When the wildlife rescuers at Wildcat Sanctuary found a tiny abandoned tiger cub, they weren’t sure he would survive. Weighing only 3 pounds and unable to regulate his own body temperature, this little tiger faced an uphill battle. But thanks to round-the-clock care from his human caregivers, the cub nicknamed “Tiny” not only lived, he thrived. This video from The Dodo shares Tiny’s incredible transformation from his frightened early days to the powerful wildcat he is today.
As the video explains, Tiny came to Wildcat Sanctuary at just three weeks old, far too young to have been abandoned by his mother naturally. Rescued from an unknown situation, the tiny cub was weak, dehydrated and hypothermic when found. His eyes were still sealed shut, indicating he likely had not consumed any milk. The wildlife rescuers worked tirelessly to nurse Tiny back to health, using special syringes to feed him formula every two hours, day and night. They bundled him in warm towels to regulate his body temperature.
In the beginning, Tiny was scared of everything – the world was too big for such a small creature. But with round-the-clock love and care, his confidence slowly grew. By six weeks old, his eyes had opened and he was able to start exploring a small enclosure. Tiny hit all his growth milestones and began to behave more like the wildcat he was born to be. Footage in this video shows Tiny joyfully pouncing, leaping and wrestling with other rescued cats at the sanctuary as he grows into a sturdy young tiger, nothing like the fragile cub he once was.
Tiny the tiger cub receives round-the-clock care when he was first rescued at only 3 weeks old.
By 6 months old, Tiny has grown into a playful young tiger thanks to his caregivers’ efforts.
Tiny’s story serves as an important reminder of the round-the-clock specialized care big cats require, especially fragile neonates. Had the Wildcat Sanctuary rescuers not intervened, this tiny tiger cub surely would not have survived on his own. Now safely in his forever home, Tiny is thriving and hopefully living out the rest of his days happy and unaware of how close he came to perishing as a helpless newborn. His transformation from scared fragile cub to the feisty feline he was meant to be is a testament to the lifesaving work of his human guardians.
All grown up, Tiny shows off his skills playing with other rescued big cats at the sanctuary.
If you want to see more of Tiny’s story and incredible journey from tiny cub to playful tiger in his own habitat, be sure to watch his full video featured on The Dodo’s YouTube channel at the link below.
The once tiny Tiny is now a formidable feline enjoying life to the fullest at his sanctuary forever home.
Have you ever witnessed an animal transformation as dramatic as Tiny the tiger cub’s? Share your thoughts on his incredible journey to survival in the comments below!
