escaped african serval cat caught in

Escaped African Serval Cat Caught In Texas

SAGINAW, Texas Animal control officers in Saginaw, Texas had a real

life 'cat and mouse' chase on their hands. Things were a little bit

different this time out - because the animal wasn't your regular house

cat; it was an exotic cat from Africa that escaped from its North

Texas home.

Animal control was on the lookout for an African Serval cat.

The cat, named Gizmo, has been the pet of a Saginaw family for the

past five years, where he regularly lives with other domesticated pets

and children. The family was required to maintain a 'wild animal

certificate of registration' in order to keep the animal.

"He's a great pet and so we've raised him for the last five and a half

years and this is a first for us. It's very disturbing," owner

Christina Miller said.

The cat escaped through an open window Thursday night and was last

seen Tuesday morning in a field near a school, rec. center and

residential area. Gizmo weighs about 35 pounds, has been de-clawed,

and is domesticated.

The city's Animal Control was made aware of the cat's disappearance on

Friday morning.

According to officials with Saginaw Animal Control, Gizmo poses no

threat to humans. "They're not dangerous. They eat things smaller than

what will fit in our mouth 'cause they eat everything whole," animal

control officer Kevin James told CBS station KTVT-TV. "So I don't

think any domesticated pet will have anything to worry about, unless

it's a hamster."

The largest animal a Serval can eat is about the size of a rabbit.