No ordinary pet cats: South African man loves tigers so much he has adopted a pair of the fearsome beasts

• Michael Jamison owns a Siberian and a Bengal tiger
• Seven month old Ozzy has deformed legs from malnutrition
• Mr Jamison hopes the two will one day live in the same enclosure

By Sam Webb
PUBLISHED: 9 June 2013

A South African man loves tigers so much he has has adopted two of the magnificent animals.

Animal-mad Michael Jamison and his girlfriend Jackie share their home in Brakpan, near Johannesburg, with 15 dogs and two-year-old Bengal tiger Enzo.

But now there is a new addition to the family - seven month old Siberian tiger Ozzy.

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Tiger, tiger: South African Michael Jamison with pet Bengal tiger Enzo (left) and seven month old Siberian tiger Ozzy, a new addition to his feline family

Wild side: Mr Jamison with his two pet tigers, who he hopes will one day share an enclosure

Ozzy is a rescue tiger and he suffers from deformed legs and feet as a result of malnutrition. His previous owners failed to feed him the correct diet and a lack of calcium caused the bones in his legs to break. He also has issues with his pelvis.

When he is a little older Ozzy will undergo corrective surgery to help sort the problem. Until then he is following Enzo's paw prints and prowling Michael's home.

When he was young Enzo slept with Michael in his bed, had a cat box and enjoyed eating on the kitchen counter. 

Wild thing: Mr Jamison feeds Enzo his 150kg Bengal tiger at his home in Brakpan

Wounded animal: Ozzy has deformed legs and a damaged pelvis as a result of malnutrition. He will get corrective surgery when he's older

Ozzy and one of the 15 dogs he shares his home (left) with and enjoying a drink (right)

However, now that he has grown up he lives happily in a special outdoor enclosure.

Meanwhile, a teething Ozzy has taken over his job of sharpening his teeth on Michael's furniture.

So far Ozzy and Enzo have only met one another through the bars of Enzo's enclosure, but they are already fast becoming friends.

Mr Jamison hopes to introduce them properly sometime in the future and that Ozzy will one day share the same enclosure.

He has always dreamed of owning a tiger but finally took the plunge and got Enzo after he was targeted twice by armed robbers.

The younger tiger suffers from the deformities as he was not fed enough calcium earlier in his life

So far Ozzy (pictured) and Enzo have only met one another through the bars of Enzo's enclosure

A cuddle on the sofa: Ozzy is a rescue animal

Catnap: Ozzy stretches out by the pool

After a period of acclimatisation, the two will hopefully be able to live in the same enclosure

• To see more of Michael's videos of Enzo and Ozzy, click here

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