Big cats in captivity face profound welfare challenges across a spectrum of settings. Understanding what constitutes genuine sanctuary care is essential to distinguishing welfare from exploitation.
Big cats in substandard captive settings suffer across multiple welfare domains — inadequate space, barren environments, social stress, coercive handling, and chronic frustration of predatory behaviour. Cub petting operations are particularly welfare-damaging, creating demand for cubs while producing adult animals with nowhere adequate to go. Even well-intentioned roadside zoos often lack the resources and expertise to provide acceptable welfare. Genuine sanctuaries provide lifetime care without exploitation, though they cannot replicate wild conditions.