Missing semi-wild Savannah cat re-captured in Bristol

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Savannah cat in cageImage source, Hazel Richards
Image caption,

The animal escaped from its owner's home in Bristol

A semi-wild Savannah cat that escaped from its owner's house four days ago has been re-captured.

The 4ft-long (1.2 m) male animal went missing from a home in the Sea Mills area of Bristol on Monday evening,

It was caught in the garden of a house a few streets away on Saturday morning, after it had been heard in nearby woods, and was coaxed into a cage with a piece of chicken.

The cat's owner Laura Page said she was delighted to get it back.

Hazel Richards, who runs a website that normally helps locate missing dogs, said she used wildlife cameras to "get an idea of where the animal had been going".

"I used a thermal scope and went down a track in a wooded area," she said.

"I heard an unusual noise in the thick brambles - and because it's been raining so heavily - the mud was smooth and I could see a footprint that was obviously a big cat."

Image source, Laura Page
Image caption,

The Savannah cat had been missing since Tuesday

She said the animal was then coaxed into a cage by Ms Page, who was holding the piece of meat.

"Apart from a couple of little marks on his head, and the loss of his collar, otherwise he is perfectly well," she said.

"She was absolutely delighted. She was overwhelmed to get her cat back. She'd been so worried."

The Savannah breed is a cross between a domestic cat and an African Serval.

Image source, Hazel Richards
Image caption,

The pet's owner used a piece of chicken to coax the animal into a cage