Beware! There’s a lion at home

25 April,2021 07:26 AM IST |  Russia  |  Agencies

A cat-obsessed Russian couple has been living with a feline cougar for the last three years that has now become a social media star

Lion


Aleksandr and Maria Dmitriev, a young couple from Penza, Russia, have been living with a mountain lion in their tiny one-bedroom apartment for the past three years. Messi is a three-year-old cougar. In the wild, it is considered an apex predator, but Messi was born in a petting zoo and has spent most of his life as a house cat, so he basically behaves like an overgrown cat, for now.


Messi the domesticated cougar tied to a leash like any ordinary pet, Aleksandr Dmitriev cuddling Messi

The Dmitrievs are aware that Messi is a predator that will, at some point, test their strength to establish, who is in charge of the house, but they have taken steps to keep his wild side in check. Aleksandr and Maria, both trained psychologists, have always loved cats. Their hairless Sphynx, Kira, had always been enough for them, but in 2018, when they heard that a newborn cougar cub at the local petting zoo in Penza was in serious need of medical attention, they couldn't just sit by.


Messi the cougar with Maria Dmitriev

Since the animals at the zoo live in small enclosures, they decided to give this ill cub a better chance at life. So they decided to buy him, and were surprised when the petting zoo actually accepted. They brought Messi home and managed to nurse him back to health, but it didn't take long for them to realise that if they wanted to keep him, they had to make some adjustments around their home.


Messi is seen sitting comfortably in his new home

Aleksandr and Maria converted the hallway of the apartment into the feline's headquarters, lining the walls with bamboo panels, which are better suited to withstand its sharp talons and can easily be replaced. The big cat has gained a huge following on social media.

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