Cruz, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum's resident mountain lion for more than a decade, was humanely euthanized Thursday. He was 13.
According to a news release from the museum, Cruz had been dealing with challenges consistent with his age, such as arthritis, and his health was in decline.
He was euthanized after an extensive medical examination on Thursday.
"Our veterinary and animal care teams made this decision only after determining there were no reasonable options to maintain his comfort or quality of life," the news release said.
The release said there was fluid in his chest, but the cause was still being determined.
Cruz had been with the museum since 2013, when he was just a 5-and-a-half-month-old rescue from San Jose, Calif.
He was a malnourished cub who was nursed back to health by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the news release said. He was deemed unsuitable for reintroduction into the wild.
The Arizona Game & Fish Department helped facilitate his adoption to the Desert Museum. He made his museum debut on May 20, 2013.
Over the years, Cruz became the face of the organization, the news release said.
"Cruz (had) been a fan favorite for both visitors and Desert Museum staff/volunteers alike," the news release said. "In many ways, our 120-pound Cruz was much like a typical housecat - he loved playing with boxes, soaking up sun rays, napping and grooming his beautiful coat."
