Exotic cat captured after being spotted roaming Halifax streets

An exotic cat that was spotted roaming the streets of a Halifax community on Sunday has been captured and is now in custody of the Department of Natural Resources.

Rachael Smith and her son were driving around the city's Armdale neighbourhood around 10:30 p.m. when they saw a cat sitting in the middle of the road.

As they moved closer, they soon realized it was no ordinary cat — it was as large as a medium-sized dog — and it was facing off with a smaller, black-and-white domestic cat.

"I was really concerned for the domestic cat, but also with the exotic cat," Smith told CBC Radio's Information Morning Halifax. "I've never heard of Halifax having exotic cats, so I just found that was really bizarre for that to happen."

Smith contacted authorities while they were still in the area. At first she thought it was a lynx, but it was too small. It had long legs and striped and spotted fur.

It turned out to be a serval cat, which is native to grasslands, open forests and marshes in sub-Saharan Africa, and is not typically found in Nova Scotia.

Tricia Fleming, the human wildlife coexistence biologist with the Department of Natural Resources, said the serval was captured by animal control and animal rescue volunteers Monday afternoon.

"Staff are working to care for the animal, manage any health concerns and then work towards determining next steps," Fleming told Information Morning. 

"The issue of how this animal can be roaming in [the Halifax Regional Municipality] is still under investigation."

In an update Thursday, a spokesperson with DNR said the serval is "alive and well" and under veterinarian care.

The spokesperson said there are several options being looked at for the serval, including sending the animal to "an appropriate, permitted facility, such as a zoo or wildlife park."

Rob Laidlaw, the founder of Zoocheck, an Ontario-based charity that promotes the protection and well-being of wild and exotic animals, said servals are listed as prohibited under Nova Scotia's Wildlife Act and cannot be kept as pets.

However, Laidlaw said, it's possible the serval was purchased from a breeder in Ontario, which doesn't have any regulations on owning exotic animals, and was brought to Nova Scotia as a pet — which is also illegal.

"For a lot of people, they have a very romanticized version or perspective on these animals," Laidlaw told CBC Radio's Maritime Noon on Tuesday.

"They don't realize they're wild animals … they think of them like they're just big — in the case of servals — big house cats, when they're not."

He said servals are also known to be good escape artists, pointing to incidents in Ontario and British Columbia.

"If they have an opportunity to escape, they will," Laidlaw said. "They are very good at getting out and I think that's an indication probably that they shouldn't be kept where they're being kept."

Smith said she's pleased the serval cat was captured safely. 

As for the domestic cat, Smith has since learned he was unharmed in the scuffle — and his name is Sammy.

"He's a neighborhood cat. I guess he dominates the area ... but Sammy is well," Smith said. "And I'm sure he's still a little shaken up, and as far as the owner, I'm sure the same thing."