A domesticated African Serval cat has escaped from its owner’s home in Swansboro.
Officials with the Swansboro Police Department said it’s a domesticated pet, not a wild animal, and it’s not believed to be dangerous to people or pets.
According to Carolina Tiger Rescue, a Serval is a medium-sized wild cat with a coat pattern that resembles a combination of cheetah spots and tiger stripes. They have a fairly small head and large ears.
Officials are asking people who see the cat not to approach it or try to catch it, but to contact Onslow County Animal Control so they can safely return the pet to its owner.
