Serval Django (6) caused crusts in the Koestraat in Tilburg on Wednesday morning. The exotic cat sprayed against the garden fence of his owner Achraf to define his territory, but did so often that a hole had been created. And he escaped that hole. In about two and a half hours he appeared in different gardens and on roofs. Thanks to alert local residents, the Serval was caught again.
Owner Achraf is happy on Wednesday that his exotic cat is back. “I raised it and he means a lot to me,” he explains. At first he didn’t worry much when his neighbor came to the door to ask if his cat had escaped: “He was with the neighbor in the garden, so I thought, I grab it.”
However, things went a little differently. The serval was eventually found with a woman who had chickens in her garden. Achraf has lured the animal with meat in a bench. “Now he is in a cage again, he is relaxed again and everyone is happy again.”
Instinct
Django had never escaped before. “So this was very new to him. But I know he doesn’t do anything with people, he is sweet.” If the serval gets food, he can be a bit aggressive. “But that is the instinct, he wants to protect his food. It is a special animal, unlike a normal cat.”
Forbidden
From 1 July 2024 it is no longer permitted to purchase a Serval as a pet. People who already had one can keep them. They must have the right papers and show that the cat was in the Netherlands before July 2024.
Achraf has just repaired the garden fence. “The fence has been over for six years, that will also rust at some point.” The Tilburger has sacrificed his entire garden for Django. Tree trunks, a waterfall, boxes, fake trees and a large cage: he does everything for him.
