GIG HARBOR, Wash. – Deputies in Washington State helped wrangle what people were calling a “mysterious leopard” near Tacoma.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said over the last week, people in Gig Harbor were reporting seeing a large, stealthy African cat around the north end of town.
The cat was identified as Tango, a 6-year-old Serval who got away from his owners last week.
On Wednesday night, deputies said someone spotted the declawed and harmless Serval walking on Borgen Boulevard.
Deputies arrived in the area and engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with Tango. He would jump into nearby brush and elude anyone who got close.
Eventually, Tango encountered a chain-link fence, which stopped him in his tracks. There, deputies were able to put a leash on the frightened cat just as his owners were arriving at the scene.
Deputies described Tango as “very fast and very stealthy.” The whole chase with their new friend was “very fun.”
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