Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary

Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary

Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary
5
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Monday
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Tuesday
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Wednesday
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Thursday
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Friday
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Saturday
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Sunday
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
About
Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our mission is to provide a safe, loving, forever home for endangered big cats, and to educate the public about their plight in the wild and in captivity. We do not breed, sell, or trade any of our animals. Our current residents include tigers, lions, leopards, pumas, servals, bobcats, foxes, and coatimundis. Check our website for the most accurate information; generally, we are open for self-guided tours every day in the afternoon with admittance between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Volunteers are available to answer your questions. On Friday and Saturday only we are open in the evening as well with admittance between 6pm and 7pm. Self-guided tours followed by the opportunity to watch us feed the animals. Touring starts at 6pm and the feeding starts promptly at 7pm.
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  • Jemmie33063
    Margate, Florida206 contributions
    Coolest night of the year and the tigers did not care about how cold it was
    It was the coldest night of 2022 when visiting the catty shack for the night feeding. Even though it was cold everyone was very helpful and willing to discuss the cats welfare. There were a few heaters to gather around, and there was hot chocolate which was perfect on the cold night, the explanations about the animals and their feeding needs were very informative and you got within about 6-8 feet of the tigers Safely though with multiple fences between us and the tigers. This looks to be a fine organization where they provide genuine loving care for the tigers and other animals. Visit if you can
    Visited December 2022
    Written December 28, 2022
  • Chad H
    1 contribution
    Awesome place to go
    I did 2 tours in 1 day, first one was the day tour, got to see them in the day however like most cats they are lounging around or naping, but the evening "feeding tour" was awesome. They do a guided tour while feeding the big cats, you get to see them in action. I learned a lot. Keep it going.
    Visited January 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written January 7, 2023
  • Kim H
    1 contribution
    A must!
    Fabulous, knowledgeable. If you like big cats this is the place to go. Very cheap considering the amount of knowledge you get. Gift shop very reasonable too. Will go back again when I’m in the area.
    Visited January 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 18, 2023
  • Wendy M
    Louisville, Kentucky24 contributions
    Once in a lifetime experience
    Oh my goodness - the night feeding tour was worth every penny and more! We had 3 adults, a 2 and a 4 year old and everyone loved it! I would go back again. When we first walked in I wondered what it would be like, but the animals have habitats and are definitely loved and well cared for. They are in the process of upgrading all the large cat areas. But watching them have dinner was a highlight - each cat responded differently. One prefers only drumsticks first:) I would highly recommend this for all ages and abilities. The terrain would easily accommodate wheelchairs, walkers and strollers.
    Visited January 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written January 28, 2023
  • Deb
    Bethany Beach, Delaware15 contributions
    Catty Shack definitely worth a visit!!
    We visited on Sunday afternoon. Best day/time to visit as volunteers do enrichment activities with the animals and you get to see them interact. Such a great place to learn about big cats, small cats and other animals.
    Visited January 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 31, 2023
  • IrisRivera64
    Jacksonville, Florida91 contributions
    Best family experience!!
    My son and his girlfriend took me to Catty Shack for my birthday. It was an amazing experience! Its bittersweet knowing these beautiful animals were selfishly taken from their natural environment but lucky to have ended up at such a wonderful sanctuary where they are well taken care of. I was impressed with the cleanliness of the place and all the keepers and employees were so friendly and seemed eager to be there. I highly highly recommend this place. All proceeds go back into the sactuary. They are building new, larger enclosures for animals which goes to show the dedication in providing a good quality of life! Bring your family, great for kids!!
    Visited February 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written February 18, 2023
  • Conny B
    Estero, Florida121 contributions
    Sanctuary for big cats and more
    Unique sanctuary for big cats and a few other fortunate animals. Not like a typical zoo but more of a rescue for animals who were once pets that people realized they couldn’t handle or from zoos that closed or affected by hurricane. So heartwarming to see the care these people show for the animals and the life they provide them. The volunteers are very knowledgeable and helpful. Small but worth it if you’re looking for something to do for an hour or so
    Visited February 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written February 28, 2023
  • carleygarner702
    Las Vegas, Nevada21 contributions
    Hidden gem, worth spending a few hours!
    This is a hidden gem. If you are in the area or just traveling to the Jacksonville Airport, it's worth planning for an hour or two to stop and see the cats. I've been to several zoos and sanctuaries but have never had the opportunity to be this close to the animals; especially without bug crowds. The cats are well kept and gorgeous.
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 20, 2023
  • Cindy C
    1 contribution
    Great place to see wildlife being taken care of and not a zoo
    Came from San Diego and decided to see the Cattyshack and I'm sure glad I did. The people love their animals and take a lot of pride in expanding their habit for the animals comfort. They had beautiful animals and you can tell they loved their surroundings and people working there. I recommend anyone visiting to go there and see the wonderful things they accomplished for the wildlife
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written July 16, 2023
  • Colleen A
    22 contributions
    Awesome place!
    My husband and I went here yesterday, because we heard so many good things about it. It was even better than we expected! The lady at the front who greeted us was very nice, the grounds are very clean and all the volunteers were very helpful. They’re actually building brand new habitats for all the animals And they are wonderful! It’s got a pool and plenty of shade and there’s even a little house that they can go in, very, very nice facilities that they’re putting at the sanctuary. Highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates people who take in exotic, big cats and other animals to care for them
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 27, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

5.0
1,608 reviews
Excellent
1,320
Very good
224
Average
46
Poor
11
Terrible
7

Kori W
Kingston, GA5 contributions
Feb 2019 • Solo
Wonderful sanctuary! The handlers had a ton of love and respect for the animals. This sanctuary is very well maintained and are in the works of renovating some new spaces for the big cats. Kids of all ages would enjoy the time of coming out and seeing the animals.
Written January 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SH
Tampa, FL146 contributions
May 2021
A friend and I visited the sanctuary during a recent trip to Jacksonville. We both enjoyed being able to see the big cats up close. For only $12 per person, it's a great value - I also bought a t-shirt for $20 to help contribute. My friend, however, was really bothered by the enclosures and felt they were small for such big animals. While I definitely agree that in the wild is ideal, until the ownership of exotic animals is outlawed, we will unfortunately need sanctuaries to rescue the animals when the "owners" realize they are in over their heads. I was happy to see that the sanctuary is expanding to provide more space for the cats (and bear!). One negative that dropped a star for me was the employee who deliberately went around and tried to wake up the sleeping cats in response to some ignorant visitors' complaints that the animals weren't active enough for them. I would have preferred the employee remind the visitors that the cats aren't there to perform for them.
Written June 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

notlost2014
Loxahatchee, FL110 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
We went for a night feeding. The place is run completely by volunteers and they were all great. Everyone is extremely friendly and very informative. We arrived at 6 for the 7:30 feeding and had plenty of time for pictures. They lead you on a tour and talk about each animal and you are free to wander. It was built in the 1980s and a very large expansion is in the works to build bigger habitats with built in pools for all the animals. Cant wait to see when its complete.
Written February 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Climber598356
Steep Falls, ME2 contributions
Feb 2020 • Solo
While in Jacksonville my girlfriend and I only had a couple of hours free that we could find something interesting to do.... Catty Shack Ranch far exceeded all of our expectations!

The Catty Shack Ranch is a great stop for anyone who finds themselves in the Jacksonville area. It is an educational experience that both old and young will remember forever.

The added bonus is finding out that they are a non-profit organization so every visitor is helping all the animals by simply visiting and paying the small entrance fee.

I have no doubt that we will be back!!!
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Christy D
Indianapolis, IN4 contributions
Apr 2021 • Family
We took our four kids for the evening feeding. It was fabulous! The volunteers were so friendly and told us about all the animals,and the feeding was so cool to watch. The animals were really active just ahead of feeding time, and they are so beautiful. Lots of tigers, a black spotted leopard, a black bear, artic foxes, bobcats, and more. It's not a huge place, but you really get to see the animals close. Better than any zoo, and we've been to a lot of those! Don't miss this one.
Written April 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ben F
Starkville, MS28 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
We first pulled up and didn't know what to expect. From the 1st impression I was unsure what we spent money for. Then we went inside and was blown away by all the big cats and little ones too. The night feeding so cool and the family loved it. We got to see several cats show off their power and hear their roars. Will be back!
Written August 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Wendy M
Louisville, KY24 contributions
Jan 2023 • Family
Oh my goodness - the night feeding tour was worth every penny and more! We had 3 adults, a 2 and a 4 year old and everyone loved it! I would go back again. When we first walked in I wondered what it would be like, but the animals have habitats and are definitely loved and well cared for. They are in the process of upgrading all the large cat areas. But watching them have dinner was a highlight - each cat responded differently. One prefers only drumsticks first:) I would highly recommend this for all ages and abilities. The terrain would easily accommodate wheelchairs, walkers and strollers.
Written January 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

whitneyncooper
Middleburg, FL67 contributions
Apr 2021
Very educational. There is a good variety of animals to see: lions, tigers, bears, bobcats, foxes, and more. Admission price was very fair. I thought the enclosures a bit small for the animals, but they seemed to be under construction when we visited. There were also COVID protections in place, so a lot of it took place in a social distanced setting. Didn't need to spend as much time there as I expected, but it's a great way to spend an hour or two. They do great work, so I'm glad they seem to be looking to expand.
Written May 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GerBL
15 contributions
Sep 2022 • Friends
My sister took me here as I told her several times about how great Big Cat Rescue (in tampa) was but believe me when I say you are better off not coming here. The first thing I noticed when we arrived was the place looking like something very improvised as the "reception" was a big tent. After walking there for a while (waiting for the feeding tour to start, which by the way started without anyone telling you so and you had to figure that out by following the golf cart with the food), I saw two guys -that seemed to be the owner and his son- petting the tigers and by "petting" I mean literally getting their arms through the fences and touching the animals which not only is dangerous but also misleading as that might give uninformed people the idea that big cats are NOT wild animals and that it's okay to treat them as if they were your regular domestic dog.
In terms of the size of the cages, the living room in my house is bigger than where a 200kg tiger is kept in this place. On top of that, they hand feed them through "holes" in the fence (specifically made for this purpose apparently) which again, is the exact opposite of what everybody tells you to do when working with animals.
Additionally, I'm far from being a wildlife expert but the behavior of the cats indicated they were not comfortable at all as 1) two of them kept marking the territory (which is a clear sign of having to many animals in the same reduced space), 2) they kept walking against the fence back and forth and 3) one of them started roaring as soon as the guy that looked like the owner left the food and it was clearly not happy at all about having 30 people within 1.5mts of him and his food.
I strongly believe this place should be reviewed by the corresponding governmental institution to ensure all these things are actioned on or close the place as I doubt this is how these animals should be taken care of.
The only positive thing I can mention about this place is how friendly the staff was.
Written September 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jemmie33063
Margate, FL206 contributions
Dec 2022
It was the coldest night of 2022 when visiting the catty shack for the night feeding. Even though it was cold everyone was very helpful and willing to discuss the cats welfare. There were a few heaters to gather around, and there was hot chocolate which was perfect on the cold night, the explanations about the animals and their feeding needs were very informative and you got within about 6-8 feet of the tigers
Safely though with multiple fences between us and the tigers. This looks to be a fine organization where they provide genuine loving care for the tigers and other animals. Visit if you can
Written December 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary

Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary is open:
  • Sun - Sat 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Fri - Sat 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM


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