There's a tiger among Lucy's litter!

Aug 22 2007

BUSTER, the abandoned tiger cub thinks and acts like a household moggie as he strolls through his owner's cat flap.

The nine-week-old White Bengal Tiger from the West Midlands Safari Park was taken in by veterinary nurse Lucy Pearsall, who has four other domestic cats, and given his own saucer for milk.

The spoilt tiger, who was abandoned by his mother because he would not feed, also sleeps on Lucy's bed and has even learned how to use the litter tray.

Lucy, aged 28, from Stourport, Worcestershire, who works for at the safari park at Bewdley, said: "He's got a bowl in the kitchen, he has a little crate, which is his bed but he can get up on my bed now and sometimes sleeps there.

"When he first used the cat flap I was a bit taken aback - he chases the other cats through it.

"I've also got him using the litter tray. It's quite bizarre and I've never seen anything quite like it before. He is house-trained so that helps a lot."

However, the domestically trained tiger will have to be returned to the safari park when he gets too big to practically handle.

"Having Buster is one of the perks of the job but I'll be gutted when I have to give him back," said Lucy.

"I don't think my sofa would be able to take it."

Lucy's four other cats - Bubble, Pepper, Sylvester and Oreo - don't seem to mind the latest addition even if he can be a bit heavy-handed.

She added: "I've got four other cats and Buster likes to play with them - he likes a bit of rough and tumble."