Kougras & You

Kougras are very unique creatures... so the first thing you should be aware of is their diet. Being inhabitants of Mystery Island, Kougras have an exotic diet consisting of the many fruits found there. Some of these fruits include Bomberries, Chokatos, and even Gelpeppers! Don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean you can leave your Double Cheeseburger alone on the counter with your back turned. *frown* I learned that the hard way. Kougras are very adventurous, and are willing to try to steal absolutely any food they can get a hold of in order to try new things ESPECIALLY if they know that they will get in trouble for it. *mumbles and glares at Aiheli* But you should always remember that a Kougra should not eat junk food too often. They are an EXOTIC SPECIES... our nasty greaseball human food is not from their natural environment, and could get them very sick!

Diet isn't the only thing you should be aware of... it's important that you are familiar with a Kougra's attitude as well as a common Kougra's personality. Kougras are friendly ninety-nine percent of the time... but don't let this fool you. A Kougra's attitude can pack a powerful punch! As a demonstration of this, say you're about to dig into a Double Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream... and whipped cream... and a cherry on top... *wipes drool from corner of mouth* -AHEM-... and your Kougra comes up to you looking at your cake with 'wanting eyes'. Trust me, it's best to just give it to him. I mean, between you and me, do you really want to mess with something with sharp claws and pointy teeth? I didn't think so. Trust me, it's worth it to give him or her the cake! You should also take into consideration that, just like any other species of Neopet, Kougras tend to sometimes misunderstand things. A very important thing you should know is that you should never ever EVER corner your Kougra. They can get very defensive! Even if you're playing with them, they have been known to mistake this for hostility! After all, don't you remember what happened to that one guy, Ol' Jimmy, from last week's issue of Neopian Times? Ouch! :( Don't let this scare you away, though! Kougras are by far the greatest Neopets around.

Alright, so you know about a Kougra's diet, you know about a Kougra's personality, but how about you go about keeping your Kougra well entertained? When admiring a Kougie (Kougra) have you ever realized how large their paws are? Only the better to pounce on you with! If there's one thing a Kougra likes to do, it's play a game they call 'Pounce', which is when two Kougras pounce back and fourth on each other. Sometimes, they like to try to play it with their owner. It's not very fun for us humans because we end up getting a mouth full of dirt sometimes, but in the end it's all worth it when they're happy and purring, right? But I'm not going to lie. It really does irritate me that sometimes they like to pounce out of nowhere and supri- *is pounced by Aiheli and falls over*

*Wipes dirt of clothes as she recovers from fall* Yes, those few things are important to know, but there is one safety risk for a potential Kougra owner and that would be... *drumrolls*... giving your Kougra a bath. Do NOT try this. Really. Don't even THINK about trying this. Kougras HATE water. They would happily rather tap dance on hot fiery coals than have to take a bath. I know what you're thinking... "Well, how about I trick my Kougra into taking a bath?" No, this is a horrible idea as well. If they figure out you're plotting such an act, they'll be VERY mad at you - and will avoid you AT ALL COSTS... and if you get them anywhere NEAR the water, they will CLAW YOU UP. Take my advice on this... just don't try it.

Onto the next subject -- Toys. Alright, this is very important. There are times when you don't feel like playing with your Kougra... which is A-OK! (But they DO need SOME attention, you can't just leave them in a closet with a dimly lit light bulb.) A time like this is a time you would want to present a toy to your Kougra. If you really want your Kougra to love you, you would buy them a scratching post. Kougras LOVE to scratch carpet. Why? I don't know, but they go coconuts over it! They love all kinds of different toys, though. I do NOT recommend, however, making or building your own toys. Why? Like I said earlier, Kougras have very sharp teeth, even as kittens! This means they could easily bite off small pieces of toys that were lazily put together and choke on them. It's best to just buy a toy from The Toy Shop. (This is located at the Neopian Bazaar.)

So -- now you're aware of all the precautions you should take before getting a Kougra. If you still want one, congratulations! You're a soon to be dedicated Kougra owner and potential fan! I assure you, you won't regret getting one... Hold on just a minute there! Not so fast! Rather than creating a pet, are you sure you wouldn't rather adopt a Kougra from the pound? Hundreds of Neopets are pounded every day... some have even been there for years. I think maybe it's best if you stop by there first and try to find a Kougra. You never know - your new BFF (Best Furry Friend) may be there waiting for you!

Hope you enjoyed!

Rythiel and Aiheli