UPDATE: Royal Oak Police capture missing domesticated African caracal cat that got loose
Large African cat on the loose in Royal Oak
According to Royal Oak Police, the resident owns four caracals and two of them got out of the house Wednesday morning. She was able to get one of the cats back but the other caracal is still on the loose. She told the police the cat is not a danger but are alerting the schools as a precaution.
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Royal Oak Police Department says it has caught a large African cat that had escaped a home and was on the loose near a Royal Oak Elementary School.
Officers said they captured the caracal around 11 p.m. Oct. 13 and it is now back in the owner's care.
Earlier on Wednesday, officials from Royal Oak Schools said they were notified by police about the large, domesticated cat in the area of 13 Mile and Rochester Road. Residents who live in the area with small pets are urged to keep them inside as caracals are predators.
According to Royal Oak Police, the resident owns four caracals and two of them got out of the house Wednesday morning. She was able to get one of the cats back but the other caracal remained on the loose for much of the day.
This is the third time her caracal has gotten out of the house and, in the past, police said she has lured the cats back with raw meat.
Three caracal cats inside of an enclosure. Image via Royal Oak Public Schools Facebook page.
Caracals can weigh between 18 and 42 pounds and stand up to 20 inches tall. They're largely native to Africa but are also found in the Middle East and Asia. They prey on small animals, birds, and rodents but wild caracals are known to take down prey two to three times its size while jumping 10 feet into the air.