There’s A Serval Cat Loose In Northern Illinois–Are They Legal?

There’s a wild cat on the loose in Northern Illinois, and it's not the kind of cat that you ask your mom if you can keep because it followed you home.

Whatever you do, try to avoid saying "Here kitty, kitty."

Grundy County Animal Control is trying to capture a serval that has been spotted several times in the rural Gardner area. The serval is an African wild cat known for its long legs, large ears and remarkable jumping ability. Officials are warning residents not to approach it, and animal control is working to trap the animal safely.

And naturally, that raises an interesting question: How does somebody even end up owning a serval in Illinois?

A serval cat walks through tall grass

The Answer Is Somewhat Complicated

Illinois law prohibits private ownership of a number of dangerous animals, including lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, mountain lions, lynx, bobcats, jaguarundis, bears, hyenas, wolves and coyotes. Interestingly, the current statutory list does not specifically include servals or caracals.

However, Illinois Department of Agriculture regulations prohibit licensed animal dealers from selling animals whose ownership would violate the Illinois Dangerous Animals Act, and that list specifically includes servals. The regulations also contain an exception for recognized domestic cat breeds and registries.

That distinction gets especially interesting with Savannah cats, which are hybrids of domestic cats and servals. Their legality can depend on the generation of the hybrid and local rules. So, yes, the enormous, exotic-looking cat you saw on social media may be legal while an actual serval isn't something you can simply keep as a house pet.

A serval cat gazes into the distance.

Keep In Mind That Municipalities Might Have Different Rules Than The State

The wrinkle for us in the Rockford area is that state law isn't the whole story. Winnebago County Animal Services notes that Illinois law applies statewide, but local animal ordinances can differ from municipality to municipality. Rockford has its own municipal code and animal regulations, separate from the county's rules.

So before anybody starts shopping online for that “really cool cat” they've always wanted, check both state law and the rules where you live.

As for the Grundy County serval, admire it from a very safe distance. This is one cat you definitely don't want to try to turn into a neighborhood pet.