if you went to Annel Snyman’s place, you would know just why some people get really shocked when they go to her house. There is one good reason why this is so… Annel actually keeps a lion in her house. She keeps this lion as a pet and also takes care of a dog. These animals are actually very fond of each other too. So how exactly did this animal lover get to keep this amazing feline in her home? What is their daily routine like?

From South Africa

So you might be wondering, how can this lady be keeping an animal in her house as if it was an ordinary cat? Where is she from and does her family not have anything to say about her bizarre pet? Well, the lady who keeps this wonderful pet is Annel Snyman. She resides near Bela Bela in the Waterberg region, South Africa and has always been a lover of animals.

During Spring

And so since she had always loved animals so much, Annel had always been involved with them ever since she was a little girl. She had always been fascinated by all the different animals she gets to see or meet in and around her neighborhood. So when she grew up she did something that most people would find weird. So during springtime, she adopted a lion cub. The cub needed shelter and care so she took charge…

Holding Onto The ‘Cat’

So after she decided to take in the lion cub, Annel soon realized that this was not an easy task. She found out just how tiresome maintaining a huge feline actually was. However, it was not like she was not prepared for it, She had actually done some training to keep the car in her house. The training was for her to be well versed in taking care of a lion. So, Timba the lion cub was soon house-trained as well.

Helps Sometimes

And just like other ordinary pets, Timba was quite the troublemaker. He was constantly plotting against the owner and would always be caught. He would frequently steal some food kept in the kitchen but would always be caught later. He acts like how other cats do, however, there was one thing he was actually good for. Timba would often help around the house!

Little Baby

Since Timba was only a baby when Annel took him in, he was fairly easier to handle and take care of. After all, little cubs also have the cuteness factor that adds to their charm and allure. But as time went by, he grew into a huge size that was getting hard to handle. As he grew bigger, Timba soon learned how to walk with his owner and the dog.

A Jealous Baby

Since he was brought up Annel, he was very protective and possessive of her. In a way, you could say that he really felt like she was his mother. His attachment was blatant when other people came into the house. Whenever there were guests, Timba would turn really jealous and would place himself in between Annel and her guests. She had this to say about him…

Tough Love

Annel loves her pets so much and so she always wants to keep both her ‘cat’and her dog happy. But since the animals love her so much, they often get a little jealous of one another too. ‘Relationships can be a challenge though, as there are often some jealousy issues about who is going to snuggle up with who on the couch,’ explained Annel.

All The Attention

She even revealed that Timba was not one to back down when there is a competitor who tries to take Annel’s attention or the attention he gets. She revealed later to interviewers that he would want all the attention he could get. She even went on to say that it sometimes got difficult to even ignore him! So how did her dog react to the huge cat sharing their home?

Fighting Over The Couch

And as she spoke about the lion, Annel had plenty of funny stories to tell about the two of her pets. Since the dog and the cat belong to ‘families that are ‘sworn enemies’, you would have to assume that they fight a lot. We have all seen or heard about dogs and cats fighting because of just about anything. But the way that Timba and Annel’s dog fight ,is something so sweet…

How An Argument Usually Ends

Annel talked about how the usual issues that the dog and lion had would be resolved. She revealed,  ‘It normally ends up with me on one couch with Timba snuggled up on my lap and the other person on the other couch or outside looking rather concerned.’ If you really think about it, it would be pointless to try and argue with a huge lion, right?

Always Ready For A Snuggle

There was something that the lion cub ha learned to do during the time he was domesticated in Annel’s home. So what was it? Well, he became an expert in snuggling up on the couch. ‘This is something that Timba has mastered perfectly. He’s fantastic at subtly shifting his way onto the couch between myself and whoever may be sitting next to me,’ revealed the amused owner.

Cuddles Please?

Since she had trained him to behave not as a wild animal but as a domestic pet, Timba’s ways and behavior is one that would puzzle many. He was a feline who absolutely loved to cuddle and snuggle with others. He especially loved Annel’s hugs and embraces. So, since he was such an expert attention seeker, in the end, Timba eventually receive cuddles!

The Perfect Pet

There was another joke that Annel had regarding her jealous pet lion. She revealed that lions would make for great pets for dads because of thing she learned with taking care of Timba. She advises that a father would be glad at taking in ‘a lion to keep the boys away from their daughters,’ because Timba does such an effective job at keeping people at a distance from his human mother.

What Happens Later?

And everyone often gets scared about lions for one thing. We all know that lions are wild animals, that they have animal instincts embedded in their system. So anyone would be concerned about Timba growing up and giving in to his wild animal instincts. So what would happen when Timba gradually becomes an adult lion… The next picture is one that will both scare you and amaze you…

An Unusual Pet

Since Annel had been involved and exposed to so many animals while growing up, this was quite normal to her. She never thought too much about the fact that her pet cat is actually a lion. You must be wondering how her close ones deal with such an unusual pet. Well, the woman had many friends and family members who have grown accustomed to Timba.

Still An Amazement

So for her family members and close friends, Annel would be able to experience how harmless and lovable Timba is. As for the other neighbors, well, who can blame them? To them, Timba is still a ferocious animal that could potentially be harmful. Annel’s neighbors are still astounded to see that she often play with a giant white lion. This is how Annel feels about this perception…

Being Comfy With Timba

Annel says that there was initial fear that took over most of her close ones. But soon, since Timba is just like a house cat, even they have learned to not look into it too much. ‘Family and friends have all had to adjust… They’ve also gotten used to having him investigating their coffee or any other sweet items they happen to have’, she revealed to interviewers.

How They React

Annel had learned to make sure her friends and family got used to her big cat. And since Timba was a rather well-behaved pet, they soon understood how to act around him. But there were other people that Annel had a hard time convincing how harmless her pet was. Her dear neighbors were still very scared of Tim, she says. There was another shocking point she made…

Neighbors Still Amazed

The people who are living near Annel’s home are still in shock to see that their neighbor keeps a lion as a pet. They still give her the confused look and would show a concerned face at times too. When she plays with Timba, ‘The neighbors are all amazed by him and I often see them driving past and slowing down to catch a glimpse,’ revealed Annel.

Another Shocker

To own a large feline as a pet is already something quite strange. Annel has another shocking revelation about what she had owned in the past. Timba was not the only weird pet that Annel took in as her own. It turns out that Annel actually had another very disturbing animal as her pet before. And Timba was not her first big cat. So what was?

The Previous Adopted Cat

After so many surprising revelations, Annel still had something strange to share about her life. Timba was actually the last adopted wild animal for the animal lover. Annel began raising other wild animals even since the year 2009. She opened ‘Loebies Guestfarm’ and began to take in farm animals. This happened on her land with the help of her parents.

More Work

Annel had always known that she wanted to help save animals in need. She had always been sure about her calling in life, that she was born to do this. After she opened ‘Loebies Guestfarm’ she knew she wanted to do more, so the hardworking woman made sure to made changes. That was when she applied to the Department of Nature Conservation…

A Permit

Since Annel had been working with animal her whole life, she was skilled enough to take care of the most dangerous animals. After opening her own farm, she had an even better experience with animals. She then applied for a permit to The Department of Nature Conservation. They soon gave Annel a permit enabling her to adopt and raise wild animals.

Annel’s Excitement

For someone who had always been fascinated with wild animals, Annel was not fearful that these animals would threaten her life. In fact, she was excited to be able to take in these wild animals in need. Annel’s excitement was evident in what she then decide to adopt. Annel took in a cheetah cub, five lions, a white lion, a leopard, and six Serval kittens!

Like Her Kids

Annel always meant to take care of wild animals, according to her. She felt a sense of fulfillment when she took in these animals. ‘For me, working with these animals was therapy and unbeknown to me at the time, the start of a whole new passion and path that my life was soon to take,’ explained the woman talking about how this was a passion rather than just a fancy.

Not Their Permanent Home

Since she took most of them in while they were in need, Annel naturally felt a sense of attachment to them. But since they belong to the wild, she knows for a fact that she cannot keep them forever. Even though she truly loves all her rescues, it was never their permanent place to stay with Annel. She had to learn to let go of these wild animal, setting them free in the wild.

Difficult Goodbyes

Annel loved all the animals she adopts as if they were her own children. She loved to nurse them back to health and shower them with food and affection. And her maternal instincts often kick in when this happens. Annel would, after raising and caring for the animals she adopts, find it extremely difficult to say goodbye to them and part ways. So she decided to do something about it…

Hard Some Days

After realizing that she had trouble parting ways with her adopted ‘children’, Annel made sure she would not have to deal with such hardships. She quickly asked for a permit so that she can keep the wild animals permanently. Her request was approved. However, ‘There are times when it is difficult to do day-to-day thing’, admits Annel…

Now An Adult

And so after acquiring her permit, Annel had nothing to worry about when it came to Timba. She could now take care of the cub and witness him grow into an adult. And as time passed by, the last lion cub that she took in, Timba, was not a beautiful white lion. Annel loved the lion and so did he. His love for her was apparent and she had this hilarious thing to say about her cat…

Timba Approves

Like we had mentioned earlier, Timba was not one to let Annel have her fun. He was extremely possessive and jealous. She found it hard to have a social life as everyone was too scared to approach her. But finally, Timba changed his mind and Annel revealed, ‘I’m in a relationship now though and thankfully Timba has totally accepted my partner as one of the family.’

Spoiled Kittens

And it turned out, Timba was not spoiled at all as compared to the ones that Annel previously owned. The loving owner claims that the other felines she took in were way more spoiled than him. She described the cats claiming that ‘the first lions reared on the farm […] ruled the house, the bed and the couches and would regularly join me for swims in the farm’.

Taking Care Of Wild Cats

Annel also claimed that the first wild cats she owned had taught her something about herself. She revealed that those cats were responsible for ‘the spark that ignited my passion and directed me towards the unimaginable path and life experiences that I have on a daily basis’. Annel is not just living a comfortable life, she is also saving many animals who are in desperate need.

With Care

Annel had never had fear when it came down to her pets. She would always spend time with them and care for them whenever they needed. She always kept them near her. But one thing she never does is let her guard down. ‘A person can never feel 100 percent safe around their cats because they have natural instincts they act on’, she started explaining how cautious she is.

Trusting Her Cats

‘I personally believe my cats won’t attack me out of anger, but I have my fair share of scratches and bruises from interacting with them,’ adds Annel. She has spent so much time with them that she feels like they would never attack her out of spite. And even though she had been injured, ant cat owner would agree that having a cat as a pet always leaves you with a bruise or two…

Like Her Identity

Annel is not just a caretaker of the cats. She feels like they are her own. ‘While most people are amazed, this has become my life and part of who I am,’ stated Annel to interviewers. Annel is like any other pet owner if you put aside the fact that her pets are from the wild and can potentially kill her any second. But this woman is doing all she can to help them live a better life…