Big cat on the loose

A big cat likened to a “little leopard” is on the loose in the east of England and experts admit it is “somewhat worrying”.

The creature was spotted and photographed by a person walking his dog in the Norfolk village of Bramerton, on the outskirts of Norwich city. This person reported this to the RSPCA.

Tom Baker, 27, from Bramerton, likened the cat to a “little leopard” and told the BBC: “Initially we thought it was a big fox but we moved our camera closer and thought it looked like a leopard.”

“It was much bigger than a normal cat. We turned around and sped away, and luckily the dog was in front. I’ve never seen anything like it around here.”

Tom spoke about the incident to the RSPCA news outlet, and experts there told him it could be a runaway serval, native to Africa, or a Savannah cat, a hybrid born from wild cats mating with domestic felines.

RSPCA senior scientific officer Evie Button said: “We have concerns about the breeding, trade and care of wild or exotic animals kept as pets, including those classed as dangerous wild animals such as servals.

“Animals should only be kept in captivity if good welfare can be ensured, and this can often be very challenging.

“Exotic pets are wild, undomesticated animals kept in captivity and therefore their needs are not substantially different from the same species living in the wild.

“Some breeds, such as servals, are not suitable for keeping as pets because their needs are too complex to be met in a home environment.”

Kevin Murphy, from Norfolk Wildlife Rescue, shared a photo of a similar cat on Facebook and urged anyone “missing one of these” to get in touch.

He added that it was “somewhat worrying” that a big cat was on the loose, according to the BBC report.

Kevin said: “”It’s a bit worrying to have someone wandering around, but these things happen. The owner must check the enclosure and make sure it is safe.

“They are smaller cats than tigers and lions, but they are still great animals to have.”