Woman shares video of 'angry' pet serval cat 'thumping' her on head
??The Instagram video, which has been viewed 8 million times, shows owner Shannon Corbeil 'brushing off' her 18-year-old pet's behavior, saying Chloe is 'a little bit mad' because she left crackers out, but took them away
??But while Corbeil appears unfazed, internet users are terrified and worry for her safety
??Servals are around two feet long, range from 20 to 40 pounds and are allowed to be kept as pets without a permit in ten states
??The BC SPCA advises against owning them as pets because they are wild animals that usually hunt for their prey and aren't easy to look after as they 'will frequently mark their territory with urine'
??Newsweek reached out to @chloetheserval for comment but were unable to verify the clip
?Have you got a cute or funny video of your pet you'd like to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com
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Shannon Corbeil, a registered dietician and nutritionist, has shared a video on Instagram of her unusual pet in what she describes as "a very bad moment."
In the clip, which has been viewed 8 million times, her pet serval cat, Chloe, is seen hissing and thumping her paw at her owner - but Corbeil simply brushes it off.
She explains in the video that the 18-year-old cat is "a little bit mad" because she left crackers out for Chloe to eat but then took them away because she "didn't want her to eat all of them."
But while Corbeil doesn't seem bothered by her feline friend's behavior, internet users have been terrified by the video and the fact that the woman seems so unfazed.
"She lets that big ass jungle cat skippidy pap her in the back of the head not once but twice?!?" one user asked, while another wrote: "That last pop was personal."
Another commented: "I don't blame her, I swat at people who touch my food too [joke joke]."
And a fourth user commented: "Stay safe, mom. That's an angry kitty."
serval cat
It's clear from the video that Chloe is much bigger than the average domestic cat - and indeed, servals are a distinct species native to Africa and the Arabian peninsula, which are around two feet long and range from 20 to 40 pounds, according to the World Population Review.
And while they are allowed to be kept as pets without a permit in states such as Alabama, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin, the BC SPCA advises against it.
They say while they appreciate the care Corbeil appears to be giving her pet, they warn that servals are, ultimately, wild animals that usually hunt for their prey and aren't easy to look after.
Their website states: "They are not easily house-trained, and will frequently mark their territory with urine. It is extremely challenging to provide for the nutritional and veterinary needs of a wild cat like a serval in captivity. Without their needs met, they experience poor welfare."
Newsweek reached out to @chloetheserval for comment via email/Instagram but we were unable to verify the details in this case.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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Stay safe!