Mequon learns of exotic cat, drafting ordinance to ban them

Mequon drafting exotic cat ban after serval hit by car

MEQUON (WITI) -- A missing cat in Mequon has caused the city to consider drafting a ban on exotic cats. Officials say serval cats can be dangerous -- especially when they bite. Meanwhile, the cat's owner says it never hurt anyone.

"She played around with the kids. She was very good with the children. She played with cat toys just like any other cat would," the cat's owner, who did not want to be identified, told FOX6 News.

The serval is a medium-sized African wild cat.

Weight ranges from about 15 to 26 lb. in females, and from 20 to 40 lb. in males.

It is a strong yet slender animal, with long legs and a fairly short tail. Due to its leg length, it is relatively one of the tallest cats. The head is small in relation to the body, and the tall, oval ears are set close together.

Servals are nocturnal animals, and are native to Africa.

Although the serval is specialized for catching rodents, it is an opportunistic predator whose diet also includes birds, hares, hyraxes, reptiles, insects, fish, and frogs.

The serval has been observed taking larger animals, though over 90% of the serval's prey weighs less than 7 oz.

A Mequon family called their serval "Cleo," and the cat served as the family's 16-month-old pet.

"She does not have the look of a normal house cat. I just like the appeal and her exotic looks, with the temperament of a regular house cat," the cat's owner said.

Cleo was purchased in April of 2012 from a Kentucky breeder for $3,000. The cat was declawed, and weighed 18 pounds, and was two feet long. It lived inside the family home.

Since June, Cleo ran away twice. Complaints were made and two citations issued for "animal at large."

The second time, Cleo was found dead on Mequon Road -- seemingly struck by a car. She had been missing two weeks.

Jeff Kozlowski once cared for a serval cat at the Wisconsin Big Cat Rescue in Rock Springs.

That cat came from an Illinois man's home.

"I just don't think there's any way you can domesticate a wild animal," Kozlowski said.

Kozlowski says servals are high-strung and not family pets.

"Their teeth are sharp, they could tear you open. If they decided to bite you, they could cause harm," Kozlowski said.

Because of Cleo, the Mequon Police Chief asked the City Attorney to draft an ordinance banning exotic cats.

The news is disappointing to Cleo's owner, who wants to buy another serval.

"She didn't do any harm. She didn't scare people," the cat's owner said.

Wisconsin does not have a ban on owning exotic cats -- though many cities have adopted their own.

The Wisconsin Humane Society and Milwaukee County Zoo advise against owning servals.