Wild African Serval Cat Captured Safely

Mission Viejo Animal Services (MVAS) on February 19 received word from OC Animal Care that an escaped serval cat was traveling through the County's jurisdiction. It was first reported to be loose in the Lemon Heights neighborhood in Tustin.  The last sighting of the cat was near Whiting Ranch in Foothill Ranch.  OC Animal Care was unable to capture the animal and advised that it would likely appear in our jurisdiction next.

The next morning MVAS received a call from a citizen who spotted the serval on Calle Christina in Rancho Santa Margarita.  Animal Control Officer Mansoor and Lieutenant Werner responded to the area. The officers were informed that the serval attacked a domestic cat and fled after being hit with a resident's broom. Lt. Werner was able to locate the cat and safely capture it using conventional methods. Our local wildlife partner veterinarians arrived and sedated the cat for safe transport. The cat was then transferred to the animal hospital for evaluation.  MVAS was unable to locate any identifying information such as tattoo or microchip.

In California, owning a serval cat is illegal. The serval is a wild cat native to Africa. These cat's spotted coats are sometimes marketed as young leopards or cheetahs and can attract a hefty price on the black market. They are slender, medium-sized and stand 21-24 inches at the shoulder and weigh 20-40 pounds. It is characterized by a small head, large ears, golden-yellow to buff coat spotted and striped with black and a short black-tipped tail. The serval has the longest legs of any cat relative to its body size. The serval is a solitary carnivore and active day and night. It preys on rodents, particularly rats, small birds, frogs, insects, and reptiles using its sense of hearing to locate prey.

This cat will be transferred to a zoo or cat sanctuary.