Rare Savannah cat who was declawed and given away for free on Craigslist finds a new home at a sanctuary and finally makes a real friend

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Nov 15, 2026 1:30 PM EST

As much as we love cats, we have to remember that not every cat is meant to be a house cat.

You wouldn't keep a lion as a pet, right? That's pretty obvious. But when it comes to Savannah cats, things aren't quite as straightforward. They don't look all that different from regular house cats. They're a little bigger, a little spottier, but they're a whole lot wilder. And just like other wild cats, they have very specific needs that we simply can't provide in our homes. That's why it's so important to understand what you're getting into before bringing one home. Being a cat lover doesn't automatically mean you're the right person to care for every kind of cat.

What's particularly surprising about today's story is what actually led to this Savannah cat's rescue. It wasn't because her owner was illegally keeping a wild cat as a pet. Instead, this owner was unhappy with his "behavioral issues" and the fact that he wasn't acting like a normal house cat. Which is something that he's obviously not supposed to do. Rather than finding him the proper care he needed, he put up an ad on Craigslist, complaining about the cat and offering this $2,000 wild cat for free.

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    Cheezburger Image 10676064256
    via The Wildcat Ssanctuary

  • Some stories are more common than we think. Leo is a male Savannah cat who arrived at The Wildcat Sanctuary in 2016. He was purchased by someone to be kept as an exotic pet, even though it was against the law. Funnily enough, that's not the reason Leo ended up in the sanctuary. Instead, the person who kept him as a pet was displeased with him. 

     

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    Cheezburger Image 10676062720
    via The Wildcat Ssanctuary

  • “Behavioral issues” - that was the complaint. Leo didn't want to use the litter box, and he was aggressive toward the other animals in the house, as should be expected from a wild cat. 

     

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    To give away F1 Wildcat Hybrid - Neutered, 4 way declawed, he needs to go to a one cat family. He looks spotted like a Bengal, but taller. He is a very unique cat. We paid $2,000.00 for him last winter. Must see him to appreciate what he actually looks like. Google a African Wildcat. Pictures available upon request. He has not been around dogs, he would be best off on his own in the home. do NOT contact me with unsolicited services or offers
    via The Wildcat Ssanctuary

  • A Craigslist ad is what brought Leo to the sanctuary. The ad stated: "free to good home”. A person whose dream it was to own a Bengal or a hybrid answered the ad, and she was very excited to bring a cat like this home and care for it. But when she arrived to pick Leo up, she saw that he was being kept in a cage in the garage, and she was informed that he had been declawed in all four of his paws as an adult cat. 

     

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    Cheezburger Image 10676062976
    via The Wildcat Ssanctuary

  • The woman was given the cat along with multiple medications that were prescribed for him. And despite her excitement about owning a cat like this, she quickly realized that he needed care she could not provide. So, she contacted the sanctuary. Leo's story isn't particularly surprising, but that doesn't make it any less heartbreaking. 

     

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    Cheezburger Image 10676063232
    via The Wildcat Ssanctuary

  • The medical issues Leo had were common and simple ones for his breed, but considering his declawing, he was never a candidate for release back into the wild. Of course, that doesn't mean that he couldn't find new joy and new purpose in the sanctuary. In fact, it was rather easy, after all the struggles he'd had, for him to love his new home - and even make a friend. 

     

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    Cheezburger Image 10676064768
    via The Wildcat Ssanctuary

  • Leo and another Bengal cat called Eddy - another rescue - hit it off and became best friends. Eddy reassured Leo that humans can be trusted, and from then on, Leo's relationship with his caretakers blossomed as well. 

     

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    Cheezburger Image 10676065024
    via The Wildcat Ssanctuary

  • In the sanctuary, Leo lived to 12 years of age, when he finally succumbed to a long battle with inflammatory bowel disease and hyperthyroidism. The beginning of his life was hard, but he did end up finding a new kind of happiness - with other cats and with people who genuinely cared for him, with no fear of being abandoned or punished. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10676061184
    via The Wildcat Ssanctuary
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    E WICAT SANCARY
    via The Wildcat Ssanctuary
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    NATURE'S MIRACLE NATURES MIRACLE PE CARRI 15m
    via The Wildcat Ssanctuary
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    E WICAT SANCARY
    via The Wildcat Ssanctuary
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    HE WICAT SANCARY
    via The Wildcat Ssanctuary

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happy ending Cats wild rescue
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