Cleo's Legacy
The Phoenix Zoo is extremely saddened to announce that Cleo, a 17-year-old caracal,
was humanely euthanized due to an untreatable medical condition.
Cleo was an unmistakable presence on the Nina Mason Pulliam Children’s Trail and Phoenix Mayor
Kate Gallego celebrated her with a city proclamation in 2019.
The Phoenix Zoo is extremely saddened to announce that Cleo,
a 17-year-old caracal, was humanely euthanized due to
an untreatable medical condition.
Cleo was an unmistakable presence on the Nina Mason Pulliam Children’s Trail and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego celebrated her with a city proclamation
in 2019.
The Phoenix Zoo is extremely saddened to announce that Cleo,
a 17-year-old caracal,
was humanely euthanized due to
an untreatable medical condition.
Cleo was an unmistakable presence on the Nina Mason Pulliam Children’s Trail and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego celebrated her with a city proclamationin 2019.
Tribute from Senior Keeper, Heather V.:
“Cleo was a uniquely beautiful girl of fascinating contradictions. At first glance, you were immediately struck by how pretty Cleo was, but oh,
she was much more than that!
With captivating eyes, delicate facial features, and luxurious, silky ear tufts that shimmered in the breeze, Cleo had all the allure and panache of a Vegas show girl.
But bring out the food, and she quickly turned into a brash, athletic roller derby queen! Although she was missing a limb, this had absolutely no effect. Once the door opened and breakfast was served, she came racing across the floor with the same confidence and strength of an inline speed skater with one arm tucked behind her back!
Cleo was also widely known for her sassy attitude, commanding the extensive vocabulary of hisses in her arsenal with conviction! But surprisingly, once she began to trust you, she would instead greet you with a chattering of sweet, soft-spoken meows each morning that would melt anyone’s heart.
While resting in her favorite spot, Cleo also had a bewitching way of gently locking eyes on you in such a fashion that you felt that she was looking right into your soul. Either that, or she was just trying to hypnotize you into giving her more food!
With the glow a little less bright in her corner of the world, we will deeply miss our vivacious little bundle of sass and joy.
Never will there be another Cleo.”