Tuesday was a sad day for cat lovers, big and small.
The Oakland Zoo was forced to euthanize two of its most loved animals – tiger sisters, Molly and Milou – who had become fixtures at the zoo for the last decade.
The two sisters were 16 years old, and struggling with various health issues and ailments in their old age, "including advanced kidney disease and debilitating arthritis," zoo officials tweeted.
"Together, our animal care and veterinary staff made the extremely difficult decision to end their suffering and euthanize both tigers this morning," the Twitter thread continued. "They were loved and we will miss them deeply. They will always hold a special place in all of our hearts."
Their other sister, Ginger, was euthanized in August for similar health problems.
"Once big cats reach about 15 years old, that's the beginning of their end of life," said one of the zookeepers, Stacie, after Ginger's death in a video posted to Twitter. Staff can help manage the conditions that can develop during this time, and monitor the quality of life, she added.
There were originally four tiger siblings, Ginger, Grace, Molly and Milou, confiscated by USDA officials in Texas. They had been owned privately as pets, part of the "cub petting" industry made famous in the hit Netflix show, "Tiger King."
They came to the Oakland Zoo a decade ago and have lived there ever since.
Related
