The Big Cat Sanctuary

The Big Cat Sanctuary The Big Cat Sanctuary is a registered animal charity whose aim is to contribute to global conservation.
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🌍 Protection is our passion
🐾 Centre for Species Survival Cats
⭐️ Become a Member today
A non-profit sanctuary for welfare, breeding, education, rescue & conservation The peace and tranquillity of the site provide sanctuary and excellent conditions for the successful breeding of the beautiful, yet endangered cats both large and small within the coordinated global breeding programmes.

Meet the Guiña, the smallest wild cat in South America! 🤯Also known as the Kodkod, they were recently downlisted from Vu...
28/05/2026

Meet the Guiña, the smallest wild cat in South America! 🤯

Also known as the Kodkod, they were recently downlisted from Vulnerable to Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, this might sound like a straightforward conservation win. But the story doesn't end there.

Half of the Guiña's subpopulations remain at high risk of extinction due to habitat loss. The IUCN Green Status of Species, which measures recovery and conservation impact alongside the Red List, rates the Guiña as Moderately Depleted. Regional extinction risk is still very real.

But here's what the Green Status also tells us: conservation works. It has been critical to the Guiña's survival so far, and with continued action, genuine recovery is possible. 💪🏻

The IUCN SSC Centre for Species Survival Cats, hosted by us here at the Sanctuary, supports Red List and Green Status assessments for wild cat species across the globe. 🌏

📸 : Eduardo Minte Hess, Claudio F. Vidal

27/05/2026

Today is a special day… 🎂

Rhys our rescued Eurasian lynx is celebrating his 13th birthday! To show him some birthday love, we threw him a special party with balloons, cake, & his favourite smells, Lynx deodrant. 👀

Safe to say, Rhys enjoyed his birthday party! Join us in wishing him a Happy Birthday 👇

26/05/2026

Stop scrolling for lion ASMR 👅

We gave Kasanga a nice cold lacto-free cream ice lolly for him to cool off in this heatwave, one of the many ways we keep our cats cool at the Sanctuary! 🥵

It's and this year's theme is 'In our Nature'. 🌿Behind every cat at the Sanctuary is a team of people who show up ever...
25/05/2026

It's and this year's theme is 'In our Nature'. 🌿

Behind every cat at the Sanctuary is a team of people who show up every single day. The keepers, volunteers, vets and everyone in between, all driven by the same thing: a genuine love for big & small cats and conservation.

That's what makes the Sanctuary what it is.

🤝 BIAZA

24/05/2026

WHAT A DAY! 🤩

Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for our FIRST Members' Day of 2026. 🧡

Despite the heat, it was a wonderful day celebrating our Members and the Sanctuary. We dived deeper into our breeding pillar, presented by our Curator, Briony. Gave our Members an exclusive look at the future of the Sanctuary, and of course celebrated our amazing cats. 🦁

Want to join us for the next one? Become a MEMBER for as little as £5 a month and join us at our EXCLUSIVE Members' Days.

The next one is 28th June, will you be there? 👀
Become a Member 👉 https://bit.ly/MembershipBCS

Meet the big cats of Big Cat Fest 🦁Did you know we are the only place in the UK you can meet ALL FIVE big cats in ONE da...
23/05/2026

Meet the big cats of Big Cat Fest 🦁

Did you know we are the only place in the UK you can meet ALL FIVE big cats in ONE day? At the Sanctuary, we are proud to be home to many big & small cats, including lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars & snow leopards, aka the big five. 🤩

Big Cat Fest is your chance to get up close to our cats & meet the big cats you know through your screen as well as live keeper talks & enrichment with our cats! You can also expect unique live performances, stars of One Zoo Three, conservation insights & so much more. ☀️

Tickets are selling fast with weekends in HIGH demand.

Plan your summer now 👉 https://bit.ly/BIGCATFESTTICKETS

22/05/2026

Did you know the Sanctuary is home to far more than wild cats? 👀

From frogs to honeybees to rabbits, the Sanctuary's 40 acres are alive with British wildlife. Caring for native species is just as much a part of what we do as caring for our cats. 🌿

And you can do the same at home this World Biodiversity Day. A few small changes can make your outdoor space a genuine refuge for wildlife:

🌸 Plant native species like lavender, foxglove, or ox-eye daisy to support pollinators.
🌱 Leave a patch of your garden uncut through summer, long grass is essential for insects and small mammals.
🦔 Add a shallow dish of water for birds and hedgehogs. If you have a fence, a small gap at the base lets hedgehogs roam freely between gardens.

Conservation doesn't begin and end at Sanctuary gates. It starts wherever you are. 🌏

21/05/2026

Lion Heart: OUT NOW! 🦁🧡

The debut book by Cam Whitnall has officially hit the shelves. 📚

From growing up at Hertfordshire Zoo, to rescuing five lions from war-torn Ukraine and becoming Managing Director of The Big Cat Sanctuary. Dive deeper and go behind the scenes of Cam’s life in his new book ‘Lion Heart’. 🌿

Tickets still available for Lion Heart LIVE at the Royal Geographic Society, London, hosted by the incredible Ade Adepitan 🎤

Order ‘Lion Heart’ & book your tickets now. 🔗 https://ebury.lnk.to/LionHeart

20/05/2026

How do you vaccinate a jaguar? 💉🖤

Every cat here at the Sanctuary takes part in voluntary training. This can be everything from health checks on the teeth, gums, paws and claws, to their yearly vaccinations.

We work up slowly to build up a safe way to vaccinate our cats to ensure the best welfare for them. This is through training that ensures the cat is in a position where we can safely administer the vaccine.

Watch how Dawn, one of our keepers, works with Neron to prepare for his yearly vaccination!

The difference between Amur tigers and Sumatran tigers 🐯👀From different coats to different sizes, these two subspecies a...
19/05/2026

The difference between Amur tigers and Sumatran tigers 🐯👀

From different coats to different sizes, these two subspecies are more different than you might think…

Take a look into what sets them apart. 🌿

18/05/2026

Ten cats, 18 months, ten lives changed forever. ❤️‍🩹

Since August 2024, we have welcomed ten cats to the Sanctuary. 🏡

From five lions rescued out of war-torn Ukraine, to 24 cats rescued from euthanasia & rehomed across the UK, to Ursa, a Eurasian lynx brought to safety from the same war zone. From devastating circumstances to finding them serenity in the peaceful Kent countryside. 🥹

This week, Lion Heart, the debut book by Cam Whitnall, hits the shelves. A story of his life from growing up at Hertfordshire Zoo to the behind-the-scenes reality of rescuing lions from a war zone. 🌿

Order before 20th May for a chance to win an Overnight Lodge Stay at the Sanctuary, a private tour, and lunch with Cam. 🤩

🔗 https://ebury.lnk.to/LionHeart

Address

Headcorn Road
Ashford
TN278PJ

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441233439150

Website

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