He's Only Met This Cheetah A Few Times. This Is What She Does Every Time

August 6, 2015

Dolph Volker was interested in learning more about cheetahs, so he decided to volunteer at Cheetah Experience in South Africa. There, he met a three year-old cheetah named Eden that stole his heart.

"True to Eden's nature, she warmed up to me in days and ended up really liking me, so much so that I was able to trust her 98% (there's always that 2% when working with wild animals). But she NEVER showed any aggression. The more she felt comfortable with me, the more she treated me just like another Cheetah which included the grooming, nibbling, biting, pacifying, purring, laying on me, and sleeping... cuddling up close to me. I'm amazed how much more interactive and affectionate Cheetahs are compared to the avg domesticated cat."

"Ultimate trust is nurtured when you can sleep with an animal," he added. "When an animal can become comfortable enough with you at their most vulnerable state (falling asleep next to you) & still feel safe, that is when you've reached true trust."