'Beloved' Cheetah Dies At Palm Desert Zoo

PALM DESERT, CA — Kali, a 12-year-old cheetah and a favorite at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, died, zoo officials announced Sunday.

In an Instagram post, the zoo stated that it was "with great sadness we share the news that Kali, one of our beloved cheetahs, was compassionately euthanized last week after being diagnosed with several serious, irreversible health conditions."

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The big cat was being treated for kidney disease, "when a routine exam showed that her kidney values were slightly elevated, which is common in aging cats," zoo officials wrote.

"Then, in recent weeks, her care team noticed that she was drinking more water, eating less and showing possible neurological symptoms, so her planned recheck exam was moved up. Sadly, the CT scan revealed kidney failure and a large mass in her skull that was likely affecting her neurologically.

"Together, her veterinary and animal care teams weighed her diagnosis, her geriatric age and her quality of life, and agreed that sparing her the suffering that comes with the end stages of these conditions was the most caring choice," according to the Living Desert.

Kali was born Oct. 1, 2014, and came to The Living Desert from Fossil Rim Wildlife Center two years later, joined by her sisters Bela and Sudi.

"Kali was always the leader among the three: confident, curious and eager to interact with her care team," Living Desert stated.

Elizabeth Hiner, a primary cheetah caretaker, said Kali "could always spot a blue shirt from a mile away, and when something caught her eye, she gave it her complete attention."

"She was an inspiration to guests and a beautiful ambassador for her iconic species," Hiner said in the Instagram post. "She will be missed by everyone who had the privilege of caring for and visiting her over the years."