It isn’t every day you see a wild cat sitting on a sofa next to a woman, never mind that it’s pawing at her. But that’s exactly what happens in a video that’s gone viral on Instagram.
In the clip, which had racked up 8 million views at the time of writing, owner Shannon Corbeil appears to be unfazed by Chloe, a serval cat, hissing and pawing while she speaks to the camera.
During the video, shared to @chloetheserval, Corbeil, who lives in Michigan, calmly explains why her 18-year-old exotic pet is acting this way. However, the internet is concerned for the owner’s wellbeing.
The registered dietician and nutritionist points out that “Chloe is a little bit mad” because she left crackers out and Chloe began eating them, but the owner had to take them off her so “she didn’t eat all of them.”
It would appear Chloe is angry, to say the least, as she begins hissing while hitting her owner’s head.
Corbeil dismisses her behavior by simply brushing it off, saying: “She doesn’t like it when I tell her business.”
Chloe makes a noise that’s identical to a cat’s meow and Corbeil responds by saying: “I know, I am pretty upset about it too.” She is then met with another thump on the head before the clip ends.
While Corbeil doesn’t bat an eyelid, internet users were shaking in their boots and fearing for her safety.
One user asked: “So you just gone let that big ass jungle cat skippidy pap you in the back of the head not once but twice?!?”
“That last pop was personal,” pointed out another.
A third commenter said: “I don’t blame her. I swat at people who touch my food too. [joke joke]. She’s adorable.”
“Stay safe, mom. That’s [an] angry kitty,” said a fourth commenter.
Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty
It is clear that Chloe is much bigger than the average domestic house cat. In fact, servals are around two feet long and range from 20 to 40 pounds, according to the World Population Review. They are allowed to be kept as pets without a permit in the following eight states: Alabama, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin.
The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals advises against owning one as a pet as they are wild animals that usually hunt for their prey.
While it looks like Chloe has tons of enrichment activities and plenty of space, the non-profit animal welfare organization states they aren’t easy to look after.
The website says: “They are not easily house-trained, and will frequently mark their territory with urine. It is extremely challenging to provide for the nutritional and veterinary needs of a wild cat like a serval in captivity. Without their needs met, they experience poor welfare.”
Newsweek reached out to @chloetheserval for comment via email/Instagram. We couldn’t verify the details of the case.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.