10/23/21 – A few days ago I received a call asking if I could take in an Eurasian Lynx on a temporary basis. A wildlife refuge lost their license and have to relocate all of their animals. Well, I have the space with shift gates to separate the lynx from Max and the refuge was working within a deadline and so I agreed. Kayla is two years old and will be going to a zoo but that zoo is waiting for their license application to be approved before they can accept her. The state agreed that the refuge could transfer her to me. I’ll be contacting them this week to find out what necessary paperwork I’ll need to complete in order to stay in compliance with my licenses. So, Kayla was raised by humans and she wants attention but isn’t sure about how to really ask for it. They did not train her like I trained Max. Yes, she had been leash-trained but for only the first year. She knows some commands which have helped me. She is not kennel trained and felt completely trapped in her transfer kennel. She chewed off several pieces of the venting area. Now, that is some strong chewing! There was blood but when she yawned, I could see no damage to her mouth. She settled down after a couple days. I absolutely do not go inside with her. I have a shift door to the inside and when I feed, she is instructed to go outside. I can then safely clean the litter pan which she uses and give her fresh water and food. Now, at first I was feeding her outside because she’s only known that food and water were outside. However, that was a mess. Mulch would get in the water and food dish. So, I began training her to come inside to eat. That worked quite easily. The water dish was another story. I removed it from outside and place the inside one on the shelf. It took her a full day to realize the bowl was water and she could drink it. Problem solved. She is eating 1.5 pounds of meat but that hardly seems to fill her. I know our zoo E. lynxes would eat 2 pounds but I believe only in the winter time. I will need to keep an eye on her. I don’t want her to be hungry.

Today, I expanded her living area to include the 10×15 area with the dog igloo and a 5×10 area. Both areas have shelving for her to climb on and grass to roll in. I got a bale of straw to place in the covered area and doghouse. I even picked up a jolly ball for her though she didn’t seem too interested in it. I don’t know why because she totally tore apart Max’s welcome mat I had inside to cover the metal part of the cage where he marks the concrete. Perhaps she will play with it eventually.

Max and Kayla have butt heads through the fencing. He’s only been growling when I’m in the enclosure with him. Is he protecting me? He doesn’t know what is a lynx. He was raised with my cats and perhaps he remembers. I don’t know if she had any contact with any other animals. For the most part, they look at each other and that’s it.

I also gave straw to Max in his corner cubby and doghouse. He loves it. I went outside tonight and he wouldn’t even greet me. Nope, he stayed in his house all snuggled down.

I don’t like having to feed Max outside because of the grass and mulch getting in the water and food dish but there is nothing I can do about that right now. It’s a little inconvenient hauling it through three gates but it hasn’t bothered him. He has been in a very sweet mood.

Kayla has let me scratch her head a couple times but for the most part, I avoid hands-on contact. I don’t need to lose any fingers and I don’t want her to get attached to me when she is going to another home.

See video Max Canada Lynx meets Kayla E. Lynx

Kayla enjoying the grass

Kayla loving the window box

Kayla sitting on Max’s igloo

Kayla was stressed during transport & chewed the kennel

Kayla chewed venting

Kayla destroyed Max’s mat

Max loving his straw

Max looking at Kayla