The 'Cocaine Cat' Is Recovering at Cincinnati Zoo as a 'Cat Ambassador.' The illegal serval was rescued from a tree and brought to the hospital, where vets discovered he had cocaine in his system.

By Jonathan Small

Many may be familiar with Cocaine Bear, the comedy thriller based on the true story of a black bear found dead near a duffle bag loaded with $2 million worth of cocaine.

But have you heard about Cocaine Cat?

There's no movie yet— but thankfully, his story has a happy ending.

Earlier this year, a 35-pound African serval — named Amiry — escaped from a car that police had pulled over for a traffic stop in Cincinnati.

The freaked-out feline ran up a tree. During the rescue by local animal control, Amiry broke his slender leg.

Photo by: Cincinnati Animal CARE/Facebook

He was admitted to Cincinnati Animal CARE, where the medical team tested him for narcotics. The hospital explained on Facebook that this "has become standard procedure for 'exotic' animals after we seized custody of Neo, a capuchin monkey who tested positive for methamphetamine in early 2022."

They soon discovered that Amiry was strung out on cocaine.

Photo by: Cincinnati Animal CARE/Facebook

Recovering at the zoo

In Ohio, it's illegal to own serval cats—not to mention snort cocaine. Amiry's owner was not arrested, but he did have to relinquish the cat to the Cincinnati Zoo.

The zoo announced on Facebook that Amiry is on the mend.

"Amiry's health has improved enough after receiving care in our veterinary facility that we were able to move him to the Cat Ambassador Program area yesterday. He is still recovering from a leg injury, so the CAP team will keep an eye on that before allowing him to run, jump, and engage in other activities that might impair healing. They will concentrate on helping him acclimate to a new environment and his new care team," they wrote.

So where did Amiry get the blow? The police are still investigating if Amiry's ingestion of cocaine was accidental or forced. Charges against his former owner are still on the table, Troy Taylor, the chief dog warden for Hamilton County, told CityBeat.

What is a serval?

The serval is a wild cat native to Africa. It has a small head, large ears, a golden-yellow to buff coat spotted and striped with black, and a short, black-tipped tail. The serval has the longest legs of any cat relative to its body size.

The cats have grown in popularity as pets recently— and are legal in certain states. According to Pets4You, they can cost anywhere from $1000 to $1500.

Still, many animal experts don't support the trend, saying servals require a balanced diet and specialized care way beyond a house cat.

"There are way better options for pets that are way more safe, economically smart, and sustainable," Julie Sheldon, clinical assistant professor of zoo medicine at the University of Tennessee, told the Associated Press.

Photo by: Cincinnati Zoo

Wavy Line
Jonathan Small

Entrepreneur Staff

Editor in Chief of Green Entrepreneur

Jonathan Small is editor-in-chief of Green Entrepreneur, a vertical from Entrepreneur Media focused on the intersection of sustainability and business. He is also an award-winning journalist, producer, and podcast host of the upcoming True Crime series, Dirty Money, and Write About Now podcasts. Jonathan is the founder of Strike Fire Productions, a premium podcast production company. He had held editing positions at Glamour, Stuff, Fitness, and Twist Magazines. His stories have appeared in The New York Times, TV Guide, Cosmo, Details, and Good Housekeeping. Previously, Jonathan served as VP of Content for the GSN (the Game Show Network), where he produced original digital video series.

Editor's Pick

She's Been Coding Since Age 7 and Presented Her Life-Saving App to Tim Cook Last Year. Now 17, She's on Track to Solve Even Bigger Problems.
Lock
I Helped Grow 4 Unicorns Over 10 Years That Generated $18 Billion in Online Revenues. Here's What I've Learned.
Lock
Want to Break Bad Habits and Supercharge Your Business? Use This Technique.
Lock
Don't Have Any Clients But Need Customer Testimonials? Follow These 3 Tricks To Boost Your Rep.
Why Are Some Wines More Expensive Than Others? A Top Winemaker Gives a Full-Bodied Explanation.

Related Topics

Growing a Business

Subscribers Exclusive Event: Discover How These 2 Founders Turned Their Side Hustle into a Million-Dollar Lifestyle Brand

Learn how you can transform your personal brand into a thriving business empire with co-founders of The Skinny Confidential

Devices

Take Your Social Media Earning Potential Sky-High With This $79.97 Quadcopter

Get this beginner-friendly drone for a great price for Father's Day.

Health & Wellness

Sleep Better, Snore Less, and Stay Cool with This Tech-Packed Pillow, Now $49.99

Let technology help you sleep better with this 8-in-1 cooling pillow.

Leadership

How do You Turn Employees Into Problem-Solvers? Follow This 3-Step Leadership Formula.

As leaders, we need to solve company problems effectively. We often have the urge to fix everything quickly, but is this system of problem-solving really sustainable?

Growing a Business

Entrepreneur+ Subscribers-Only Call | June 8: Discover How These 2 Founders Turned Their Side Hustle into a Million-Dollar Lifestyle Brand

Learn how you can transform your personal brand into a thriving business empire with co-founders of The Skinny Confidential

Business Ideas

55 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2023

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2023.