Photo provided by the Washington County Sheriff A photo taken Monday by a resident of the serval cat that got loose in the area of Cherokee Drive and Bender Road in Washington County, Ohio. The animal was captured Monday afternoon in the same area.

MARIETTA, Ohio — A serval cat that got loose from its owner has been captured, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s department Monday afternoon alerted residents of the cat being spotted in the area of Cherokee Drive and Bender Road in Warren Township.

The cat was found later Monday, Sheriff Mark Warden said.

Questions about the incident were referred to the Ohio Department of Agriculture. A comment from the department about what violations, if any, may have occurred was not immediately available.

According to the African Wildlife Federation, the carnivorous serval is a medium-sized wild cat with tawny, black-spotted coat, long neck and long legs that allow it to see over grasses and large ears and an acute sense of hearing. They weigh from 19-40 pounds and can live more than 20 years.

A serval cat is not to be confused with a savannah cat, which is a crossbreed of a serval and a domestic cat.

The missing serval has been in the possession of the owner for 15 years, Warden said. It may have been domesticated, however, the animal could have been a threat to people and small animals while in the wild, he said. That possibility was why the department issued an alert warning residents about the serval, Warden said.

Residents were warned not to approach the animal and to watch their children and small pets when outdoors.