In January 2022, local residents discovered an African serval cat lingering around searching for food in the backyard of a home in Lincoln, Massachusetts.
Serval cats are native to Africa. However, because local residents in the community found this exotic cat wandering in the cold Northeast, it suggested that someone kept this cat as a pet.
Legally, keeping an exotic cat as a pet is illegal and not allowed in the state of Massachusetts. Exotic animals are allowed only by permit or for educational purposes, but not as personal pets.
Abandoned cat
With the help of the MSPCA, people in the community devised a plan to capture the exotic cat they would later name Bruno.
The exotic cat was fed daily on a schedule, and when the timing was right, the MSCPA came and trapped the serval cat to take him to safety and for examination.
Not only had the cat been abandoned, but a visit to the clinic revealed Bruno had been injured. X-rays showed his right leg had suffered two fractures that had begun healing poorly.
The staff at the clinic also confirmed Bruno had no microchip or ID tags, making it impossible to find the owner. The best outcome for Bruno would be to place him in a sanctuary or zoo to spend the rest of his years in a safe habitat.
A stroke of luck
Fortunately, this exotic cat did not have to wait long before finding his forever home. Less than two weeks later, Bruno arrived at a non-profit wild cat rescue in Sandstone, Minnesota, called The Wildcat Sanctuary.
Bruno has been adjusting well to life at the sanctuary, fifteen other serval cats live with him and keep him company.
Due to his right hind leg’s poor healing, he had to have his leg amputated to reduce his pain, however, Bruno is recovering well.
He has a new lease on life and enjoys playing on the sanctuary grounds and engaging with the other cats. He’s a young cat at about one year old, and his life expectancy is about twenty years.
The future looks very bright for Bruno.
Wrap up
Exotic animals are not your typical pets. Fortunately, the MSCPA rescued Bruno and took him off the streets.
The Wildcat Sanctuary gifted him a place to call home where he can now live his life in peace. Exotic cats are beautiful; however, they do best in a carefully cultivated safe environment where they can thrive.
You can follow Bruno’s journey to adjusting to his new life by following the Wildcat Sanctuary’s Facebook page.