READING, Pa.- Police say they captured a big African cat, resembling a cheetah, running loose through the streets of a small Pennsylvania town.

Reports about the spotted feline started coming in on Nov. 3. When Reading officers tracked it down, they initially thought they'd found a cheetah.

The Animal Rescue League of Berks County says they got a call from the police department about the feline on Saturday.

When staff responded, they found a cat called an African serval about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia. The cats are illegal to own in Pennsylvania without a license. The animal was declawed and very friendly, leading animal workers to presume it had been a pet.

It's been transported to a big cat rescue group.