Exotic African wild cat on the loose in Decatur, Illinois

Animal control authorities in Decatur, Illinois, are on the prowl and looking for a serval, a species of exotic African wild cat, that escaped from his owner’s apartment.

Servals have coloration and spots akin to those of a cheetah, with distinct large ears and long legs.

The Macon County Animal Control and Care Center says that, while it doesn’t believe the cat will take the initiative to attack people, it is still a wild animal and should not be approached.

Owner Christopher Solomon acquired the serval, named “Reese,” from outside the state just last month, and says the cat is a “great boy” — but also warns against letting small pets near the African wild cat.

“If you see him, he will pose no threat to you or your children. I can’t promise anything about your small pets because he is a predator. He’s not aggressive,” Mr. Solomon told WICS-TV.

Experts say, however, that the serval is not child-safe.

“It would be like you’re attacked by a large house cat, it would leave some pretty impressive scratches, and if you’re vulnerable or a very young child, it could cause some damage,” Scovill Zoo Director Ken Frye told WRSP-TV. The zoo is located in Decatur.

Reese escaped earlier this week after a visitor left a door open at Mr. Solomon’s apartment.

“I woke up at about one o’clock in the morning shivering cold because the door was wide open and was trying to figure out what was going on with my cat. … I called the police and Animal Control who tried to find him. We did see him once that night, but he disappeared too quick. And unfortunately, we never found him again,” Mr. Solomon told WAND-TV.

The legality of Mr. Solomon’s ownership of Reese is also in question. While Mr. Solomon claims that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources sent him an email sanctioning the serval’s presence in Decatur, the department told WICS-TV it only deals with species native to Illinois.

Law enforcement says owning the serval is illegal.

“We’ve determined that you cannot possess a serval in the city of Decatur. My understanding is that serval ownership would constitute having an outdoor enclosure to keep the animal in,” Macon County Animal Control Administrator Sgt. Ron Atkins told WAND-TV.