50-Pound African Cat On The Loose In Detroit Captured
UPDATE: FOX-2 reports that the caracal has been captured.
ORIGINAL STORY: There is a 50-pound African cat that has escaped its owner and is on the loose in a suburb north of Detroit.
I've seen some fat cats in my day, but 50 pounds...holy cow, or should I say...holy cat?
This particular cat is native to Africa but can also be found in the Middle East, Central Asia, India and now there's one running around D-town.
This particular caracal was one of four big cats the owner kept in cages that also let them enter the garage. Just one problem, someone left a gate open and 2 of them escaped.
According to WOOD, the cats owner used some raw meat to get one of the cats to return but the other was last seen around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday near an elementary school in Royal Oak.
Caracals fall into a category of cats that are not regulated by the state of Michigan. This is not the first time the cats have been on the lamb but their third time cruising the city.
The upside is, the caracal does not hunt humans but does have a taste for small rodents, rabbits, birds and other small animals. Although this cat is big enough to eat a small dog.
The caracal typically tries to avoid humans at all costs and is a nocturnal animal by nature. They are very secretive and difficult to observe and can be very territorial.
As you can see in the picture above, these caracals look pretty cool but probably not a good idea to try and pet one if you are lucky enough to even see it let alone get close to it.
UPDATE:
According to FOX 2, the Royal Oak Police Department say they have captured the African cat and that it is now home safe its owner.