ASHEBORO, N.C. (NCN News) – A 12-year-old cougar has died at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro.
According to a social media post, Heath came to the North Carolina Zoo in 2014 with his two sisters, Olive and Willow, after they were orphaned in the wild in Oregon. Heath and Olive remained here at the North Carolina Zoo and their sister Willow moved to another facility.
As Heath got older, he developed chronic kidney disease and age-related mobility challenges that began to impact his quality of life. After careful consideration with our animal care and veterinary teams, the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize him. While never easy, euthanasia can be the most compassionate choice when an animal’s quality of life is declining.
From Heath’s keepers:
“Heath was an outgoing cougar and a fan favorite. My favorite part of the day was being loudly greeted with chirps, purrs, and meows. Curiosity and keen observations led him to recognize and sometimes interact with certain employees and guests.
Throughout his day he enjoyed shredding boxes, playing, chewing on bones, and especially napping. He had a funny quirk of blowing bubbles by dunking his head in water while straddling a ball.
I will always cherish his endearing personality and all of the memories as I have had the privilege of caring for him his entire life here at our Zoo.”
“Heath was a special cat who captured my heart. I loved his “grumpy old man” face that always made me smile and his infatuation with blowing bubbles in his water tub. He was quirky and handsome and loved cantaloupe. He will be greatly missed.”
In the wild, cougars are solitary. However, Heath and Olive lived at the North Carolina Zoo together their entire lives. Zoo officials say that animal care and veterinary teams are monitoring Olive and providing extra care and enrichment as she adjusts to life without her brother.