IZZY
Sadly Izzy started life as a prop. He was used by Great Cat Adventures who would travel around the US taking Izzy to carnivals and fairs where people could pay to hold and pet him (Learn more about the problems with Cub Petting). He was forced to be on the road 90% of his life where he was kept in a small trailer with several other young tigers. In August of 2007, when Izzy had grown to large to be useful for cub petting anymore he was set to be euthanized. Luckily we were able to step in and rescue him.
Izzy arrived at Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary when he was only about 6 months old and weighed just 65 lbs. Since he had been taken away from his mother at such a young age he didn't really know what it meant to be a tiger. Tigers have many vocalizations and it took Izzy a while to figure out what these all meant. He was always the first to "chuff" (a friendly greeting) at us in the morning, but he still didn't always use his roar correctly. For safety reasons we never go in or have direct contact with our animals, but we do still interact with them from outside their enclosures. Izzy loved to stalk and run with us, but if we stopped before he is finished he would roar and let us know he still wanted more attention! Izzy, like all tigers, grew up fast and at about 2 years of age he weighed a little over 450 lbs! Even when he was getting much older, he never lost his young, playful nature.
During the warmer months Izzy could frequently be seen playing in his pool. Sometimes he would just like to soak, sometimes he would bring an enrichment item in and try to drown it, other times he would jump in and out to cool off. The winter didn't stop him from getting into the pools either, it could be below freezing and he would still take a dip! Izzy was also one of our most scent motivated cats. He loved when we put ginger, cinnamon, cloves or some other scent out in his yard. He would lick them up, roll in them and drool...a lot! Of all our cats Izzy seemed to enjoy and crave our attention the most, and we were always more then happy to accommodate! Sadly, on November 15, 2024 we made the decision to humanely euthanize Izzy as his mobility and health were at a point where he didn't have the quality of life he deserves. He passed away surrounded by those that loved him. He will be forever missed here at the sanctuary. We hope that one day there will be no need for sanctuaries like us, but until then, with your support, we will continue to give animals like Izzy a voice!