Sweet Ekaterina Passed Away Today

From The Wild Cat Sanctuary:

SAYING GOODBYE TO OUR ANGEL EKATERINA

I'm so sad to share that 19-year-old Ekaterina has lost her battle with osteoarthritis and renal disease. For the last several years, we saw Ekaterina’s health declining, so we put her on our Comfort Care program. This included pain management, laser therapy, and her own soft bed and bedding.

Since she’d been declawed early in life, she suffered from arthritis. We’d moved her several times, to habitats with less rocky areas, more suited for her tender paws. Most recently, she moved to our quarantine area where she’d have lots of indoor heated space, too.

Her last few days were special for her…and us. She was doted over by all staff, loving the special attention we showered her with. We did our best to make her final days as special as possible. She had clean bedding daily, elevated areas for drinking and eating so she didn’t have to bend down, and even a television running movies, so she never felt a minute alone.

She thanked us in her own way with tons of chuffs and her famous vocalizations. Her happy noises. When her day arrived, she was surrounded by those she loved. We were able to help her pass on very peacefully. Both a gift for her and us. Her last days were special, but so was her life.

She was rescued from a Ohio roadside zoo, with her habitat mate Sierra. Then, they were both sent to a facility in the south. Once that facility failed, we and other sanctuaries stepped in to provide homes for over 50 big cats. Ekaterina and Sierra were just a couple of big cats at that facility. We were thankful to bring them to their forever home here at the Sanctuary.

She was rescued from a Ohio roadside zoo, with her habitat mate Sierra. Then, they were both sent to a facility in the south. Once that facility failed, we and other sanctuaries stepped in to provide homes for over 50 big cats.  Ekaterina and Sierra were just a couple of big cats at that facility. We were thankful to bring them to their forever home here at the Sanctuary.

For years before her rescue, Ekaterina had been used as a photo prop.  The public could pay a fee to follow a caretaker into her habitat, sit on her back and even pull her tail.  A short search on the internet shows just how many interactions she was forced to have.

After Ekaterina grabbed a photographer during an undercover story on ABC’s 20/20, authorities finally intervened.

At our Sanctuary, Ekaterina was never forced to do anything. She loved life to the fullest and was quite the showoff in her younger days. She loved her weeble wobble zoo toys, playing in the snow and most of all saying hello to all the humans at the Sanctuary.  She always came up to see if we had a treat or new toy.

Sadly, being declawed for display, her arthritis set in at an early age. It became more difficult for her to walk up each visit. She’d often call from her platform or take naps along the fence line so she would already be close when her human friends passed by.

The sanctuary is noticeably quieter without you Ekaterina. But your chuffs will be heard in our hearts forever.