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Paul passed away on Sunday, May 29, 2016 after falling ill only a couple days previous. Friday morning Paul was a happy, hungry tiger, but over the next 24 hours he became lethargic and anorexic. We anesthetized him on Saturday in search of clues about what was ailing him, and immediately began a course of antibiotics. His bloodwork was all over the map and did not provide any conclusive information. In search of answers, we drove a blood sample to the University of Missouri for further evaluation by a pathologist. Even though it was Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, they agreed to call someone to come in and look at the sample. Meanwhile, Paul was having a difficult recovery post-anesthesia, so we stayed with him all night and day to monitor his recovery. Despite our swift response to Paul's decline, he passed away on his own Sunday afternoon before results were available from the university. The necropsy results revealed that he had abscesses all over his lungs caused by a bacterial infection. One of the toughest things about treating big cats is that they often conceal illness until the condition has become very serious - earning cats the reputation of being "silent sufferers." Even though our response was swift and aggressive, Paul's condition was already too advanced to respond to treatment.
Paul was one of the founding siblings of the sanctuary back in 2001. He was the smallest boy in the litter of five weighing only 450 pounds as an adult. Despite his small stature, he more than made up for it with personality! He enjoyed scaring kids with a tiger roar at just the right moment! But underneath it all, he was really just a huge teddy bear. Paul will be dearly missed and fondly remembered. He is survived by his brother, Max, and sister, Dee.
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