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SALT LAKE CITY — The second-oldest Pallas cat in human care has died at Utah's Hogle Zoo.
Petenka, the 13-year-old male Pallas cat, died on Sunday after experiencing seizures, the zoo announced Wednesday.
Pallas cats are small elusive creatures native to the grasslands of Mongolia and the Tibetan Plateau. They typically live in cold, arid climates, such as stony highlands and alpine deserts in elevations up to 13,000 feet.
Petenka was recently placed under close veterinary care where he was closely monitored, evaluated for periodic seizures, and received oral anti-seizure medication and a redesigned habitat.
Affectionately named "Potato" by his care team, Petenka was transferred to the Hogle Zoo in 2015 as part of a breeding recommendation with a female cat named Hal. Hal and Petenka had 10 kittens together.
Petenka was the second-oldest Pallas cat in human care, the zoo said, adding that the average member of the species will live 11 years in their natural habitat.
Petenka was known for his hops of excitement and loved to lounge in dens at the zoo.
