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Date Published: 15/09/2022

ARCHIVED - Wild thing: suspected African wildcat found in Andalucia shop

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

Experts are trying to establish if the Huelva ‘wildcat’ is a protected species

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Wild thing: suspected African wildcat found in Andalucia shop

Shocked staff made an unusual call to the Animal Protection Service at the Huelva animal shelter on Sunday September 11 to report that what looked like some kind of African wildcat had wandered into their shop on Calle Cristóbal Colón in Huelva.

The feline, which is very large and features distinctive black spots and stripes on a tan-coloured body, bears little resemblance to your garden-variety moggy, and it was first identified as a Serval cat – an African wild cat characterised by its large ears, short, black-tipped tail and extremely long legs.

However, the shop workers also noticed the cat’s “docile behaviour” and once it was moved to the shelter, the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) of the Guardia Civil speculated that it could in fact be a domestic hybrid known as a Savannah cat, or a wild animal crossed with a common feline.

A vet at the animal shelter examined the mystery cat and pronounced it in “good health”, although unfortunately it isn’t microchipped and so, if it is a lost pet, tracking down the owners will be more difficult.

What is now known is that the fascinating feline is male, and experts are trying to establish if it is included in any CITES annex (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

For now, until his breed can be confirmed, the cat will remain in the care of the Animal Protection Service of the Huelva City Council, but in the event that he turns out not to be an endangered species, one of the shelter staff has already offered to adopt him.

Now read: Horrifying case of animal abuse uncovered at Murcia horse farm

Image: Ayuntamiento de Huelva

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