Have you seen Simba? Large African Serval cat missing in Chatham-Kent

If you see a large house cat with cheetah-like markingsin the Chatham-Kent area, his owners are looking for him, and he's very much missed.

Sandy Webster was cat-sitting her son Brady's large African serval cat, named Simba, while he was away.

On Sunday night she noticed a hole in the screen door of her home in northwest Chathamand the cat, nowhere to be found.

Since then, the family has mounted an intense search for the cat, and are hoping anyone who spots him might be able to help.

"(Simba) just has such a closeness with Brady that I'm sure Brady is the only person Simba will go to," Webster said.

"We don't encourage anyone else to try to capture him because he will just continue to run."

Simba was spotted on Monday morning on Maple Line in Pain Court, and that afternoon in the south end of Chatham on Wellington Street East. He hasn't been spotted in the last two days.

Simba is larger than your average house cat, weighing about 30 lbs at just two years old and is about 22 inches long. His marks resemble that of a cheetah, Webster said: Anyone who spots him will know if they've seen Simba.

But, she stressed Simba isn't a threat to other animals he lives with other cats and can be skittish. He will flee from other animals and humans.

"He is definitely a one-owner cat," Webster said.

Simba is wearing a black locator collar and a red harness, Webster said. But the locator only works within about two kilometres, so it's important the family get to him, fast, if he's spotted.

Anyone who sees Simba is asked not to try and catch him, as he'll only run further away. Instead, following from a safe and inconspicuous distance while getting in touch with the family.