Exotic Cat On The Prowl In Metro Atlanta

BROOKHAVEN, GA — It was 6:45 a.m. Wednesday when Kristine Frank, a resident of historic Brookhaven, was woken up by a cat — a 30-40 pound, exotic one.

Neighbor Newspapers reported Frank was woken up by a serval, which is a large cat native to Africa, appearing on her bed. Frank's husband David had woken up before her and let their dog Sandy outside, leaving the door open for her to wander in and out on her own accord.

That's when Frank, who lives off Club Drive, got an unexpected wake-up call.

“I felt something jump on my bed, and I opened my eyes and it was a large cat on my bed,” Kristine told the newspaper. “… I didn’t realize how big it was at the time, but it did jump off the bed. It was terrifying. When I looked, it was as tall as my bed, so I could see its head and ears. That’s when I knew it was not a normal house cat. I just froze and yelled for my husband. I said, ‘That’s not a cat and I don’t know what it is.’”

Frank told CBS 46 she screamed and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her as the cat cowered in the corner. Her husband opened a connecting patio door and the cat exited, but lingered on the property.

David was able to snap a few photos of the cat before it ran off onto a nearby golf course. He contacted animal control, who directed him to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Mark McKinnon, public affairs officer for the state DNR, said they have received fewer than five sighting reports of the animal. The department placed a trap Thursday in the yard of one of three homes where the animal has been seen.

Once the cat is captured, the Animal Legal Defense Fund offered to place it in a North Carolina animal sanctuary.

“Our hope is that this cat will be able to go to an accredited sanctuary and live out her life in a place where she’s going to get adequate care, proper nutrition and the space she needs to thrive, and exhibit a lot of those natural behaviors that are impossible in private homes,” Alicia Prygoski, senior legislative affairs manager for ALDF, told CBS 46.

If anyone sees the animal, McKinnon said to contact the Ranger Hotline at 800-241-4113.