Return of the Serval

A specter was haunting Metairie this morning.

Jefferson Parish Animal Control officers have captured an exotic cat that escaped his owner’s home and wounded a pet chicken in a Metairie backyard.

Cezar was found hiding in a bush at a residence near York Street and Kent Avenue in Metairie Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 6), according to animal shelter Director Robin Beaulieu and Tanya Faia, the attorney representing the cat’s owner. The cat had an injured paw, Beaulieu said.

“Cezar and his owner are on their way to his vet’s (office) where he will receive the proper medical treatment,” Faia said.

Animal control officers deployed to the neighborhood Tuesday morning after receiving word that the cat, an African serval, had attacked and wounded a chicken in the backyard of Kaila Miller Cureau. Cureau discovered her Silkie breed chicken, Rainbow, in Cezar’s mouth around 4 a.m. Monday.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Cezar, Rainbow, and their families now. This report suggests that they're going to be ok.  It isn't yet clear on whether or not the African serval is a legal exotic pet in Louisiana.  I can't remember if that question was ever answered the last time a loose serval was found wandering around Uptown in 2009. But at least I remembered that it happened.

One reason for that is I tried out a lame joke about it during the Saints season that year. But it didn't really connect because the Saints never lined up in the wildcat ("wild serval") formation they were seen practicing in camp. Also because I think everyone had forgotten about the serval by then anyway.  Oh and it was a dumb joke. But that's not what is important right now.

What is important is that the portents may be speaking to us through these events. The only other appearance of a loose serval anyone can remember happened in a year when the Saints were on their way to the Superbowl. Here is a second sighting today and look where the team is at this point.

New Orleans (7-1) could be 8-0, too, had the Saints not allowed themselves to get dissected by Ryan-of-all-people-Fitzpatrick and the now 3-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. But everyone except the ’72 Dolphins loses sometime in the NFL.

Were the Saints better, or was it just the Rams’ time to tumble in a hostile hornet's nest on the road? Well, as they say, history is written by the winners. And the Saints are winning and winning and winning, seven straight W’s despite facing the teeth of a defending division champion’s schedule. In their past four games that have knocked off a quartet of playoff contenders: the Redskins, Ravens (OK, maybe not the Ravens), Vikings and now the Rams.

The entire season, as Saints quarterback Drew Brees aptly said, is a gauntlet. But it is turning into a season that more and more is bending to the Saints’ skill and confidence. “We believe in ourselves,” running back Mark Ingram said. “We believe we can overcome anything. This is a great team.”

Rabalais pooh poohs the Ravens there but that was a big win for the Saints. On the road, against a top defense, Sean Payton and Drew Brees finally defeated their 32nd NFL franchise together.  Beyond just the Rams win, the Saints' success over that stretch of the schedule should have everyone's attention right now.  Also the mysterious serval has appeared again.  Do not take these things lightly.