MEAD, Wash. — Staff at Cat Tales Wildlife Center are mourning the loss of Nalin, a white Bengal tiger who became a beloved fixture at the facility before being euthanized Thursday due to an incurable cancer.
Nalin, who was nearly 18 years old, had developed a lesion in his mouth, prompting wildlife center staff to make the difficult decision to end his suffering. The tiger had called Cat Tales home for nearly a decade, and he had become a fan favorite for visitors.
Lisa Grey, executive director of Cat Tales, said the staff was concerned about Nalin’s quality of life.
“Solution would have been — if we did not euthanize — would be to go in to remove all of the cancer, surrounding tissue and bone structure. And we just couldn’t fathom seeing a tiger without his full skull structure. That’s not right,” Grey said.
In his time at Cat Tales, Grey said Nalin’s personality endeared him to both guests and staff.
“Nalin was, I’ll say, a fan favorite. The guests loved him, the staff loved him,” Grey said.
Nalin became known for his boisterous personality and playful antics. He had a mischievous streak that kept staff entertained.
“He’d walk by very casual, and then he’d double back on them just to get a rise out of people. So he had kind of a fun, prankster personality, I would say,” Grey said.
Before arriving at Cat Tales, Nalin had performed in a tiger show at Six Flags in California, where he developed a reputation for showing off his considerable strength. His powerful jaws were so formidable that he could bite through and puncture metal water buckets.
The decision to euthanize Nalin was not made lightly. Grey acknowledged that losing animals is an emotional part of working at a wildlife facility, even when it is the most humane choice.
“He definitely inspired many guests,” Grey said. “We miss him.”
In keeping with scientific and conservation efforts, Nalin’s body will be transported to a laboratory at Washington State University for study. Grey expressed hope that the research will contribute to a deeper understanding of Bengal tigers and advance knowledge that could benefit the species in the future.
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