Zoey is a very petite serval, but she makes up for her small size with her big attitude. Zoey always has something to say and hisses often. She is sometimes hard to find because she is often hiding in the grass, keeping an eye on anyone nearby. Zoey’s small size is likely due to a lack of nutrition as a kitten. Zoey was a former pet who likely was not fed a proper carnivore diet of strictly meat or given enough room to roam. Zoey is a natural on tour, showing everyone her fast paw strike and is a good reminder of how wild she still is.
Born November 13, 2007
How Zoey Came to the Sanctuary
Zoey was rescued from a private home in Hendersonville, NC. Police found her abandoned in a crate in the backyard when they arrived to serve arrest warrants for her owners. She was taken to a veterinary clinic and fed a diet of spinach and corn. When Carolina Tiger Rescue staff arrived to pick her up, she was incredibly cooperative when she realized we had chicken! Servals are obligate carnivores, so after eating vegetables for a few days, she was starving. Her eagerness for chicken made loading her very easy.
Zoey is a very petite serval, but don't let that fool you. She is just as feisty as any other! She always has something to say and hisses often. When she first arrived, staff members nicknamed her "Sassy" before choosing the name Zoey. Visitors often remark that they didn't see her, but that's because you have to know where to look. She's usually hiding in the grass right in front of you! Zoey's particularly small size pairs well with her distinctive serval markings, making her an expert at camouflage, but she'll still come out of hiding for a chicken treat!
Zoey is recognizable by her short stature. Also, if one looks closely, they may notice a bit of a crooked tail, due to multiple breaks. This is likely from hitting her tail against something in her enclosure before she was rescued.
Zoey is located in the Pear Orchard section of the sanctuary across the tour path from Caprichio, India, and Carolina Tiger.
North Carolina is one of four states were it is still legal to own a non-native species. In other words, it is legal in the state of North Carolina to own a lion, tiger, and other wild cats. Zoey is a direct result of this lack of legislation. Due to the ease with which animals such as Zoey can be acquired, people are obtaining them as pets and then realizing, sometimes at the expense of a human life or the animal's life, that this is not a good idea. Animals such as Zoey deserve to be respected as the wild animals they are.
Leptailurus serval
