Mary Stewart’s Story
Mary Stewart was born at Carolina Tiger Rescue as part of our former breeding program. Mary Stewart was a very spirited caracal who loved to stalk guests and volunteers while hiding in the tall grass at the front of her enclosure, illustrating how stealthy caracals can be. Mary Stewart had a very sweet, almost doll-like, face and a tawny-colored coat that lulled you into a false belief that she was cute and cuddly but she, like any caracal, was a fierce predator and not an animal to take lightly.
Mary Stewart’s Passing
August 21, 2017
With a heavy heart, we write to you today. This past weekend, Mary Stewart Caracal showed less interest in her food and she appeared dehydrated. The keepers gave her fluids in the hopes that she had just gotten a little dehydrated, especially given her age and the heat. Unfortunately, she did not rebound as we had hoped. We took her to Dr. Lassiter for a physical and blood work. Sadly, her blood work showed that she was suffering the effects of advanced kidney disease and she had kidney failure. Given the severity of the disease, we made the decision to euthanize.
Though her tail was short, Mary Stewart was never short on personality. Her sassy demeanor made her a joy to visit. She would sashay her way up to say hello and rub her face on the fence… or she would just wait to see if you could find her in the tall grass. It was really up to how accommodating she felt that day. Though spunky, Mary Stewart was also a beautiful girl. With a beautiful face and ear tufts that could never decide which way to lay, her petite frame always belied her immense spirit. Though, truth be told, that spirited personality unfortunately also kept her from being on the treats list. Her Matrix-like moves made her a little too unpredictable to get treats from volunteers.
While some people connect more with the big cats (tigers, lions, leopards), others find that the loss of one of our small cats is harder. While big cats make their presence known, one often has to work really hard to get to know the small guys. Mary Stewart’s death will certainly be felt by those that knew her and loved her. As with the loss of any of our animals, her unique spirit will be missed.
