By Andie Adams\
November 26, 2015
Lions, Tigers and Bears Facebook
Natasha the tiger
Exotic
animal rescue Lions, Tigers and Bears announced Wednesday that the
matriarch of their clan, a 19-year-old tiger named Natasha, has died.
Natasha and her late mate Raja were the first to be adopted by the Alpine-based shelter more 13 years ago, caretakers wrote in a Facebook post.
"Natasha
was the epitome of the old saying 'that's one tough cookie', as she
had more than her fair share of struggles over the course of her life,
but always came out on top," the leaders said.
In 2002, the two
young tigers were rescued from an owner in Texas who was keeping them
in a 6-foot by 12-foot, chain link cage with no shade or protection
from the elements.
One
month after arriving in Alpine, an area in east San Diego County,
Natasha gave birth to two cubs, Sitarra and Tabu. Thanks to a grant
given to Lions, Tigers and Bears, the rescue’s leaders were able to
build the Tiger Trails habitat with grass and a waterfall pool for the
big cats.
Because she was
declawed by her private owner, Natasha suffered from arthritis for most
of her life, and in 2011, she was diagnosed with uterine cancer.
However, she made a full recovery after surgery.
Age
continued to wear on the large cat. Earlier this year, Natasha had
surgery to treat her glaucoma, but veterinarians soon realized they had
to perform an enucleation, which meant the tiger’s right eye had to be
removed, according to the caretakers.
Then two months
ago, vets found a lesion in Natasha’s mouth during an oral exam. They
discovered the lesion was noncancerous, but blood tests revealed signs
of chronic renal disease — a common problem among aging cats.
The matriarch’s health continued to decline until Wednesday when she passed away.
“Natasha’s
passing is the end of an era for LTB, but one that will live on in her
remaining daughter, Tabu — and forever in our hearts,” caretakers wrote
in the Facebook post. “Natasha — you will be missed by so many, our
precious girl. Rest easy and run free.”
The rescue is planning a memorial, open to LTB members, family and friends, to honor the tiger.
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