An ex-Jets player saw his two exotic cats escape from his West Baltimore home — triggering unsuspecting locals while the pair prowled the city streets in the snow.
The long-legged African servals were spotted Dec. 5 without leash or collar as residents of The Charm City took to social media to share their encounters with the leopard-like critters, who are as large as a medium-sized dog and can tip the scales at up to 40 pounds.
The brothers, which are banned in Maryland, belong to Brandon Haw, 45, who played safety for three years at Rutgers before a brief two-year stint in the NFL — including the 2005 season with the New York Jets.
“I see, all of a sudden, at my feet, what looked like leopard spots,” Zach Cusson, who was walking his dog Freddie when he came face to face with one of the servals, told The Baltimore Banner.
Cusson said he scared the elegant creature off for fear it could hurt him or his pooch.
“I don’t know what this thing’s claws were looking like,” he said. “I didn’t want to take any chances.”
Video showed the cats prancing along the sidewalk toward one man who was walking his dog, stopping traffic and crawling on the roofs of houses in the West Baltimore nabe.
In one clip, Baltimore Animal Control workers corner one of the kitties in an overgrown and snow-dusted backyard.
The animal safety experts eventually leashed the serval and moved it to quarantine at the Maryland Zoo, The Banner reported.
There were no injuries reported during the servals’ jaunt around town.
Haw regained possession of the other loose kitty and handed it over to authorities who will move the beast to an animal sanctuary in Alabama, the outlet reported.
The creatures help the former footballer — who suffers neurogenerative brain disease and is currently suing the NCAA — with his health problems, his attorney said.
“Mr. Haw has owned two sibling African serval cats for several years and cares deeply about them. He has treated the cats well and they have provided great comfort to him as he struggles with his disability,” lawyer Gregg Bernstein told The Post.
“Mr. Haw regrets any distress experienced by his neighbors,” Bernstein added.
Haw accused the NCAA of failing to take reasonable measures to protect players and of hiding medical research about the risk of brain disease caused by collisions, according to his February 2024 lawsuit.
The state of Maryland bans selling, breeding or keeping wildcats that weigh more than 30 pounds, such as servals or hybrid breeds.
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