An African serval cat that was found with cocaine in its system in the US after escaping from a car at a traffic stop now calls the Cincinnati Zoo home.
Key points:
- The serval escaped from a car when its owner was pulled over by police in January
- Cocaine was detected in the cat’s system when tested at Cincinnati Animal CARE
- In Ohio, it is illegal to own a serval, which can weigh up to 18 kilograms.
The wild cat’s story has captured people’s attention online, especially following the recent release of the movie Cocaine Bear, which riffs off the true story of an 80-kilogram black bear that was found dead near a bag and millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine.
As a result the serval has been dubbed “cocaine cat”.
The slender feline made its escape after its owner was pulled over by police on January 28, according to local animal control officials, who said it leapt from a car into a tree.
Ray Anderson of Cincinnati Animal CARE said local animal controllers were called to the neighbourhood of Oakley at about 2am one night in January.
In Ohio, it is illegal to own the animals, which can weigh up to 18 kilograms.
During the rescue mission, the cat named Amiry broke its leg and became more agitated.
Once Amiry was taken in for medical care by Cincinnati Animal CARE, the team ran a drug test, which determined Amiry had cocaine in his system.
It is not the first time Cincinnati Animal CARE has had a wild animal test positive for drugs.
Meth monkey prompts drug tests
In 2022, the group took in a capuchin monkey, named Neo, that had methamphetamine in its system.
Since that case, it has become standard procedure for the shelter to test exotic animals that arrive at the shelter for drugs, Mr Anderson said.
Mr Anderson confirmed that the owner of Amiry relinquished custody of the cat to Cincinnati Animal CARE before it was taken into the care of the Cincinnati Zoo.
Julie Sheldon, who is a clinical assistant professor of zoo medicine at the University of Tennessee, said a serval was a major responsibility that required a balanced diet and specialised care beyond a house cat.
“There are way better options for pets that are way more safe, economically smart and sustainable,” she said.
The Cincinnati Animal CARE receives about 8,000 animals a year, Mr Anderson said.
He warned against trying to keep a wild animal as a pet.
“You could save a whole lot of money and get a really awesome house cat at your local animal shelter,” he said.
AP