African wildcat on the loose in Surrey is found

 ...after tiny house cat corners it in her back garden territory letting police swoop to trap the 'savannah stalker'

• Large African wildcat was found prowling around in a neighbour's garden
• The neighbour spotted its own house cat challenge it in the garden
• But both cats appeared to be equally scared of each other
• West Moseley Police confirmed that the cat was found at 8.50pm Friday
• Police warned that the animal, in West Molesey should not be approached
• Cat had been left in the care of a cat sitter while owners were on holiday
• Helicopter was called in as a search began involving police and RSPCA  

By David Wilkes And Neil Sears

Published: 25 July 2014  

An African wildcat that was at the centre of a police search after it escaped whilst its owners were on holiday was caught after it was corned by a tiny house cat in the back of a neighbours garden, say police.

The African wildcat was spotted by a neighbour in their garden late last night, close to where the cat had first gone missing near where its owners lived. A neighbour saw their own tiny house cat challenge the big African cat which had been described as 'dangerous', but both were equally scared of one another.

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Safari time in suburbia: The escaped serval pads past the shrubbery and climbing frame in a Surrey garden yesterday

Found: Elmbridge Police tweeted Great News!!! The missing serval from West Molesey has been reunited with their owner - thank you to all who helped with the search

The unnamed neighbour called the police and they arrived at 8.50pm. They told police that they had watched several local reports in the media and realised that the missing African wildcat was in their garden prowling around. They then said how they saw their own pet cat challenge the big cat but said both looked quite scared of each other.

A police spokesperson for West Moseley police told Mail Online: ‘The owner of the cat turned up to get the cat from the neighbour’s house and brought a blanket to subdue him. ‘The neighbours called the police and they all arrived at the house at 8.50pm last night. When the wildcat was captured, it was nervous and worried as it had not been out of the house before. But it calmed down when the owner threw a blanket over it.'

West Mosely Police confirm that the owner will not face any charges, but will be given advice on how to look after animals properly so that it does not happen again.

West Moseley Police were called after the cat was found.

The large African wild cat had been seen creeping menacingly past the undergrowth showing just why it is nicknamed the ‘savannah stalker.’ But it was no match for a smaller pet and West Molesey Police which launched a widespread search - including a police helicopter - for the 'dangerous' cat in Surrey after it went missing.

In a tweet by Elmbridge Police today, it was confirmed that the cat had been found.

The tweet read: 'Great news!!! the missing serval from West Molesey has been reunited with their owner - thank you to all who helped with the search.

The message was then re-tweeted by West Molesey Police who had lead the search.

Yesterday, before its capture a picture emerged of  the cat near a neat lawn, climbing frame and slide which were all giveaways that this particular beast – a potentially dangerous serval – is a long way from its natural home.

For this display of stealth was taking place yesterday not in the wilds of Africa but in the tame gardens of north Surrey, well within the stockbroker belt.

The exact location of the suburban safari was West Molesey where shocked householder Allan Tinkler captured the serval on camera as it padded past his shrubbery.

Police warned that the wild cat should not be approached. A police helicopter and the RSPCA joined the hunt and the public were asked to call 999 if they spotted the animal. It is owned by a local couple who had left it in the care of a cat-sitter while on holiday. But it gave its guardian the slip and was last night on the loose, until it was caught at 8.50pm.

The serval: a cat of spare parts

Police said it had been reported missing at around 9am yesterday having escaped from an address in West Molesey.

Fortunately it is well domesticated. A police spokesman said: ‘At around 9am today we received a report that a serval cat was on the loose. ‘The pet cat had escaped from an address in Anne Way, West Molesey. The animal is registered as a dangerous cat although it is not believed to be aggressive.’

The serval, similar in appearance to a small leopard, stands about 18 inches tall and is 2ft long.  Its owners are believed to be due back from holiday today. One of their neighbours, Percy Cooper, said: ‘I have been keeping an eye out for it in my garden and have seen the helicopter going overhead but I haven’t seen the cat.’ The police helicopter crew joked on Twitter: ‘On safari with @SurreyPolice looking for escaped serval. Search continues.’ 

Serval owners in the UK must have a licence to keep them as pets - which the police confirmed that the owners had for the cat. The animals are also cross-bred with domestic cats to produce Savannah cats, which can sell for more than £600 each as kittens.  

Video courtesy of Big Cat Rescue

A SAVANNAH STALKER: THE CAT OF SPARE PARTS

The serval is known as the 'cat of spare parts' thanks to ears and legs which are very big for its body size, its small head, long neck and short tail.

Large ears let it hear the rodents it hunts as they tunnel underground.

Long legs allow it to leap vertically up to ten feet in the air to catch birds.

Their beautifully patterned hair makes them attractive to poachers.

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