It’s not every day that the bucolic woods of Lincoln, MA, are transformed into the African savanna, but that’s just what happened in early January when residents spotted a serval — a wild cat native to Africa and illegal to own as a pet in Massachusetts — outside their windows.
Concerned for the young cat’s safety, especially since he was limping and injured, they called the MSPCA-Angell for help. The Community Outreach team sprang into action, driving to Lincoln and luring the scared, feisty cat into the van using — what else? — kibble. Now named Bruno, the Cheetah-like cat was not microchipped, nor was he wearing ID tags, making it impossible to identify an owner.
The MSPCA-Angell staff took time to examine the cat thoroughly; X-rays confirmed he had broken his hind leg, and doctors decided the best course of action was to amputate the injured appendage. After healing from his surgery, Bruno will live the rest of his life out in comfort — and with friends much like himself — at The Wildcat Sanctuary in Minnesota.
Bruno’s remarkable story stormed across the MSPCA-Angell’s social media channels and captured dozens of headlines, regionally and as far away as Canada and the United Kingdom. And as of this writing, more than $7,000 in donations have poured in to cover the cost of his care.
