TIGRs, CATS, and LIONs--no, you will not encounter them in The Wizard of Oz. You cannot find them in a zoo, either. These things with the catchy names are actually bonds. There are other animal-named bonds as well--dealers have sold RATs, COUGARs, GATORs, EAGLEs, and even DOGs. As an educated investor, you shouldn't be put off by the "cutesy" acronyms used by the brokerage community--after all, they are entitled to an inside joke. Instead, you should know what they are and how they might fit into your investment objectives.

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