The 57-year-old actress' wild cat was named Neil after her parents, Hitchcock muse Tippi Hedren and stepfather Noel Marshall, reported the New York Post.
A photo series taken by LIFE photographer Michael Rougier show that Neil was treated like another member of the family at their Sherman Oaks, California, home in the 1970s.
The full-sized lion played in their outdoor pool, lounged around the house and even grabbed a bite to eat from the fridge.
In one photo, a maid was forced to take a particularly large step over a sleeping Neil, who was outstretched in the family kitchen for a cat nap.
A few photos show a 14-year-old Griffith curling up in her bed with Neil, who has his own red blanket to cover up with.